This is known as a "party", and lots of people prefer it to other forms of socializing, and those people can now have their party at the same time as the rest of us are having a quiet evening with a couple of friends. I don't text much, but this seems like a win/win to me.

Unrelatedly, I find it very difficult to resist using "link" in the same way I used to use "reply", since "reply" is no longer reliably there (intentionally on a delay, I know). Maybe it's just me.

It's a party if everybody is doing it. But if you're the only one doing it, it's rude.

Haven't you ever been called into a manager's office, only to have them be constantly interrupted every few minutes by a phone call, pager beep, email, or somebody coming by while you tried to explain something detailed to them? Was this a practical use of time for either of you? Is this something you would want to use as an example of a normal conversation?

Sure, I'd have that happen all the time if I tried to explain things orally very much. In fact, I'd suggest that for a lot of people, that is normal conversation now, especially in the workplace, but increasingly outside of it, too. If you want to explain something detailed or complex, you use an email, wiki page, or bug tracking system comment.

I admit to being annoyed when I'm trying to have a deep conversation with someone and their devices keep interrupting, though, and it can seem rude if there's anything more than small talk involved. I've been chalking this up to being over 30, though, and suppressing my irritation. :)