 |
|
|
|||||
Communicating on group chats has quickly become a way of life, but what are the rules?We used to use email, the phone or talk in person. Now we use platforms like iMessage, WhatsApp or Slack to coordinate a night out with friends, a kids’ birthday party, a work project or even to discuss sensitive military information as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did by sharing details of airstrikes in a Signal chat.But while group chats have exploded in popularity because of their informality, that also creates its own challenges: discussions can veer off topic, repetitive or basic questions can irritate group members, and that viral meme you think is funny could also offend.The principles of digital etiquette remain the same as other kinds of etiquette, but they are also “context specific and many of the rules are implicit rather than explicit,” said Rupert Wesson, a director at Debrett’s, the British etiquette guide, who outlined key tips for The Associated Press: Think before messaging Etiquette is always based on the idea of care and consideration for others, Wesson said. So it helps to think about how the recipients might be affected by your message.That means, for example, not wasting other members’ time by asking questions that could be easily answered by doing a Google search, or scrolling up or searching through the previous posts.The Trent Windsurfing Club near Nottingham, England, which communicates with members using both WhatsApp and email, spells out other considerations in a 15-point list on its website.“Don’t get angry if someone doesn’t respond to your messages in a group. No one is obliged to do so. Better send him/her a direct message,” the club says.Also, “Before sending a video, picture, meme or any content, analyze if such material will be in the interest of the majority of the members of the group.”And avoid sending videos or files that are very large, because “nobody likes to saturate the memory of their smartphone or waste their data/internet plan on nonsense,” its guidance says. The club did not respond to a request for comment. Remember the aim of the chat Always consider the chat group’s purpose. For those created with a specific and practical function in mind, just stick to the task and don’t post any more than you need to, Wesson said.On the other hand, “some groups are there for frivolity and here, more is more,” he added.It should be obvious, but don’t post personal stuff in a company or business-related chat, and refrain from posting work-related material in a group with friends or family.It doesn’t hurt to lurk first before weighing in, partly because on some chat platforms new members can’t see what was posted before they joined.“It is always best to err on the side of caution until you are very clear on the purpose and culture of the group,” Wesson said. Consider the size of the group Do you need to respond to every message? There’s often someone who feels the need to type out a reply to every post, even if it’s just to say “thanks.” But doing so in a big group might be somewhat akin to an email reply-all storm.Wesson advises considering how many people are in the chat.“If there are three of you in the group, a response, if only an emoji, is almost expected,” Wesson said. “In group of 50 or more it is practically a criminal offense.” Keep it clean and decent, especially at work This is an especially important point when it comes to work communications, with many white collar workers now using chat platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams rather than email to communicate.These platforms feel less formal than email but don’t forget to follow the same guidelines as you do with other company communications.“Assume anything messaged can be forwarded and be especially cautious of work chats (however informal they appear),” Wesson said. “As countless people have discovered at employment tribunals, any diversion into anything indecorous can be career limiting.” Less can be more in chats Chat messages should be short and sweet.One reason is that your words could come across differently depending on the person reading the message, so stick to using short sentences to avoid being misinterpreted.If it’s about work, and you want to discuss something in more length and detail, consider an in-person meeting, a phone call, or email instead.“No one wants to read a 7-inch-long unformatted message when an organized attachment would have worked better,” the experts at The Emily Post Institute the American equivalent of Debrett’s advised in a blog post on business communications. Message clarity and style matter It’s not a college essay, so the rules around grammar, punctuation or even emoji don’t need to be too strict.“You should not feel too constricted and nor should you judge others for playing fast and loose with the King’s English,” Wesson said. “Just let brevity and clarity be your guide.”Speaking of emoji, they’re fun and can convey your meaning as well as the most thoughtful turn of phrase, Wesson said. But don’t abuse them because they can be a “minefield.”There’s a world of difference between, for example, the crying emoji and the crying with laughter emoji, he said. It’s best to play it safe and avoid emoji when, for example, sending condolences, Wesson said. How to properly leave a chat group If you’re getting annoyed by the number of message notifications from a big chat group, or you feel uncomfortable because of some of the comments, just put it on mute. And don’t be afraid to leave the group if you don’t need to be in it.Before leaving, consider letting the chat administrator know.