Here's a quick key to the status information given in many places, including the "Status" block on the right of this page and away messages on various instant messaging services. Insight is also offered into just how such information is determined.
This is all managed by a perl script which runs in the background on one of my systems.
- On desktop
- I am on my desktop computer. This and the next two are determined by checking to see if the screensaver is inactive on the relevant computer.
- On laptop
- I'm using my laptop, somewhere at home. This message quite accurately reflects my presence because the screensaver is linked to the closure of the lid, eliminating the delay before it activates.
- Occupied
- This shows up exclusively in away messages in lieu of the above three. It means that while I'm actually at my computer, I haven't opened up the window that lets me chat. Usually this happens when I'm too busy to talk online, but occasionally, I just forget.
- Away from keyboard
- I'm on none of the computers listed above, but still somewhere close by. Sometimes this is abbreviated AFK.
- Sleeping
- I'm AFK and it's night time.
- Out
- I have physically left the building, or at least wandered more than 10 meters away. This is detected by scanning for my Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. If it's gone, then I probably am, too.
- Class: . . .
- I'm currently attending the named class. My schedule retrieval script is used to keep this in sync with my schedule.
- School
- On campus, but not in any particular class.
- Work
- Guess.
- Playing . . .
- I'm playing a full screen game. All my games are launched by a special script which sets and clears this message automatically.
- On the phone
- I'm making or receiving a call on my mobile phone. This is accomplished by yet another script of mine. To conserve battery power, the script is only enabled when my phone is charging, so you won't see this message too often.
- Power outage
- This is never good news. Pray that my UPS holds out.
- Unknown
- This is the default for when the system fails. Hopefully it will never be seen.
