It's definitely not a one size fits all situation, there's room for personal preference. Just upthread there's someone lamenting a downside of GTalk and the like. I'm only saying that while the concept definitely sounds a bit invasive, the actual downside is really no different than that of widely accepted alternatives that don't have that stigma.

Absolutely agreed with this. Opened the comments just to mention that while I agree with most of the article, Sqwiggle would be a huge no-go for me. And that's essentially why. Even aside from the big brother aspect, I wouldn't want it for the same reason I hate those setups where you put two desks back to back and get to stare at your buddy across the table from you while you're trying to concentrate. It just doesn't make for a productive work environment. I don't want to have to think about what I look like while I'm coding. I don't want to have to worry about how it looks if I walk around while I'm thinking instead of sitting at my desk, or if I go to the bathroom too often or whatever.

Google is actually doing away with online status as they move from Talk to Hangouts, and while it originally bothered me, I realized that I leave my status set to away all the time anyway! Having it advertised when I sit down at my computer - the exact time when I'd prefer people not bug me unless necessary so I can focus on what I'm doing - is counterproductive and useless anyway since I'll get their messages just as easily on my phone, and if they're important enough I'll answer them whether I'm busy or not.