“The group administrator has a responsibility to ensure the chat serves its purpose and that things don’t get too out of hand,” Wesson says.What should admins do if certain people are causing problems?“If things are going awry, deleting a member is an option but perhaps a little drastic. A quiet DM or a brief muting should always be considered first,” Wesson says. If you do leave the chat, should you say farewell? Again, it depends on the context. If it’s for a one-off event with a lot of people you don’t know, there’s probably no need.But if, say, you’re part of a remote work project, it would be a good idea to notify everyone.“When leaving make it clear that you are removing yourself immediately so the chat does not fill up with people wishing you farewell,” Wesson said. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer
Category:
E-Commerce
The stock prices of the so-called Quantum Four are back on the rise today, after already accruing significant gains yesterday as well. The upward trend is a reversal for IonQ, D-Wave, Rigetti, and Quantum Computing Inc., which have all seen their shares decline since the beginning of the year. Why are they on the rise again? Heres what you need to know: Whats happened? Yesterday, the stock prices of Americas four largest publicly traded quantum computing companies all rose significantly. As of yesterdays close, heres where the quantum computing companies stock prices stood: IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ): up 6.23% to $33.59 D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS): up 5.31% to $19.65 Rigetti Computing, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGTI): up 6.98% to $17.63 Quantum Computing Inc. (Nasdaq: QUBT): up 7.03% to $8.68 But the upward momentum hasnt stopped there. Currently in premarket trading, the stock prices of all four quantum companies are surging again. According to Yahoo Finance data, as of the time of this writing in premarket trading, the four companies stock prices are up the following amounts: IONQ: up around 15% QBTS: up around 7% RGTI: up around 5.5% QUBT: up around 5.5% The last two trading days have marked (so far) a dramatic reversal for the stock prices of these four companies. Since the beginning of the year, shares of all four companies had tumbled between 15% and 25% as of yesterdays close. From a great 2025 to a rough 2026 No doubt about it, most quantum computing stocks had a great run in 2025. During the year, most saw their prices surge. IonQ rose from around $32 in the beginning of the year to over $73 per share by September. D-Wave saw its price jump from around $6 per share in early 2025 to over $46 by October. Rigetti saw its stock go from around $9 per share in early 2025 to as high as $58 in October. Even Quantum Computing Inc., which started the year down significantly from its 2024 highs, at around $9 in January 2025, saw its price surge to more than $25 by late September. But by late 2025, the mood surrounding quantum stocks had shifted. Yes, individual investors began feeling more apprehensive about the prospect of massive returns, particularly after the stock performed so well throughout most of 2025, because quantum computing is still a nascent technology with few real-world use cases yetmeaning massive profits for these small companies are still years away. But quantum stocks also took a hit due to factors beyond the companies control, particularly thanks to general fears of a worsening economy, an increasingly likely AI bubble, and uncertainty around inflation, interest rates, and geopolitics. These factors cause many investors to pull money from highly volatile assetsincluding AI stocks, cryptocurrencies, and, yes, quantum stocksand park it in safe-haven assets like gold and bonds to protect gains they had made in those volatile assets until that point. This quantum selloff continued into 2026. Even with yesterdays stock price rises, the Quantum Four have declined significantly year to date. Why are quantum stocks back on the rise? The recent share price rise indicates that investor appetite for quantum computing stocks is also on the rise again. The question is why? The most likely answer seems to point to one quantum computing company in particular: IonQ. Yesterday, the Maryland-based company announced its fourth-quarter 2025 financial results. And those results equated to a blowout quarter. For Q4 2025, IonQ announced revenue growth of 429% year over year. In Q4 2024, IonQ brought in $11.7 million in revenue, and in Q4 2025, that revenue leaped to $61.9 million. The company also reported a 202% rise in full-year fiscal revenue. For its fiscal 2025, IonQ brought in $130 million in revenue, up from $43.1 million in 2024. Of course, those revenue numbers are still small change compared to what the legacy tech and AI giants bring in every quarterbut they do show that there is growing demand for the quantum technologies that IonQ is developing. As for why the three other Quantum Four companies are seeing their stock prices rise too, its likely a case of a rising tide lifts all boats. Historically, when one of the Quantum Four announces good news (such as revenue increases), the stock prices of the other companies tend to rise. The investor logic behind this is that if there is increasing demand for quantum technology solutions, that demand will likely benefit all companies operating in the space. Of course, its worth noting that quantum stocks are still highly volatile, so while they are up significantly over the past 24 hours, theres no guarantee that the bumpy ride for Quantum Four stocks is over.
