Public Service Announcement

Ever wonder if your so-called friends are gone, or just ignoring you? Bonus points if you get the Highlights for Kids reference!

-=Setting Your Away Message=-

Setting your away message is an important skill to have when using an instant messaging program such as AOL Instant Messenger. It allows you to leave your computer without leaving all your friends hanging.

Goofus doesn't think away messages are important. He leaves his computer and instant messaging program on, and walks away to have lunch, without putting up an away message. Let's see what happens:

hAx0r6969: yo goofus
hAx0r6969: we r goin 2 the free pr0n thing 2nite u in?
hAx0r6969: ut?
hAx0r6969: wtf man
hAx0r6969: if u don want 2 go then just say so
hAx0r6969: fine man wut a fuckin ass we r not friens ne more

Won't Goofus be upset when he realizes that he just missed the free porn giveaway, and lost his best friend?

Gallant, on the other hand, understands the importance of away messages. He also leaves his computer to have lunch, but he leaves an away message:

hAx0r6969: hey gallant theres a free pr0n giveaway u comin 2nite?
Auto-Reply from XtianSole2002: I have stepped away from my computer to pray and have lunch. I will be back in a while. If you wish to reach me, you can call me on my cell phone. God Bless.
hAx0r6969: dude u r so fuckin ghey

See the difference an away message makes?

"But PSA Announcer, we don't know how to leave an away message!"

Why, it's simple, audience member. All you have to do is go to your messenger window, click the "Away" button (on AIM this is usually near the bottom and shaped like a yellow piece of notebook paper), click "Set my away message" and, in the window that pops up, type your message, then click "I'm Away." Easy as pie!

"But I don't know how to cook pie."

Shut up.

With your away message up, your friends will know where you are and why you aren't responding to your messages. Your friends will appreciate you taking the time to let them know where you are, rather than always having to guess why you aren't responding.

....---======THE MORE YOU KNOW