Personal Messages #2

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi David,

As far as I know, there is no limit to the number of PMs one can send or receive
(but we do hope you clear out your IN and OUT boxes now and again ).

The error message is misleading in that it usually refers to the recipient.
Could it be that you are trying to PM new members who haven't got access to PMs yet ??

Bob

[Rol]

OK ...  so new members have to post to the boards three times before the off-board messaging system is permitted to work for them.  A couple of thoughts:

1.  Could that not be clearly set out in the overall introduction or as guidance notes in the Help pages?  Seems a bit odd -- the site is scarcely still in its infancy.  I daresay I am tediously repeating the ancient comments of others if I observe that the Help section does NOT do "what it says on the tin"!  And still no FAQ info.

2.  The same problems afflict puzzled new members at the earlier stage of  simply wanting to discover the basics of how to set up a PM,  i.e.  long before they progress to this board and discover that  they are banned from sending such messages anyway (until they have served a weird sort of apprenticeship or probation period on the open message boards).

This seems to treat grown-up researchers as clairvoyants AND children!

[mare]

Welcome to Rootschat rol   

The restriction is a relatively new introduction due to a recent spamming problem. I can see it is catching a few newcomers out, especially if they read what looks to be a post from family and only want to make a discreet contact.  I believe the restriction could be still in a trial phase and I agree newcomers could get a briefing of the system if it is to continue ...

Happy researching

  mare

[Rol]

Thanks for those good wishes,  Mare.

I'm no techie,  but I can't see how a few initial public posts (which could easily be bland and innocent-looking dummies generated by a computer) will prevent determined bad guys building the launch pad for a mega-spam attack once the PM system has been enabled for their account.

If the site owners are really relying on that,  we are all being defended from the tide by castle walls built of sand.  Surely their coders have constructed more effective barriers.  If so,  why hassle people with such irritants as an unannounced ban on starters' PMs?  And if not,  horrors!  They need better consultants,  who won't try to treat gangrene with itchy sticking plaster ...

[johngirl]

Hi Rol,

Welcome to rootschat.

I can see that you are not happy about the P.M system for newbies. Thats just the way it goes on here and others have no problem with it. Others if they think they have found a person with the same family research interest just post onto the board where others have information posted on that particular family interest.
Rootschat you will find is a great place for finding help with your family research. There are many wonderful people on here that take the time to help others with their research. Rootschat Administrators try to do the right thing by everyone but they cannot always please everyone.
If you are interested in family research just look about on here and you will be amazed at what help you can get. There are many many satisfied people just take a look.

 Happy researching.

 Johngirl

[Rol]

Hello Johngirl,

Thanks for your thoughts plus your welcome to the site.

I have no doubt that all of what you say is true (provided we can agree that "others have no problem ..."  means "many others" rather than "all others").  But then nothing in my two recent posts said or implied anything different!

I can well believe that any starting irritations fade rapidly from the memories of happy established users (and of course most such users never faced this particular problem anyway).  But that doesn't make starting irritations that are unlikely to achieve their stated objectives into such a Good Thing that the minority affected by them ought to remain respectfully silent on the subject:  the more new users attracted and retained,  the better the site -- for all!

PS More fog:  my own PMs first worked  after TWO posts ...

[johngirl]

Hi Rol,


I do understand your gripe but can now see it is all sorted

We are all a great bunch on here especially our Mods and Administrators.
Hope you get as much out of rootschat as all the others do.

As for your P.Ms working after two posts. Great news.

Everything in life aint perfect

 Johngirl

[Arranroots]

Hi Rol

You're right that the new arrangements should be made clearer for Newbies: we will have to ask Admin to add that to the list of tasks & thanks for pointing it out.

I hope you enjoy Rootschat - there's a How to Use Rootschat board and a Beginners board which might be of assistance but feel free to ask a Moderator or post a question if there's anything we can help you with.

Kind regards, Arranroots 

[sazzy]

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