Instant communication

Many of the web 2.0 communication tools allow you to communicate with
people at times totally of you choosing, you can blog when you like,
post to Flickr or tweet at times which suit you. There are also good
options for when you are online at the same time as other people you
want to have a discussion with.

Instant messaging
Instant messaging is chat communication over the internet. Many web
2.0 tools have instant messaging (or IM) included in their range of
services (Yahoo and Google to name a few).

Quite a few libraries offer IM as a way of contacting them for example the University of North Carolina library and Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Both of these examples show a range of IM options.

Most online games have chat communication as well as does Facebook.

Most IM have a audio and video chat option as well as a typing option so you
can talk with the person online as well. You need a webcam and microphone for this.

With any kind of IM you have to be online at the same time as the person you are
talking with (typing with).

Exercise
Try Instant Messaging You will need to line up someone to do this
with you - feel free to contact nswpln@gmail.com to chat.


Skype
Skype is telephony over the internet. It needs a registration (free) and some software installed on your computer. You might light to try it out. Feel free to contact me on skype (ellen_forsyth)

Twitter discussions
Twitter discussions are focused interactive twitter posts, usually
based around a #tag. This allows people to respond to comments and
ideas, and have their responses replied to in turn. This social chat
is an example of this .

Some conference tweeting also merges with this as people respond to the
ideas raised in a session.

Blog points
Try some of the instant messaging tools.
What did you like about them?
How would they be useful in a library?

7 comments:

Superchicken77 said...

I have used Skype at home to talk to rels in Queensland and was impressed but it is now asking for money so I don't know what happened! I love the libraries using IM services in reference, what a great idea. It would certainly be a great service to provide to patrons. Skype would also be a good way to communicate with those patrons who cannot make it to the library.

Of course, this is all subject to your IT allowing you access.....

swallow said...

I use windows live for a chat. But one day one of my friends got upset with me because he misunderstood me. So after that I prefer ringing people but reduce online chat. IM maybe a way to do A&Q for a library but it has advantages and disadvantages. Misunderstanding can occur. There are more ways to have instant communication espeically with mobile technologies. So people just have to choose what they feel comfortable with.

Kim said...

I would like to point out that with some of the IM programs available it is not necessary to be online at the same time as the person you are wishing to speak to. MSN messenger and Skype both have offline message capturing methods and the messages are then sent through to you or the person you were trying to reach at the next point of login. This feature has been available for a couple of years now and is rather like leaving a message on an answering machine, though you can leave much longer messages.

pls@slnsw said...

We were aware of the offline options. but wanted to focus on the instant elements of this communication. Thank you for mentioning these are I am sure they will be of interest to others.

Ellen

bloggersbeware said...

on line chatting is great, I can see the point of view of misunderstanding, I was chatting to a relo on fb the other day, when she became off line, I am still wondering if her connection broke down, or if she just hung up. Hmmm, I will have to ask her. Our internet connections can sometimes be a bit dodgy. I am comfortable with this way of communication as it has been around for a while and with this course it has enable me to be more friendly towards it. thanks for introducing me to all of the different way of communicating in our world today.

pls@slnsw said...

I am really glad you have found the information useful
Ellen

Wendy said...

Maybe two years ago all these seemed new and exciting, but now it seems obsolete. I wonder what will seem obsolete in two years time from now? What will ipads be like for example.