Private Messages

[Russell]

Recently I have received a number of private messages on topics that should have been brought up in one of the forums. Past practice is to use a private message to ask a specific question to one individual who has the boat model, specific knowledge, or piece of equipment in question. Maybe some people are using private messages to hook up, I don't know. A questions for all Albin owners will probably get an answer quicker by posting on the forums and saving me the disappointment of finding out that no one wanted to contact me personally.

[catalina_mike]

Agreed.... It's like getting mail that looks like a personal letter only to find out its junk mail..

[seasalt]

I keep getting them from spfoster and they seem to be real questions but they should not be in a PM to everyone.

[Tree]

I think I've had five or six now from three different people - all to supporting members etc.

[N4QC]

The use of the PM system to a group deprives the rest of the members as well as the group members, save the one group member responding, access to the responding answers of the question presented. First presentation of a question, comment or response should be to the forum. A question or a response to a specific member via PM should only occur when the information exchanged is to be considered private between two members and not to a group…

Stay healthy...

[JT48348]

+2 I second all that

In trying to tell mass PM'ers (this means you spfoster and JIMBO) I may have hit reply and my request to be removed from all mass PM lists may have gone to everyone. Sorry

Please remove me from these mass PM's

[jleonard]

John Collins....how do we get this stopped?

Thanks!

[Nancy]

I agree that the recent private messages should be public forum posts instead.

As to how this is happening, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I'm guessing that the people sending the messages don't understand how the forum software works or the distinction between public and private messages. Maybe they don't see the New Topic button at the upper left and are hitting the Messages button instead.

John, after selecting the Messages button, could there be a page that explains best practice use of PM's?

[Pitou]

Thanks for posting this Russell.

After this mornings PM spam message I was seriously considering opting out of the PM system and instead responded asking the poster to use the appropriate forums and to not blast a SPAM style message. No response yet.

If this continues I'm opting out and going to email only .. hopefully less chance of being part of the general blast. I'm always here and happy to help out, but not interested in being part of a SPAM blast that I have no input for.

Cheers all!

[jcollins]

I agree that the recent private messages should be public forum posts instead.

As to how this is happening, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I'm guessing that the people sending the messages don't understand how the forum software works or the distinction between public and private messages. Maybe they don't see the New Topic button at the upper left and are hitting the Messages button instead.

John, after selecting the Messages button, could there be a page that explains best practice use of PM's?

Thanks everyone for your comments. I too receive the messages and find it irritating. it really isn't spam as they seem to be legitimate questions. I have notified everyone and asked them to post in the forums. This does happen occasionally and let's remember that we were all new at one time.
The two users mentioned have been temporarily blocked from PM.
Have a great day.

[jcollins]

Nancy,
I didn't answer your question, sorry. The PM system is explained in "terms and conditions" I think and in the FAQs.

[Nancy]

Nancy,
I didn't answer your question, sorry. The PM system is explained in "terms and conditions" I think and in the FAQs.

No problem, John. If users are misusing PM's, chances are good that they haven't read/found/understood the explanation. I'm all about user interface, so was trying to come up with a possible low-tech intervention.

Seems like the steps you've taken should do the trick.

[JT48348]

Another one

Barbaco

Posting mass PM just to let people know they are selling their boat.

[jcollins]

Please see this post.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8346

[jleonard]

Thank you John.