Synchronous or asynchronous?

[El]

Synchronous communication happens in real time, like chatting, IM, phone conversations and RL conversations.  Asynchronous communication happens on a delay, like email, snail mail, and posting on forums.  Which method of communication do you generally prefer?

[Lurk Hurk Gurk]

The latter. That way you have time to formulate a good message, and can do so when it suits you the best.

[Graelwyn]

Depends on the situation with me. Most times, I am happiest posting on forums, but sometimes, if I have had absolutely no real life contact for days, it is nice to chat on yahoo or msn. I am ok with that as I cannot see their face and they cannot see mine, and you can still stay in control of how rapid the conversation is.

[El]

This is kind of selfish, but when I'm the one doing the initiation, or when I expect it, I prefer synchronous.  When it's someone wanting to contact me and I'm not expecting it I prefer asynchronous.

[McGiver]

when i need results, i prefer the real time stuff.

but for everything else, the delay is alright, just so long as i have others things to fill the gaps of time.

[purposefulinsanity]

It depends on the situation most of the time I prefer time to think about how I can convey exactly what I want to say.  I hate phone conversations and I'm generally not good with social chit chat.  Having said that there are some people that I love to talk face to face with and I do enjoy occasional chat/IM, but the second is generally just light hearted passing the time.

[McGiver]

my problem is that i never know how to end a real time conversation.

[DirtDawg]

my problem is that i never know how to end a real time conversation.

How or when or if it's over or even who won sometimes ... me, too!

I+You

[McGiver]

on the phone i usually just blurt out, "okthengoodbye".

it puts people off at first, but if they stick around long enough, they realize that its just one of my quirks.

[purposefulinsanity]

I hate those conversations you have when you bump into someone whilst you're out and not only can you not remember their name or much about them, you can't think of anything other than 'how are you?' to say to them.  Then you kinda get stuck there in awkward silence, not knowing what to say but unable to just walk away.

[Nomaken]

I like both, but I probably like Asynchronous better, and more often.

[driftingblizzard]

What's it called for face to face communication?  I can type real time to someone, rather easily, but if they are sitting across the table talking to me, its totally different.  I'm trying to interpret so many more things.
You should see the look on my wife's face when we're having a heated, blow-out arguement, and she's screaming at me to answer something and I raise and eyebrow, tip my head to one side and tell her, "Let me get back to you on that one somewhat later".
Ok, so she doesn't actually scream.  And we don't actually have blow-out arguements, but she does demand responses from me, and I do tell her, let' book mark that one for now, Ok?...