What do you do when you are talking to someone you don't want to be talking to? (be it via the Internet, on the phone, or in person.)

I tend to let my eyes wander around, or stand up like I am preparing to leave, or look like I am heading elsewhere. If I am at my desk, I'll turn around and start typing at my computer. These tactics work well in the workplace, because people think you have a meeting to go to or something. Plus, I have access to the restricted machine room, so I can escape into there. And, my boss often rescues me from a particular co-worker by calling me.
On the Internet, it is easy to blow someone off. This is harder to do in person. On the phone, I can pretend it is dinnertime, or that I am on my way out the door or something.

This is SO situational, it's impossible to answer generally. If it's a telemarketer, I tell them that I don't do business with telemarketers and hang up on them while they try to explain that no, really, this time I want to sit and let them waste my time. If it's someone that I know socially and don't like, sometimes I can get away with acting busy and sometimes, for one reason or another, I feel like I have to pretend to like them. If it's most members of my family I feel like I shouldn't blow them off as that would be unnecessarily hurtful. If it's other members of my family I used to do that, but then I finally asked them not to call anymore. See? There's no general answer.

The only instances that spring to mind are telemarketers. I tell them I'm not interested and say goodbye. Then I hang up.

If this is a business conversation, I stick to the facts. If this is a personal conversation, I get out of it, but never lie or hide my feelings (although I may avoid them or tone them down).

I get into these situations a lot, especially with all the work I do on the net. I always let them down gently but explain the truth. It does no good to lie, they'll keep at it. If you tell the truth, they can deal with it however they will and go on. You have to do it nicely though.

The sorting is screwing things up - you can't tell what goes with what!!

In person I tolerate them. On the phone, if I generally like the person I tolerate them. If I don't then I say bye and hang up; I don't have this problem now that I have caller ID. Lastly, I do not do internet chat.

I think this survey begs the question of whom one is talking to (via whatever medium) that one wishes not to be. I picked some answers, but really it depends a lot on the person, e.g. the answer is different for my good friend, whom I don't want to talk to because I have company over, than it is for a telephone solicitor.

I don't like reading this survey, but I'm tolerating it.

"I really have to get going" is usually tactful and true. You could have to be somewhere doing something else or you could really have to get going because you can't stand being in the conversation anymore. You don't have to specify WHY you have to go.

I'm not very good at being rude, even to telemarketers. But I can be if I must. I always try to be polite, though, because, as Buckaroo Banzai said, "Don't be mean. You don't have to be mean."

"on the internet" - modes that aren't instant are easy; just don't answer the email/news post until later.

Depends on the situation. Telemarketers I usually just tell I am not interested etc, and that works. If I do have to do something else, I'll say so. If I am bored with the conversation, it'll show, and I'll leave if it goes on for too long. I tolerate more chattering from certain people than from others.

I have this tendancy to start doing something else. I keep talking to them, but most people will get annoyed and walk away. of course.. the person I do this to the most just keeps coming back... otherwise, I tolerate them (phone/internet) because that is my job. at home on the phone, I tell them how much I hate talking on the phone and we can meet someplace and talk (if it is a friend). otherwise, phone solicitors I am polite the first time, then firm, then downright rude and start demanding a supervisor if they don't give it up and leave me alone.

It depends on whether I am talking with a friend or not and why I don't want to talk with them. If the person is just plain annoying and likely to continue bugging me in the future, I try to make it clear I don't want to talk with them. Sometimes I'm blunt. If I'm in a hurry or preoccupied, I'll tell them so.

Scream. Continuously. Until they leave.
(not really but boy I'd like to)

In person, I make up some excuse. However, this seldom happens with phone calls since I screen my calls with caller ID and would let the call go to VM if it was a number I didn't recognize, a blocked/unavailable number or someone I didn't feel like talking to. Via the internet, I'm not sure if you mean talking to someone at Survey Central using the reply function or if you mean instant messaging. I use the reply function. I don't use IM anywhere online, if that's what you were meaning.