[writing to debian-user as maybe others are interested] also sprach Christian Kurz <shorty@debian.org> [2002.10.14.0910 +0200]: > Would you mind explaining why in your opinion an IM system would squash > the productivity towards zero? Also I wonder if you then think that IRC > or e-Mails, both privat and to some lists, squash the productivity > towards zero? I don't think that an IM system would squash the > productivity towards zero. The productivity depends on the users of the > IM system and how much the IMs are influencing his work, either privat > or business. I would say that it's quite possible to use IM systems and > still be productiv and do your work, if you don't let the IM systems > distract you. IMs are about instant communication. I think they harm productivity for the same reason that I think IRC is bad. Of course, they can be put to productive use, but whether on IRC or IM, it's just too easy to get off-track. At least that's my experience. I, for one, am not willing to participate in IM for Debian. This is because I reserve some time each day for Debian (other than mailinglists, which I deal with when I am idle). I cannot afford to use some time from the non-Debian budget for Debian. So I'd be online like 1 hour/day, which makes it rather hard for people to contact me. With email, you can send me a message at any time, and I will get to it at the next possible time. Email also allows me to queue items by importance and get to them one by one. If I'd use an IM and I'd be alerted to a bug which I then try to solve, what if someone posts a second bug right as I solve the first? An annoying window pops up, distracting me. Sure, I can tell Jabber to stay minimized and get to the queue of incoming messages every now and then, but why in the world would I want that considering that I (and many others) already have a sophisticated email system in place to do exactly that. IM has no procmail, IM has no vi, IM has not the features of mutt. Why reinvent the wheel? IMs are great for personal communication and for intra-company communication. But I don't see them as applicable as part of a productive process. -- .''`. martin f. krafft <madduck@debian.org> : :' : proud Debian developer, admin, and user `. `'` `- Debian - when you have better things to do than to fix a system
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