# AIM Away Message

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aim-away-message/118886>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 14, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aim-away-message/118886 "2002-07-14T05:35:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![NoUseForAName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@NoUseForAName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoUseForAName)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aim-away-message/118886/1 "2002-07-14T05:35:23Z")

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Inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=115078) thread.

A year or two ago, I created an away message on AIM. It served its purpose well, but now that I look back on it the grammar was too perfect and quite corny.

The message:  
**"I am not available right now because I am playing a computer game that takes up the whole screen."**

Sound familiar? It’s the default “Playing Game” away message on AIM. Now, I didn’t figure this out until a month or two ago (after a long hiatus from AIM and an upgrade). I still can’t believe that message is a default now.  
And it’s pissing quite a few people off. 😃