Presence has some interesting recreational applications. Young people are increasingly using "presence" settings to indicate their current activities or state of mind, often as a tool for identity management. I dont remember what study this originated from, but it has been said that kids spend more time reading the "away" messages on their IM contact lists than actually exchanging IMs, using their status messages as a sort of dormitory bulletin board. The status messages are often read as a way to keep tabs on people with whom the user wouldn't want to contact directly, such as old high school friends. (PSQ)
Also, with applications moving off the desktop and onto other devices, it's useful to be able to indicate your level of availability based on what device you're using. Available and Away don't make sense any more. If people see that I'm mobile they're less likely to bother me with petty concerns, and they dont expect a lengthy response. Presence can be a useful tool for managing numerous modes of communication. If using presence has negative consequences socially (e.g. privacy), I would chalk it up to poor design decisions and poor orginazational practices. (PSR)
Comments
Hi, (PSP)
Presence has some interesting recreational applications. Young people are increasingly using "presence" settings to indicate their current activities or state of mind, often as a tool for identity management. I dont remember what study this originated from, but it has been said that kids spend more time reading the "away" messages on their IM contact lists than actually exchanging IMs, using their status messages as a sort of dormitory bulletin board. The status messages are often read as a way to keep tabs on people with whom the user wouldn't want to contact directly, such as old high school friends. (PSQ)
Also, with applications moving off the desktop and onto other devices, it's useful to be able to indicate your level of availability based on what device you're using. Available and Away don't make sense any more. If people see that I'm mobile they're less likely to bother me with petty concerns, and they dont expect a lengthy response. Presence can be a useful tool for managing numerous modes of communication. If using presence has negative consequences socially (e.g. privacy), I would chalk it up to poor design decisions and poor orginazational practices. (PSR)