It was more like “what were we thinking,” day at Mashable when a blog about AIM’s new real time typing feature was posted. Obviously, Sean was never a user of the classic IM program ICQ (in fact, somewhere buried in the dust I have a six digit ICQ number). ICQ was bought by AOL just before AIM was released. Real time text was a feature that ICQ has had since it’s earliest versions. Being able to “enter a chat” with a user was one of my favourite features for intense IM conversations.
Haven’t you ever been caught in the moment, waiting for the other person to finish typing their message. Imagine proposing to someone on IM, waiting for their response while you watch patiently watch the animated keyboard, “User is typing.” However, unknown to your internet went out and their typing status is lost in an endless protocol loop. Imagine the same thing happening in online IM fights, arguments, or debates. Why hasn’t he clicked send yet?!?
In real face to face conversations, people usually don’t pause between every sentence or two, or while they are in the middle of an idea. With real time text you can judge someone’s reactions to what your saying by their use of the backspace key.
Anyway, I really don’t see this feature being that dumb. My bets Sean will use it, or at least his friends will. I can see him using the backspace key a lot.
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