Don't Look! It's IM again!

IM. Short for Instant Messenger. I've used it for years, but haven't endorsed it completely. Maybe I'm a bit of an old fogey. Perhaps IM stikes me as a bit too "Big Brother"; after all, IM always knows my status. Sure, I've found it really useful at times, sending quick hit messages to fellow workers in a nano-second. Receiving smiley face icons in return. Good stuff. But,I have concerns that it is too chatty. I for one, enjoy the control offered by email. I receive an email and a preview briefly appears onscreen before it is banished to Outlook. It is completely at my discretion to read and answer. Chats, unlike email letters, are real time events requiring immediate attention. Sometimes that's great, sometimes that's intrusive. One place I where have enjoyed using chats is online help. Let's face it, holding for the next available operator is no fun, but if I can get in touch with someone faster by chat, then I'm all for it.