The best use of Instant messaging I have found is its use in talking to deployed soldiers in Iraq in real time. It is so important to their families & loved ones.
There is nothing quite like having someone sign off IM with "Mortars just hit..gotta go find my guys" to end a real time conversation. IM is seductive, and it spoils you, especially if it is the only realtime contact you have with those you care about. But you don't have the body language and nuances of personal contact to let you know how someone is experiencing what you are saying....and without those clues, it is sometimes difficult to judge the effect of your remarks. And in the context of WAR, one wonders what of historical value will be lost when there are no longer real letters to discover and to remember who we were. There's not much time for reflection in IM.
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