Instant Messaging — Your Indispensable Online Buddy
It’s nearly midnight, you had a rough day and you are dead tired. Your eyes are barely open, and what lies in front of you is tons of math assignments; the most painful thing is that, you have no freaking idea about how to solve these problems. The assignment is due next day early morning. Clock is ticking, and you are seeking for miracle but it sure is hopeless, and you already know you have screwed yourself. You have already sent several e-mails to friends and classmates (the instructor is obviously asleep), but none of them replies. Just right before you decide to give up and go to bed, one of your classmates gets online. Fortunately, the savior sends not only explanations but also methods to solve the problems. In the end, you successfully hammer down this painful assignment.
At this moment, you should really appreciate what instant messaging offers you — convenience and rapid information dissemination. Instant messaging (IM) is a great communication tool that started on computers and now has adapted to other portable devices such as the cell phone. IM allows real-time interaction; via IM users can exchange messages instantly. As technology improves, IM users can send not only text-based messages but also images, audio and video (Educause.edu). As Conor Boyland stated, instant messaging has a negative effect on our daily communication. In his opinion, IM is a barrier to students’ normal social interaction; it has taken away the personal level of communication and face-to-face interaction (Boyland 1). However, I disagree with him because IM facilitates long-distance communication by offering rapid information dissemination and allows direct and creative self-expression; IM also provides the education field with a new mode of teaching and communication between teachers and students.
One of the greatest things about IM is that it makes one widely available to others (i.e. families, friends, and colleagues),... [continues]

Read full essay

Cite This Essay

APA

(2010, 09). Instant Messaging — Your Indispensable Online Buddy. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 09, 2010, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Instant-Messaging-Your-Indispensable-Online-403943.html

MLA

"Instant Messaging — Your Indispensable Online Buddy" StudyMode.com. 09 2010. 09 2010 <http://www.studymode.com/essays/Instant-Messaging-Your-Indispensable-Online-403943.html>.

CHICAGO

"Instant Messaging — Your Indispensable Online Buddy." StudyMode.com. 09, 2010. Accessed 09, 2010. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Instant-Messaging-Your-Indispensable-Online-403943.html.