Synchronous v Asynchronous Communication .
Asynchronous Communication: - SMS Messaging.
The "SMS" acronym stands for "Short Message Service". The technology is asynchronous. This means that when you send an SMS message, the recipient(s) does not have to be available at that instant to receive the message.
SMS is a "store and forward service"; messages are not sent directly from sender to recipient, but always via an SMS Center instead. During the exercise Niall and I sent texts at undetermined times to each other as we both have very different schedules. We sent several short messages, with replies coming whenever the other person was available. Communication between us was to the point and focused on a common interest, i.e. T171!.
Typically SMS messages have a maximum length of 160 characters. Editing SMS messages is a cumbersome process. The user typically receives no warning when the character limit is about to be reached. SMS messages should be "short", to the point. The medium does not lend itself well to conversations but rather as a means of communicating small important pieces of information. Messages due to their brevity rarely contain greetings / salutations. They are more likely to contain statements or questions. The messages also are sent and received by people who already know each other (to some degree) i.e. you must have their mobile number in the first place to send a message! So netiquette is understood to be of secondary importance to the information in the message. SMS can however play a very important part in getting to know someone, i.e. texting that girl you met last Saturday night to go out for that all important first drink! I personally prefer SMS to instant messaging. It is a means to an end. It is generally used to set up a meeting either face to face or over the phone. In my experience it is a precursor to a more detailed form of communication. When you text someone, they will be conscious of interacting with you at some point in the immediate future.
