When I got my first tech writing gig (I was not hired as a tech writer but it was tech writing. I got it not because of my writing skills but the fact that I knew WordPerfect for DOS—Alas, reveal codes. I knew them Horatio!) So, the point is, I had no idea what instant messaging was when I first got into this field.
Around 12 years ago, along with some of the folks who will read this Blog, I discovered AOL and IM. And I “dialed in,â€
–beeeppp…shhhh…gerbunk….shhhh…bling…bling!–
no one else could use the phone, and I could IM folks far and wide. I did know any of them but I could do it! At that time, I was working for a large software company in the Denver area and you did not install 3rd-party software and you did not IM from work.
Then, about 10 years ago (at the same large software company in the Denver), I kicked and screamed and begged and borrowed, and finally convinced my manager that I had to sit with the developers. “I had to. The success of my job depended upon it†or so I said (and I really thought so). I moved away from the protection of the pack and moved into the den of Development. And sitting in Development, the first thing I noticed was that everyone used IM! Even the managers! I remember sitting across from one of the lead developers and trying to ask questions and never getting any help; trying to ask questions to the guy next to him and never getting any help; and trying to ask questions to the guy next to him and never getting any help. I was at a loss as to what to do. Then, one by one, they all began telling me that same thing; “just send me an IM.†I thought, “Send you an IM? I am flipping sitting right next to you.â€
Waiting for IT to descend upon my cube and escort me out the door at any minute, as I was sure that this IM privilege was reserved for the development elite only, I downloaded IM, got all their addresses, and began sending messages:
“I am in the XYZ environment and I cannot log on.†SEND
“use password abcdef†BING
I got answers, err, umm, well, instantly!
I did not get it. Here I sat 4 feet away and had been “Umm excuse me..†for weeks and all this guy wanted was an IM! I got answers from SMEs and I got them fast. So, what did I care! And so it went….
And now to the recent past; the last 4 places I have worked have used either company IM, Yahoo, or MSN. Today, I don’t know how I could do without it. (This whole Blog started out with this paragraph believe it or not.) Where I currently work, the first thing you get is a list of everyone’s IM. And their IM address are in every address book record as well.
Last Friday, I was updating a guide and I did not have the most recent screens shots for the install section. I asked the guy next to me if he knew where I could get them and he said “Send me an IM.â€
“Send you an IM.†I thought, “Send you an IM? I am flipping sitting right next to you.†But I did. I am learner, slow learner at times, but a learner.
Before I knew it, an IM request came from someone I don’t even know in Support on the East Coast.
“use url http://www.xyzabc.comâ€
I did. Several clicks in SnagIt (no endorsement disclaimer applies) later and I was done.
“Thanks John!†SEND
“np†was the reply….
In about 6 minutes I had updated screenshots, start to finish.
And, that’s my Blog after waking up from Sunday nap and before spaghetti dinner.
“Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.â€