Internet Messaging Ettiquette

submitted by Sang on 06.9.2006

I’ve been getting quite a few random IMs lately. About once or twice a day from ~~people~~ kids I’ve never heard of. What’s weird is that it’s been MONTHS since I lasted posted a funny AIM conversation (or convo), so I don’t know where they’re getting my screen name from. Maybe Google’s referring them. Who knows.

What I do know is that these kids all ask the same questions when they IM me: who are you? I wonder. Do these kids go up to random people on the streets and ask them that question?

Kid: *Goes up to random guy* Hey. Who are you?
Guy: *Blank stare* *slowly backs away*

That pisses me off. If you’re going to put a name on your buddy list, know who that person is. If you don’t, which is kind of weird, tell that person who you are and where you got your screen name. Why do you think salesmen introduce themselves first before talking to you?

This is what you certainly NOT do:

baLLetarTs16: hey
baLLetarTs16: who is this
snlildude87: how’d you get my screen name?
baLLetarTs16: how’s you get mine?

Good one, baLLetarTs16. I bet you’re top-notch in your class, huh? Yes, a quick and painless way to annoy yourself out of an argument is to repeat whatever the other person is saying. It doesn’t work here. Go figure.