Away Message Netiquette

[desecrato]

I've been convicted of the ultimate crime by my friends: posting boring away messages. I'd like to change, but some days I don't have the wit nor the time to spend on such endeavors. My last message "here or not" graced my profile for the better part of a month. Interestingly enough, that I didn't change my away message garnered me as many messages as an interesting one.

So I ask all of you, experts in your fields, what you post as your away message? How often do you change it? Do you let people know how long you have been idling? I am hoping that this discussion will help relieve my (and maybe your, too) away-message anxiety over posting funny/witty/interesting/provocative away messages all the time every time.

-Boring Away message poster

 

[Mike]

I'd always put random quotes from movies, tv, or books on there. Sometimes just for humor, most of the time related to whatever it was I was doing. Like if I was taking a shower I'd put the Billy Madison quote "Shampoo is better. I go on first to clean the hair. No, conditioner is better. I make the hair silky and smooth...." Sometimes though, the more random or funny the better.

 

[smartie_addict]

Are away messages necessary? I find that hen I am away from my computer, I will just sign off. No need to get anyone's hopes up.

 

[Arethusa]

****** away messages suck. Using the same away message for everything is dreadfully boring. If you can't come up with something even marginally witty or a line from or reference to something, at least say where you are.

 

[oman]

mine are really vague, such as "brb shoes" and "brb sandwiches"

sometimes i outright lie - case in point? "brb suicide"

 

[Earthmover]

if your friends are complaining about your away messages, then write really spiteful ones. For example, this gem of a line from SNL:

Sean Connery: Shuck it Trebek. Shuck it long, shuck it hard.

 

[dusty]

I've got one for you:

"Cram it, friends."

 

[Tomcat1066]

I've used this one from time to time:

Tom's away from the computer right now, but if you'll leave your name, number, and a brief message after the beep, he'll get right back to you as soon as possible.

Although I have replaced "possible" with "he's done ********** with your girlfriend" or any other activity you may chose

Tom

 

[Kent Wang]

Most quotes as away messages are pretty lame. I usually quote something odd but interesting from Wikipedia. I change it up about once a day. If I'm going on a trip I'll describe my plans as my away message.

 

[Oddly Familiar]

My favorite away messages are "Weed is good" -- The Game, or "George Bush does not care ******************" -- Kanye West.

 

[Kent Wang]

I also do post some out of context funny quotes that I read. Like this recent one by Label King: "If she had a moustache she would be twirling it."