Ok, Dopers, I know that many of you do not appreciate being randomly sent an instant message from a stranger. With the obvious being said, I would like to know which/how many of you actually welcome random instant messages from strangers. I enjoy the latter, myself, as long as they do not turn out to be trolls. 
As long as you mention right away that you’re so-and-so from the SDMB, I’ll probably talk to you. If you just IM me to say “wassup,” chances are that more often than not I’ll either not talk to you at all, or block you.
I wouldn’t mind, but you’ll need to identify yourself a bit.
If you can catch me, and mention that you’re from SDMB, and acknowledge my status as “SDMB’s Master of the Test Post”, then I’ll message with you. Well, actually, the last one is optional.
As long as they identify themselves, that’s fine. But random people? Blech.
I talk to random people who IM me, but I generally manage to piss them off. I don’t IM random other people. Anybody who wants can IM, its in the profile. Mention you’re from the SDMB and I’ll be more civil than usual.
–John
I get an average of about 50 people a day, add me to their ICQ lists, and this leaves me with a LOT of messages from randomers.
So unless something about what they say intrigues me, or I know who they are - reply, I don’t.
I agree that as long as the person mentions the SDMB it’s no problem. It’s a lot better than the sex-chatroom invitations I get everytime I’m online. Well, sometimes, anyway 
If the person explains why they are IMing me it’s ok… like if they are from the SDMB, or if they’ve seen my website, etc… but people who I’ve never heard of, who just IM out of the blue to say “hi” and “how r u” I tend to ignore.
I don’t mind unless it’s some perv looking to cyber. My AOL screenname is GLFreak (hubby made it up when he signed us up) and something about the word Freak inspires every nutcase on the internet to look me up.
If I get a random IM that just says “yo” or “hey” or whatever, then I’ll have to check the profile for that screen name. If the profile interests me, then I’ll chat with them. If they don’t have a profile, or if the profile sucks, then I won’t.
Now, sure, profiles can be manipulated in a ploy to get you to talk to them, but during the first 5 or 10 minutes of our conversation, I’ll specifically be looking for signs of what they’re really after.
Oh, you said messaged… woops.
Sure, you can send me a message (ICQ = 324020). But please identify yourself and come to the point, otherwise I have to pull up your profile and try to figure out who you are and what your game is.
By sheer coincidence, I got an ICQ from OgreFade yesterday. I resisted my immediate reaction (add to ignore list) and actually thought about it for a minute. The message was something to the effect of:
I disagree with that statement without reservation; it is equivalent to either of the following, depending on how you define an ogre:
or
(Definitions courtesy of Dictionary.com)
I’ve never (that I can recall) talked to/with/about him so I was at a loss to know why I had been chosen as a message recipient. I could only conclude that he is spending his days & nights combing through each and every profile and sending this message as a general public service announcement.
It seems like I only get IM’s from strangers for two reasons: they’ve noticed my religious affiliation in my profile and want to ask questions, or they want to have cybersex. It’s usually pretty easy to tell them apart. The ones who want to have cybersex (I have a friend who calls them “snerts” but I’m not sure where the term came from) I usually try to see how mad I can make them before they leave me alone. Sometimes they’ll go away if I refuse to tell them whether I’m over eighteen or not.
At any rate, if someone identifies what they want right off I’m always polite, but I really really hate when the first thing they say is to demand your “age/sex.” In my opinion that’s personal information that shouldn’t be a condition of my having a conversation with you. I like the internet because it eliminates all kinds of prejudices people can have based on your age and gender. Anyway. That’s just one of my more vehement opinions. One approached me once with “age/sex/location.” I answered “too old for you/none of your business/out of your league.” It’s too bad they never acknowledge it when they’ve been well-zinged.
Sure I love being imed by random people! Its what makes life exciting!
Hotgirl132: Hey
Bjordan8117: are you really hot?
Hotgirl132: I’m on fire baby
BJordan8117: OMG!! ::throws a bucket of water on you::
BJOrdan8117: someone call an ambulance!!
I have no life 
I really dislike random messages. I don’t allow others to see my online profile for AIM. Usually, I always get random IMs from my sisters pot-head friends asking if she’s home (I always say “no”, despite whether she is or isn’t).
My online conversation style is odd. Usually, I’ll begin asking a person very intimate questions right off the bat (mostly to gauge what kind of a person they are… I know, I’m cruel). However, I don’t cyber… that’s just boring.
Sure, I am game for random IMing. I am reddragon60 on AIM. On a lot of the time also. Just say you’re from the SDMB. Can you tell I’m desperate? But don’t you hate it when people talk to you, get a reply, then warn you to hell? I call it warn-bombing. Oh god, I’m turning into Andy Rooney!