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Thread: Contacting other MVs off-list? (Read 6234 times) |
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Secret Drinker
MV Fixture
Paul Gunningham, MoM
Posts: 207
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Contacting other MVs off-list?
« : 05.08.04 at 16:39 » |
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(I've changed the subject line to reflect my "techie question". I suggest others should do this in this particular thread covering different sub-topics so it's easier to find things later.)
Most (all?) MVs have quite sensibly hidden their email addresses from spammers or other undesirables. Unfortunately this has the side-effect that we can't contact each other off-list unless we already happen to know the recipient's email address from previous contact.
What would be nice is a feature which would allow an MV to contact another off-list by email, via the forum which would forward the message on without telling the sender the recipient's email address or vice-versa. After initial contact the two MVs concerned would be able to exchange email addresses if that's what they both want.
Is there any way this could be done? Does anyone else think it would be useful?
Cheers
Secret
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=0#0  |
Staving off the pressure... by drinking real ale
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Snoopy
MV Feature
Alexis Birkill
Posts: 44
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Re: How about a sub-Forum for techie questions?
« Reply #1: 05.08.04 at 16:49 » |
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You can send a private message to another member of the forum by clicking 'instant message' next to their name. This opens a window similar to that used to create a new forum topic, but the message instead appears in the other user's inbox.
When you receive a private message, you will see 'Hello <username>, you have 1 new message.' at the top of each page. I imagine that the forum software will also e-mail you to alert you to the fact, but I haven't tested this.
I've also moved this to a new thread in the techie forum. Can I request that any new technical question is posted as a new thread, and that existing threads are used only to reply to the original thread question - this makes it easier for newcomers to find information.
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=1#1 |
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Snoopy
MV Feature
Alexis Birkill
Posts: 44
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #2: 05.08.04 at 16:57 » |
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After more experimentation, there doesn't seem to be any e-mail notification of an instant message having been received. 
I wonder if this could be implemented relatively easily...?
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=2#2 |
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Roger Cornwell
MV Friend
Posts: 22
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #3: 05.08.04 at 17:00 » |
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Snoopy -
You took some of the words out of my mouth (and then posted again), but I was poking around the rather scanty YaBB documentation to see if email notification of instant messages was possible, and like you couldn't find any reference to this and so came to the conclusion that it wasn't.
The problem with Instant Messages is that they aren't flagged very obviously so people can overlook them (JtJ are you reading this?). This needs some thought.
-- Roger
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=3#3 |
Roger
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Snoopy
MV Feature
Alexis Birkill
Posts: 44
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #4: 05.08.04 at 17:05 » |
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Indeed - I hadn't noticed that there was no indication of whether you had an unread message, either - it says 'you have 1 message' whether it's been read or not. If you have a few read but undeleted messages in your inbox, it would be easy not to notice that the number of messages has increased when you log in.
I would have thought that there would be a third-party plugin to at least enable e-mail notification of a new message received.
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=4#4 |
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Jan
MV Fellow
Posts: 312
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #5: 05.08.04 at 17:07 » |
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If you click on the link at the top which says You have 0 messages then you get a screen which has a preferences link at the top. Click on this and there is a check box for email notification.
I have this checked but since checking it no one has sent me an instant message for me to try it, although I have sent a message to JtJ . If he answers I'll tell you if anything happens unless someone else would like to send me a message to try it out!
Jan
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=5#5 |
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Snoopy
MV Feature
Alexis Birkill
Posts: 44
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #6: 05.08.04 at 17:16 » |
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Well spotted! What a silly place to hide it!
Seems to work though!
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=6#6 |
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Jan
MV Fellow
Posts: 312
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #7: 05.08.04 at 17:21 » |
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Yes it works beautifully, you actually get an email with the message not just one telling you to go to the forum.
Thanks Roger and Carole for testing it
Jan
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=7#7 |
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Secret Drinker
MV Fixture
Paul Gunningham, MoM
Posts: 207
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #8: 05.08.04 at 20:29 » |
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This seems to satisfy my requirement! I haven't actually received an email notification yet, but I assume it will work when someone does, having set it up in the Preferences.
Steve - maybe this would be worth adding as a FAQ:
"How can I contact another member off-list?"
Cheers
Paul
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=8#8 |
Staving off the pressure... by drinking real ale
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Secret Drinker
MV Fixture
Paul Gunningham, MoM
Posts: 207
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #9: 06.08.04 at 08:35 » |
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on 05.08.04 at 20:29, Secret Drinker wrote:
Steve - maybe this would be worth adding as a FAQ:
"How can I contact another member off-list?" |
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(Sorry to quote myself - probably a breach of netiquette or something)
Blimey, almost no sooner said than done! Thanks Steve
Cheers
Paul
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=9#9 |
Staving off the pressure... by drinking real ale
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Jan
MV Fellow
Posts: 312
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #10: 06.08.04 at 10:23 » |
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If you select email notification of instant messages be aware that in the email message the "reply to" field is not the email address of the sender of the message but forum@peteatkin.com.
