When Mxit meets Gmail/Facebook/the Internet/Classrooms

Just a bit frustrated again...I think we've been on the internet since 1998. Note I think. It definitely wasn't this advanced however had been chatting on Yahoo conversations and later messenger since then. Anyway what is my gripe? (and it's not entirely a bad thing what i'm saying, i'm just listing the cons of a pretty good opportunnity) Well because of Mxit, many people who couldnt afford internet, or werent exposed to the internet could now chat using their cellphones, it is much cheaper and in an instant messenger format, making it fun but also addictive. These users have been accustomed to certain behavioural patterns connected with MIM (mobile instant messenging) mafe (making accronyms for everything) and secondly being constantly online because unlike a computer, a cellphone can go to bed with them, so they on when they can't sleep, on while they brushing their teeth, on outside, on on holiday, on all the time. This is different to the person who has first been exposed to the internet, but not only that exposed to the internet while being in the IT world.

What's the difference. My internet stays on the way my cellphone stays on. Just because my cell is on doesnt' mean I am calling and speaking on it all the time. It is on so that if someone wants to reach me they can, and if I feel like I need to chat to someone I can, but it doesnt mean I do all the time, but when necessary and occasionaly randomly.

Now back to the internet usage versus mxit usage. Mxit generally has one purpose, for chatting. If someone is online they are there to chat. unless they are privately chatting to one person that is the general reason why they are online. On the other hand when I'm on the internet, I may be online but I may be e-mailing, blogging, like now, researching, doing work. In fact I may be working in Microsoft Office, with my internet explorer open in the background not even noticing someone else is online sending me a message because that isnt my focus. However for the person on the other end they are not understanding why it always shows my contact online and if I am why am I not chatting to them...

So that was gripe no.1 the fact that if I come online to work people cant understand why I'm online and not chatting, or they assume that I am becuase they are. I dont plan on switching gmail off just because of their assumption, because this is the way I've always used the internet, even going inside to make supper while this message shows online.

Secondly. the way mxit users who have now graduated to getting jobs and being exposed to the internet use facebook or e-mail. Now they have a keyboard and can type complete words, but still they use their abbreviations, and i have to actually ask around at times what is this person trying to say. Or you'll get a post on your wall with 4 letters on it...

Lastly I've had to adapt in terms of this but again it's a completely different ettiqute. But in IT, if u post me something and i cant chat, i would quickly tell you I cant chat...and then go on. And in mxit, its just silent.But I am not used to just ignoring someone when they send me a message and I cant chat. But it gets frustraitng when u have to say 5 times you cant chat...

Anyway will blog more. I dont want to be rude but at the same time I am not using the internet to socialize, occasionally I may say hi and chat and I would want people to know that if they have a problem they can ask or even say hi, but not all the time, or rather after office hours is fine. or much better than in the morning....

Oh the last point on classrooms. As a teacher you realise kids cant spell anymore, in fact a friend asked how to spell where, just because of mxit :)

Anyway I think it's just something I'm going to have to live with
:)

Note: This is not against any particular person, that is why i deal with it and try and accept it, cause I know it's 2 completely different mentalities coming together. who knows maybe new etiquettes may come about. But every so now and then i am frustrated and the result is this blog. May actually do some more research in it again.