Private Messaging

Post by **Captain Fantastic** » 03-17-2004 03:33 AM

We have been considering suspending the PM feature. Think it may be having an adverse effect on the FF. Your thoughts on this welcomed.

Dale O Sea · Post by **Dale O Sea** » 03-17-2004 04:08 AM

Seems like that might make it more likely that people will post off topic if they can't PM their off topic comments.

Curious, Linnea, how are PMs adversly affecting the FF?

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 03-17-2004 05:37 AM

IMO, disabling PMs would serve to isolate us pirates from one another. Not a good thing for a number of reasons.

The most important function PMs serve for me personally is the ability to work out disputes with my fellow pirates. Several times it has served to keep miscommunications, that could easily escalate into a dust up, off the decks. I think folks should use PMs more resolve problems.

Even with my buddies, I have had disagreements that were worked out in a PM exchange thus avoiding a public showdown. Not long ago one of my closest friends and I had a strong difference of opinion and we both agreed, in the name of harmony, to each delete the posts we had made. We solved the problem, are still great friends and we avoided subjecting the entire ship to our squabble.

I recently used the PM feature to exchange physical addresses with a fellow pirate so I could send her a juicer that she needed. Yes, that could have been done through emails but she didn't have my email address so how could she contact me in the first place?

PMs are the only way folks who do not already have my personal email address to contact me. I chose not to have my email available for all to use. I had gotten some very bizarre white supremacist SPAM at one point a year or so ago after a heated exchange here on FF. I chose not to report it to you'll as I was not absolutely sure of the source. I subsequently disabled my email link.

Sure, we pirate rabble zip PMs to one another from time to time saying petty things like, "OMG Did you see that post!" or "Hey, just ignore the idiot".

I agree with Dale. The ability to ask questions of a fellow pirate in 'real time' on a subject brought up in a thread yet is off topic or off on a different tangent, helps keep the thread discussion on track.

I don't see the harm in any of this.

dale asked the obvious question:
Linnea, how are PMs adversely affecting the FF?

My question is this: Are PMs Private Messages or what? How is it determined that PMs adversely affect FF if they are not being read?

BTW: I am glad this came up. After a super crash, I had to reformat and reinstall windows. I had to re login to FF and lo and behold, I just checked and my email was again public! Go figure.

Glop · Post by **Glop** » 03-17-2004 05:50 AM

Glop thinks PM's are good. It's the perfect way to keep the deck swabed. So far all received PM's to Glop have been friendly, clean, helpful, mysterious and reassuring. Glop has made friends via PM's, and any deckhands that abuse it should just be IGNORED PERMANANTLY. There are things that can be said and done there safely without external (ex: corporate or federal)monitoring (Glop thinks). Pirates should remain basically annonymous unless they choose to reveal themselves thru a careful series of PM's.

Glop has had nothing but pleasant experiences thru PM's, and would expect nothing less from the entire crew. That is the reason a careful pirate like Glop joined and enjoys FF; the friendly and respectful aspect of this fine crew.

just MOO!

calamity jane · Post by **calamity jane** » 03-17-2004 10:52 AM

Glop - check your pms

Shirleypal · Post by **Shirleypal** » 03-17-2004 11:00 AM

Please don't disable PM's, I also have made many friends via PM's. I don't know your reasoning but if some are getting nasty PM's from certain people they can choose not to open them, that is what the delete button is for and I have used it a couple of times.

alphacentaura · Post by **alphacentaura** » 03-17-2004 12:03 PM

People who choose to communicate privately with one another, I believe will always find a way, whether PMs are available or not.

It's not difficult to set up a Yahoo or Hotmail addy, in lieu of one's real personal email to communicate.

I don't think that disabling PMs will seriously either discourage or curtail private communication between the Pirates who choose to do so.

That said though, PMs allow communication in almost 'real time', for those online, which email does not necessarily facilitate.

Don't use PMs much, however, do like to have the PM option available....JMO.

