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Couple of questions....
#1810 08/22/09 07:11 PM
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I was hoping to ask this question in private but apparently I can't. I clicked on a couple of Mod profiles but PMs are not allowed.

Therefore:

1. Why are private messages disabled? and
2. How can I delete a post of mine?


Re: Couple of questions....
Bensheim #1816 08/22/09 07:53 PM
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PMs have not been enabled yet. I think the admins are waiting to see how well the server handles things first.

If you can't delete a post, you can edit it and remove everything. You might have to leave behind at least 1 character. That's how it's worked for me on other forums.

Re: Couple of questions....
Bensheim #1818 08/22/09 07:58 PM
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1) Private messages are disabled mostly because I don't think hosting private conversations is a good use of site resources. (If UBBT 7.5.3 had an option to allow PMs only to and from staff I'd go for that but no such luck.) Members can include a public email address in their profiles if they like the option of communicating privately with other FTM members.

2) If your post hasn't been replied to you can delete it within an hour of submitting it. If it's been longer than that or the post has been replied to, you can email me at the address for "administrative or board related issues" on the Contact Us page and I'll take look and see what I can do.

PS - You can edit a post for up to 24 hours. It's courteous to not make substantial changes to a post that's been replied to, or at the very least leave the "Mark as Edited" box checked.

Last edited by cyn; 08/23/09 12:13 AM. Reason: Correction and amplification.

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Re: Couple of questions....
Bensheim #1833 08/22/09 11:02 PM
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Your question just proved the point for not enabling PMs. Had you asked the question in a PM it would have denied others the opportunity to learn from your question. As I told students in my classes, "If you have a question, it almost a dead certainty others have the same question. There are only two dumb questions; the one wasn't asked and the one that was asked to prove how smart the questioner thinks they are."

It is the same reason putting an email address in a post with a request to reply to that address is discouraged in these forums.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

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Re: Couple of questions....
joemikeb #1941 08/24/09 06:04 PM
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I disagree. I think PMs can be very useful if it's something off-topic or reasonably personal between two posters. What if someone doesn't want to share his/her email address, but still wants to go off-forum? Almost every other forum I'm a member of allows PMs and they're no worse for wear. If it's a resource issue that's one thing, but otherwise I think it's being needlessly restrictive.


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Re: Couple of questions....
cyn #6240 12/01/09 08:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: cyn
1) Private messages are disabled mostly because I don't think hosting private conversations is a good use of site resources. (If UBBT 7.5.3 had an option to allow PMs only to and from staff I'd go for that but no such luck.) Members can include a public email address in their profiles if they like the option of communicating privately with other FTM members.


Hate to drag this topic up, but rather than start a new one, I did a search and found this.

Private Messages really don't take up that much resources. Plus, you can limit the amount that a person can send/receive, thereby keeping a cap on the amount of resources if you are worried about that.

Private messages are a great way for people to communicate without cluttering up a thread with their private conversations.

And as far as email, personally I don't like to give out mine until I know someone. It helps keep out the weirdos/stalkers. And I can't/won't post it in the forums...so how would I let the other person know my email address or ask them for theirs?


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Re: Couple of questions....
johnkentucky #6246 12/02/09 02:21 AM
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*chirp chirp* and the sound of crickets is deafening.


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Re: Couple of questions....
johnkentucky #6248 12/02/09 02:48 AM
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Originally Posted By: johnkentucky
...so how would I let the other person know my email address or ask them for theirs?

As things are you couldn't. shocked You could post your email address in such a way that it's less likely to be harvested by spam bots, but you won't keep the weirdos at bay that way. Are they really an issue? I don't recall any such problems myself in over 15 years, but that's just me...


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Re: Couple of questions....
johnkentucky #6249 12/02/09 03:40 AM
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I don't think it's a question of resources in the form of database space or anything like that, so much as networking and troubleshooting resources.

Troubleshooting forums are incredibly valuable sources of information even for people who aren't members. I know I've solved many computer problems by doing a Google search and finding some forum somewhere I had never heard of where some user had the exact same problem I did, and someone else posted a solution.

The fear, which I think is legitimate, is that when people take troubleshooting questions into private messages, that ends up depriving the Internet community at large of the benefit of that conversation and the wisdom and experience of the folks involved.

I can see how folks might want to take personal, non-tech issues to private messages, and I'm personally okay with that, but it's been my experience that nearly 100% of the private messages I receive on the various forums I use are in fact tech or troubleshooting related, and would probably be better in a publicly-accessible place.

I'm neutral on the subject of leaving or disabling PMs. As I've taken a hands-off approach to moderation and feel that it's most appropriate to let the forum moderators do their job without interference from me, I support their decision.


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Re: Couple of questions....
tacit #6266 12/02/09 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted By: tacit
Troubleshooting forums are incredibly valuable sources of information even for people who aren't members. I know I've solved many computer problems by doing a Google search and finding some forum somewhere I had never heard of where some user had the exact same problem I did, and someone else posted a solution.

The fear, which I think is legitimate, is that when people take troubleshooting questions into private messages, that ends up depriving the Internet community at large of the benefit of that conversation and the wisdom and experience of the folks involved.

As far as I am concerned, Tacit hit the nail squarely on the head. We do not want troubleshooting threads to get into the PM system — or into private emails. (At MFIF I sometimes received — and rejected — three and four private requests for help in a single week.) Then and now, if you post your email address and request troubleshooting help to be sent there, rather than posted on a forum I moderate, I will remove the email address with a request to confine troubleshooting to the forum. But there is no way to provide similar management in PMs.

Certainly the FTM community is important, IMO very important, which is why we have The Lounge.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Couple of questions....
joemikeb #6269 12/02/09 07:34 PM
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I don't even remember starting this thread, and in the last few days I completely agree with Tacit, re: "Troubleshooting forums are incredibly valuable sources of information even for people who aren't members. I know I've solved many computer problems by doing a Google search and finding some forum somewhere I had never heard of where some user had the exact same problem I did, and someone else posted a solution."

My recent usb>ethernet thing a case in point. Solved now, but from another Mac forum.

Re: Couple of questions....
johnkentucky #6287 12/03/09 01:29 AM
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Hello, johnkentucky

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This is the same goal set by our predecessors in the MacFixItForums.


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