Night of the Living Dead

I've noticed a growing trend whereby residents immediately resort to IM when they wish to speak to another av in their vicinity. I don't get out and about as often or as much as I would like so I have been wondering for some time now if it's just coincidence that I tend to find several avs, and often more, standing about in utter chat silence like those shopping mall zombies in George A Romero films. This is fine if the sim is RP - something like Toxian City or Dark Alley, perhaps, where a plague of zombies would only add to the ambience - but it really is something of a turn-off to walk into a pub or a club with little or no response from the company because everyone is busy beavering away in voice or IM.

For the record, I should say that IM kind of pisses me when it is used in this way: like confidential whispers in an open meeting or, worse, getting a seedy proposition from a complete stranger in a public place. The main reason I visit sims with heavy traffic is that I want a social vibe with various folk chatting, shooting the bull or whatever, but I don't necessarily want to get locked into a one-on-one with anyone in particular.

Anyway, I was astounded to learn, just last night, that greeters, trainers, mentors or whatever at orientation sims are apparently recommending that newbies use IM when they visit busy sims. The issue was laid out in full by one guy who had taken it upon himself to act as a de facto moderator where I was and, very disturbingly, a fair few of the newish residents were taking what he said as a matter of SL policy.

The rationale seems to be that it is bad to clog the chat channel with loads of dialogue so it is only polite to keep your conversation in the closed IM or voice channels.

What bullshit is this? Did someone actually disseminate this suggestion as a matter of policy? Or (as I sincerely hope) is this guy just a deluded jerk?

There are plenty of ways to manage chat: limit the number of lines onscreen; limit the time chat will stay onscreen; scroll through the communication box for relevant responses and comments; mute individuals who talk crap or make excessive use of hackneyed gestures ... It occurs to me that a 'Mute for session' option on the pie menu would be handy here since it is a little extreme to permanently mute someone just because you're not interested in their passing conversation.

I'd like to hear whether or not newbies are really being advised to prefer IM over open chat by mentors and greeters or if I was misinformed by this guy. If it is the case (and I suspect that it is), I would also like an explanation as to why mentors do not teach the simple methods for managing chat that I listed above?

Is it so difficult?

Yes, yes it is.

I can't say if newbies are being told this or not, since I tend to avoid the "welcome areas" and other places where newbies get dumped. But for me, when in a public space where there's 20+ avatars all chattering away in open chat, I find it virtually impossible to keep up with any actual conversations. So if I wanted to do anything more than shout "WOOT! Great Party!", I'd move to IM and try to strike up a conversation with an individual. I'll probably keep a seperate window open for the open chat, but it won't be my primary focus.

When you are in a party, do you always converse with the whole room, shouting? No.

Most people walk close to the group of individuals that want to talk with at that moment, lower their voice, and try to have a conversation. They may remain aware of the general buzz in the room, but they don't focus on it.

I agree, yes it is. I've been here over 2 years, I can count on one hand the number of chats I've had with a specific person in a public setting with other people around. It's just too confusing, unless you address the person by name every single time you say something in open chat there's a chance someone is going to misunderstand something or assume it was said to them...or about them. IM avoids these problems and I use it almost exclusively, even when asking a complete stranger a question.

I think working out a comfortable way of doing this is part of the SL learning curve. IM is fine if you want to huddle into a confab with one or more folk you have been chatting with but it's somewhat extreme to advise folk to do this from the outset.

For one thing it is intrusive to get an IM when you haven't met, and often don't see the individual responsible. For another, it just kills the atmosphere: RL parties and social events have background noise and that's what makes them warm places to be; SL parties and events seem to have only lag to offer because of this fad.


Has it occurred to you that it may be confusing because you're just not used to doing it? Personally I have no trouble separating the context and various interlocutors on different strands of chat. I'm well practiced at it now because I have made a point of developing that particular skill since I started SL.

I figured it was necessary.

Ephraim after nearly four years here i can tell you - it had not occurred to me to limit chat lines or time. I have left venues where the overwhelming amount of chat was disturbing to me. Frankly even having been clued in now as to time limits etc, I am fairly certain I will forget to look at that. Some people never get out for default for many things- I am one of them though i do tweak certain things. Also- as for voice, I use it often and mostly find it entertaining - again depending on the venue.

I have never heard anyone recommend new folk go into IM and I would think that is not polite really, mostly as an infringement on the one about to be IM'ed. I do prefer open chat but can see where that might be a tad overwhelming to new folks.

