Absent presence & surfer voice

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 07:24:28 -0800
From: Paul Kedrosky <pkedrosky () ucsd edu>
Subject: [IP] Absent presence & surfer voice
To: dave () farber net

Dave --

Interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal about technology, "absent
presence", and the rise of surfer voice. The latter is that half-engaged,
less-than-attentive tone of voice we use when we are talking to someone on
the phone, while also instant messaging, emailing, surfing the web, and
checking a spreadsheet: "OK ... uh-hum ... right ... OK."

One UC Irvine study cited in the piece involved dispatching researchers with
stopwatches to study work behavior of 14 people at a California
financial-services company. On average, workers switched tasks --  e-mail to
phone, to computer spreadsheet -- about once every three minutes, either
from interruptions or by their own choice.

Guilty, as charged.

WSJ
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB106842510025265600,00.html


---------
Paul Kedrosky

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