Its very tempting, you get an email alert giving the text of a message and think that you won't log in to the forum but will just reply to the email. I've nearly done it twice. I assume that Steve is forum@peteatkin.com.
You might get some interesting emails Steve! Of course they may not go to Steve they may go to the whole forum - they wouldn't do that would they? 
Jan
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=10#10 |
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S J Birkill
MV Administrator
just a sensible reserve
Posts: 883
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #11: 06.08.04 at 10:45 » |
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on 06.08.04 at 10:23, Jan wrote:| I assume that Steve is forum@peteatkin.com. You might get some interesting emails Steve! Of course they may not go to Steve they may go to the whole forum - they wouldn't do that would they? |
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No, in fact at present you're quite safe, because I don't have a specific redirection set up on that address. It goes to a discontinued spam dump, so you'll get a bounce and realise the mail hasn't reached the intended recipient. Probably a good thing too, as it'll also mean I avoid the bounces from invalid addresses which I'm sure some will enter in the registration form, once we go public.
Steve
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=11#11 |
Stephen J Birkill
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Secret Drinker
MV Fixture
Paul Gunningham, MoM
Posts: 207
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #13: 13.08.04 at 09:38 » |
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Just a thought about the messages notification.
Would it be possible to highlight the "n messages" at the top right of the screen in (say) red, to make it stand out more, if you have any messages? It could be the blue(ish) colour for "0 messages" and red (or other suitably bright colour) for "n>0 messages". I leave it to Steve to think about it!
It would of course be even better if it would go red when there were new (unread) messages, and stay blue(ish) otherwise, but I don't know if this is possible - I imagine it would be more difficult to implement.
So, messages not read are red, and messages not red are read - got it? 
Cheers
Paul
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=13#13 |
Staving off the pressure... by drinking real ale
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S J Birkill
MV Administrator
just a sensible reserve
Posts: 883
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #14: 15.08.04 at 16:27 » |
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on 13.08.04 at 09:38, Secret Drinker wrote:Would it be possible to highlight the "n messages" at the top right of the screen in (say) red, to make it stand out more, if you have any messages? <snip> So, messages not read are red, and messages not red are read - got it?
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I think this should do it. I've totally revamped the Instant Message department, with new features including Pop-up notification (optional), storage chest, auto 'away' message and suchlike. All preferences are now set from your user Profile. I've exercised some restraint, so you don't get sounds, buddy lists, welcome IMs on registration and any such nonsense. All being well the basic features still work!
Apologies to anyone who may have been attempting to use MV this afternoon during the refurb. It's been up and down a few times...
Steve
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=14#14 |
Stephen J Birkill
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Secret Drinker
MV Fixture
Paul Gunningham, MoM
Posts: 207
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #15: 15.08.04 at 20:23 » |
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on 15.08.04 at 16:27, S J Birkill wrote:
I think this should do it. I've totally revamped the Instant Message department, with new features including Pop-up notification (optional), storage chest, auto 'away' message and suchlike. All preferences are now set from your user Profile. I've exercised some restraint, so you don't get sounds, buddy lists, welcome IMs on registration and any such nonsense. All being well the basic features still work!
Apologies to anyone who may have been attempting to use MV this afternoon during the refurb. It's been up and down a few times...
Steve |
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Thanks Steve - not sure I understand all that (in fact I know I don't!), but I've set a couple of the options to see what happens if/when someone sends me a message in future. If some kind soul would like to do the honours and send me a test message I'd be grateful 
Cheers
Paul
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=15#15 |
Staving off the pressure... by drinking real ale
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Secret Drinker
MV Fixture
Paul Gunningham, MoM
Posts: 207
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Re: Contacting other MVs off-list?
« Reply #16: 15.08.04 at 23:16 » |
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on 15.08.04 at 20:23, Secret Drinker wrote:
Thanks Steve - not sure I understand all that (in fact I know I don't!), but I've set a couple of the options to see what happens if/when someone sends me a message in future. If some kind soul would like to do the honours and send me a test message I'd be grateful
Cheers
Paul |
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Many thanks to the thousands of you who sent me personal messages (well, 3 of you anyway). It was most moving... I don't quite know what to say...
Steve's changes work a treat - once again, many thanks for the superb service!
Cheers
Paul
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https://peteatkin.com/forum?board=tech&action=display&num=1091721026&start=16#16 |
Staving off the pressure... by drinking real ale
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