Re: private messages?

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@cherry wrote:
It could also lead to posters ganging up on someone ,or some topic they don't like ,or agree with

The mods would have a hard time trying to control this.

To any long-time poster who knows these boards at all, this is an obvious given. No "could lead to" about it. Instead of having to gather and coordinate "elsewhere", it would just be done here, faster, in real-time with double the participants. Any and every thread that targeted people started or commented in would be shut down due to group slams. It actually happens now, but if you think twice the people, twice as fast...the forums would become an ugly place, as it was before moderation, when bullies ruled.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

oceantown · ‎03-10-2010

@libbyannE,

To answer your question, there has been a time or two that I would have liked to have the option to send a private message.

One time recently, a thread was getting a little contentious, and I thought it may be deleted. After thinking about the subject of the thread, I really wanted to post another reply that I thought would be very helpful to the poster. But, there was no chance. The thread was gone.

That is one example. There are times around here that topics do not stay around for very long.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

What is so telling is that PMs work great for 99% of the rest of boards I've ever frequented but, like others here, I know it would be a hot mess here.

I use boards that I've been on for anywher from 12-15 years and only one time, in all of those boards, have I had a situation with a PM. All that was, was somebody who signed up to the board for the express purpose of spamming people and did so by PM. It was handled and I've never had that happen again anywhere.

Mostly, I've used it for something like Oceantown mentioned, or when two people wanted to get in touch by email, or something innocuous. But on this board - yikes!

ladyroxanne · ‎03-09-2010

@Suziepeach

i never thought that! i like your posts.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

One legitimate reason I can think of is to share active links that we can't share here, that would be helpful to someone in particular - re health, insurance, social services, legal help, etc.

OTOH, people could also share TSV previews and huge discount coupons that QVC wouldn't want "shared", so yet another reason QVC wouldn't want PM active.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

ladyroxanne · ‎03-09-2010

i traded emails with a poster a few years ago. we ended up being very close friends in spite of the fact that we were on different coasts. she was one of the best people that i've ever known.

she died about 2 years ago and it broke my heart. it makes me tearful now just talking about her.

rip laura.

libbyannE · ‎10-27-2010

@oceantown wrote:
@libbyannE,
To answer your question, there has been a time or two that I would have liked to have the option to send a private message.

One time recently, a thread was getting a little contentious, and I thought it may be deleted. After thinking about the subject of the thread, I really wanted to post another reply that I thought would be very helpful to the poster. But, there was no chance. The thread was gone.

That is one example. There are times around here that topics do not stay around for very long.

@oceantown

Hi. Good point. My concern would be on the receiving end: Do people want to receive unsolicited personal messages? Some don't, but some people might not mind and might even welcome the info or the "company."

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

The thing I've always seen with PM software on boards is that you can also set your own settings. You can block any PMs, so that it just won't go and, assumably, tell the sender the it's been blocked. Or you can set to only get them from 'friends' and you, obviously, would check certain posters as 'friends'.

So, it wouldn't be compulsory just like other settings. I still get that it probably wouldn't be a good idea on THIS board. But there are always choices.

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

@Smoky wrote:
I am one of the less popular posters and heaven forbid any sort of private messaging would be initiated... For some of us it's bad enough being shredded publicly.. I shiver to think how horrible it would be with PM's.. Glad it isn't in the works!!!

I wouldn't say you'e less popular than anyone else here!

I enjoy your posts!

Posters manage to get their jabs in anyways. PMs --they'd be more discreet. lol