Category:
E-Commerce
For most of modern business history, accounting has been something leaders looked at periodically. Numbers were reviewed and reports arrived on a schedule (often monthly, quarterly, or at tax time). Accounting happened when there was time, not necessarily when insight was needed. Across industries, a new model is taking shape: always-on accounting. These are systems that capture financial activity continuously, organize it automatically, and surface insights in real time. While this shift is relevant everywhere, its especially visible in the rental housing market where millions of small, independently run businesses (often managed by individuals or families who balance day jobs) are adopting operating standards once associated only with large enterprises. Ive experienced this evolution from multiple sides. Ive been a renter, an investor, and the cofounder and CEO of a property management software company, and over the past decade Ive worked closely with thousands of small rental business owners. Across all of those perspectives, Ive been at the forefront of a major shift reshaping how these businesses operate: Accounting is no longer something thats checked on periodically; its something that runs continuously. FROM PERIODIC REVIEW TO CONTINUOUS AWARENESS Traditional accounting systems relied heavily on manual processes. Financial data lived across spreadsheets, folders, and disconnected tools. Capturing expenses, categorizing transactions, and reconciling accounts took hours of focused work, which meant most businesses reviewed their numbers periodically due to time constraints. As accounting technology has matured, many of the tasks that once demanded human attention now happen automatically. Transactions flow in without manual entry. Expenses are captured at the moment they occur. Data is categorized consistently in the background. The systems themselves maintain continuity. That technological shift enables a behavioral one. Instead of treating accounting as something to revisit at set intervals, business owners can operate with continuous awareness. Financial insight doesnt need to be reconstructed; its already there. Patterns surface naturally over time. Trends become clearer, not because leaders are checking more often, but because the information is always current. Weve seen similar transitions before. Cloud infrastructure replaced periodic system checks with real-time monitoring. Analytics platforms turned marketing into an ongoing feedback loop. Finance is now following the same path, moving from static snapshots to living systems. WHY RENTAL HOUSING IS LEADING THE WAY Small rental businesses are a revealing example of this shift. They operate at the intersection of entrepreneurship and long-term asset ownership, often run by people balancing full-time careers, families, and other responsibilities. Efficiency matters. Clarity matters even more. For years, accounting was the last major workflow to modernize. Rent collection became digital. Communication went mobile. But financial tracking often remained manual, fragmented, or delayed. Modern property management software systems now pull in transactions automatically, extract data from receipts, categorize expenses by property, and generate up-to-date profit-and-loss views with minimal effort. What once required hours of administrative work now happens effortlessly in real time. The result is more than cleaner records; its confidence. When financial insight is always current, owners engage with their businesses differently. They spend less time wondering if something was missed and more time understanding what the numbers are telling them. ACCOUNTING AS INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT PAPERWORK One of the most meaningful mindset shifts Ive observed is how accounting is now viewed: not as paperwork, but as infrastructure. Always-on accounting supports operations the way reliable connectivity or modern logistics do. It reduces friction, minimizes human error, and creates a single source of truth that decisions can build on. In rental housing, this has implications beyond individual businesses. Small operators collectively provide homes for millions of people. When they run with better financial visibility, theyre better positioned to maintain properties proactively, manage cash flow sustainably, and navigate economic shifts with steadiness. What looks like operational efficiency at the business level often translates into stability at the community level. A BROADER LESSON FOR SMALL BUSINESSES EVERYWHERE Whats happening in rental housing reflects a broader trend across the economy. Small businesses are increasingly adopting systems that assume continuity rather than reminders, thanks to automation technology that works without constant prompting. The best tools today dont ask owners to remember tasks or reconcile gaps later. They capture activity automatically and organize it intelligently. This shift reduces cognitive load, which is one of the most underappreciated constraints on entrepreneurship. When leaders arent mentally tracking loose ends, they have more capacity for strategy, creativity, and long-term thinking. Always-on accounting frees attention. And attention is one of the most valuable resources any business has. BETTER SYSTEMS CHANGE BEHAVIOR, NOT JUST WORKFLOWS The most interesting impact of always-on accounting isnt speed. Its behavior. When people trust their numbers, conversations change. Instead of asking whether the data is complete, they focus on what it reveals. Better-informed decisions can be made earlier with greater confidence. In rental businesses, this often means treating properties less like side projects and more like durable enterprises. In other industries, the takeaway is similar: Clarity reshapes leadership. Accounting becomes something owners engage with at a higher levelreviewing trends, comparing periods, and planning next movesrather than something they have to reconstruct under pressure. THE FUTURE OF SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING IS ALWAYS-ON The future of accounting wont be defined by louder dashboards or more complex reports. It will be defined by systems that are always on, working continuously in the background. In rental housing, that means books that are always current and decisions that are always informed. In the broader business landscape, it signals a shift toward tools that support momentum instead of interrupting it. Always-on accounting represents a larger evolution in how small businesses operate: fewer fire drills, more foresight; less reconstruction, more understanding. Confidence doesnt come from having more data; it comes from knowing the data is already there when you need it. And as more businesses adopt systems built for continuity, that confidence is becoming the new standard. Ryan Barone is cofounder and CEO of RentRedi.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||