Perhaps there is a happy medium for Mentors to recommend. An explanation, a notecard with instructions and an exultation for each individual to find their best option.

If I am talking to one person I use IM. If I want everyone to hear what I have to say I use public chat.

Pep (Simple really)

I think it's fair enough for folks to use the most comfortable method to communicate. I don't use voice myself as a personal choice but I have no problem with folks who prefer it. Also I understand your point about the settings. But I don't think it is reasonable for mentors to be promoting the IM habit. For one thing, I would have thought it would be better practice to show newbies how to adjust the settings on their client instead of just going for the easy option. Some folk will never get it but plenty will.

What about advising them to stick with small groups of no more than say three or four avs until they are ready to handle chat?

I keep my chat lines limited too, it just gets too cluttered. I use IM as a one on one method as well. If it is for public consumption it goes in open chat.

Zackly.


Which is fair enough and others present get to enjoy the chat without necessarily getting involved.

I sometimes sit back and just read other folks palaver for fun if they are particularly good at it.

What disturbs me is that open chat seems to be kind of thin on the ground these days and what I heard last night would explain it. That guy actually chided two other residents for having quite a civil exchange of several lines in open chat. (He got a less than civil intervention from me but that's another story.)

Again, this may be an example of how RL is not reflected in SL (see the discussions of privacy in some other threads). For example, in RL you have the wonderful ability to determine the source of the talking by direction. Not the case in SL. If someone jumps in with a comment that seems like it was part of a conversation you are having, you have to read the av's name, then scan the room for that name if they're a stranger. That's OK, but if you're in the middle of a specific discussion with someone then it can be a huge disruption. I don't think that everyone should be sitting around IM'ing each other, they should all be participating in the local chat just because that's why we get together instead of sitting in our private rooms, but one or two IM sessions is, in my opinion, just the best way to do things sometimes. Cheers, Jackie

How do you limit the number of chat lines? Some of those gestures almost take up the height of my laptop monitor. Thanks.

To be truthful, most of the open chat I am coming across lately is either so banal it makes my eyes bleed, or it is so full of lolspeak , I have no idea of what they are saying.

In preferences. Chat and communication I think it is.

I have 6 lines at 10 seconds.

Cool!!!! Thank you Brenda.

You are welcome. Now that I have my Resident Answer for the year out of the way, I can go back to just being a nuisance. Thank You.

@Jackie
Conversation is a skill to be learned in RL, although some people have an innate talent for it. It's just the same with SL: there are tricks to managing good conversation in chat but that too can be learned.

@Sable:

Go to Edit > Prefences. The 'Text Chat' tab has all you need. It's easy to play with the settings there.

@Brenda

Ephraim shakes his head ruefully: must be the company you keep.

unfortunately everyone seems to be jumping to the 'club' examples. i have noticed the IM fad EVERYWHERE, fullstop.
i agree with you 100%, ephraim. i wish open chat was used far more often. in fact, i wish i could turn off IM's completely, or perhaps have an option to only receive IMs from ppl i have friended.

One thing that drives me crazy is the first contact small talk IM from someone I don't know. There is no need to say Hello in IM.

If it's an idle chatter, nothing personal to it or if I'm explaining something to a new person, I usually just take it to local chat. If it's personal, as with chatting with RL friends, I prefer IM.

Large amount of chat spam doesn't bother me, because I can simply scan it and if I feel like participating, I do. Or I might learn something new from it. At other times, I might AR it... yeah, have had that too, in the Welcome Areas.

But seriously, if you're cybering... keep it to IMs.

Are the number of chat lines limited then. That would explain why all the IM's I have had so far from men have been hi. Just hi. OK I have only been here a few days so am I going to the wrong places or is the ancient art of the chat line dead here. Would it be too much to ask to be told I have nice eyes or good taste even if I don't.

I try to use open chat if there are others around, unless of course open chat is so gummed up with gesture spam that it's impossible.

They ought to teach them not to gum up chat with gesture spam imo

I hate that. Especially in roleplay areas.

My husband, his introduction to me was "you have a very nice avie, would you care to dance?"

After hearing just about every pick up line in SL, his was refreshing.

Last night I was at a birthday party and there was a significant amount of gesturing among a group of people. Some of it I didn't care to hear and it became annoying. It appears they intergrate them in their conversations. I don't mean the occasional WOOT!!!! I mean they use them extensively.

What I wish for is that there was an option them to appear in their private ims or group conference and not necessarily in open chat.

Yes, I could've muted them but they are my friends and I put with it. Or an option of turning the gesturing off without muting them.