Lakesider · Post by **Lakesider** » 03-17-2004 05:51 PM

I've seen forums go both ways, from using PM then discontinuing and not using PM and then activating. I haven't noticed any adverse effects either way pertaining to the overall integrity of the forums.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

Personally, I have 472 posts in 10 months and 23 PM's in that time so it's not a function I use that much but I'm glad it's there.

tiffany · Post by **tiffany** » 03-17-2004 06:14 PM

I like PM's they lend a personal note to the individual Pirates that use this system. I have given out my email to someone that way then we have exchanged phone numbers. I have made friends with the PM's and got to know the Pirates personalities better. With a PM you talk more like you are talking in person to someone then just reading a post in a thread from an individual. I think it helps the forum become a close knit family/team, more then a negative effect. But just my opinion.

Linnea you may know something the rest of us do not. I like the PM option but Linnea it's your forum so you must have a good reason to ask.

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 03-17-2004 06:16 PM

I weigh in saying that I think PMs are a help to the forum, especially in the ways that mudwoman and dale have mentioned here.

I have also used them several times, as mudwoman pointed out, to iron out a disagreement privately rather than publicly. This does serve a very important function in that aspect. They give us a way to resolve personal issues without bringing the ship down in flames.

It is also important that they serve in real time. Sometimes, it is the fastest, easiest, and best way to contact a fellow Pirate, for whatever reason. And especially if a comment may be off topic, but is still something you'd like to say to that poster in a timely fashion, then the PMs allow that to happen and thus, keep the boards free of off-topic clutter that would otherwise likely be posted.

I tend to think that they promote camaraderie and friendhsip, and I see that as a good thing. I have also made many good friends here, and PMs were instrumental in much of that process.

For instance, Devastated recently came to visit Corvid and I. PMs were a great help in that we got to know each other in the first place through being able to share ourselves more personally in PMs, and they also helped us in making some quick arrangements having to do with specifics.

Without the PM function, we would be forced into either putting EVERYTHING on the boards publicly, which would increase the potential for a lot of off-topic chatter, or we would be forced to resort to email alone, and some Pirates choose not to list their email addresses for various valid reasons.

It stands to reason, IMO, that without PMs, many valuable connections simply might not be made, and some potentially wonderful friendships might never be given a chance to develop.

I also wonder in what way they may be thought to be a detriment to the ship. Without knowing that, it is difficult to assess what the problem may be and how to address it.

But the bottom line for me is that I do think they are much more of an asset, rather than a detriment, to the forum.

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 03-17-2004 06:19 PM

Originally posted by tiffany
I think it helps the forum become a real family or team more then a negative effect.

YES! You just said in a few words what it took me several paragraphs to try to get across, Tiff!

It's that aspect of family that the PMs foster, and I tend to think that is a very important part of FF.

lrs · Post by **lrs** » 03-17-2004 08:27 PM

May I say that I have NEVER received a nasty PM. Never once.

I think it's that "Internet" thing, you know? To post something obnoxious on the open board is one thing, but as you get closer and closer to a real confrontation, you start to chicken out.

Plus, there's always that "report this to a mod" message to keep the negative at bay.

IMHO: PMs aren't the problem here, CF.

P.S. Let them go to that "underground E-mail network" that they all seem to be so proud of.

Thanks,
lrs

CindyLouWho · Post by **CindyLouWho** » 03-17-2004 10:03 PM

I like PM's for the reasons already stated, plus I have used them to avoid serious public confrontations and thereby saving a person some serious public embarrassment.

So with that, not all of my PM's (sent AND received) have been pleasant exchanges, (although they certainly are for the most part) ... but if they've been detrimental to the health of the ship, I've shared em w/ the folks who protect her.

In that case, they sure aren't really "private", but I guess the lesson in that is: Don't PM anything to me that will do damage to the ship, cause my loyalties lie with the owners.

My vote is to keep PM's (if you're doing a poll)

but like the others, I'm curious what type of problems they may be causing so I could help answer the question.

jeri sexton · Post by **jeri sexton** » 03-17-2004 10:16 PM

Hey Linnea...

Where did you get such an idea???

Whatever birdie you might of heard that from, must have been CooCoo'

jeri sexton · Post by **jeri sexton** » 03-17-2004 10:28 PM

Hmmm' I'll take the heat for this one...
I mentioned that i thought about the time P M's became a feature on the ship' that i noticed things going a bit haywire...

Now why would the Captain ever listen to someone that doesn't know **** from shinnola'...

sorry guys...

Wow do i feel really stupid...

Go ahead... throw me over board':rolleyes:

... that's ok, i'll jump'