instant messaging etiquette

[nothingtofear]

edit: blah... massive unnecessary wall of text removed. It's better for both of us that you don't read it.

To simplify, how do you actively use an instant messenger, being online every day and having a contact list full of people - while not talking about trivial crap when you don't want to be talking - and without being rude to people who do?

I want to get back on some IM services and stop avoiding people but at the same not sacrifice the time and effort entertaining people and their desire for trivial/pointless interaction that I always seem to sacrifice until I give up and go back to my default of avoidance...

 

[Aussie_Lad]

Many of the closing techniques for ordinary conversation will work ok with IMing. See Closing the conversation.

 

[nothingtofear]

thanks... I unintentionally employ many of the negative ones already but that's something I want to change haha