Private Messaging Misuse

Hello Afterdawners, I am not an administrator, but it seems to me that a some people, especially newbies, are using the Private Messaging facility to send certain members technical questions privately.

This is not in the spirit of Afterdawn. I encourage all those regular users, you know who you are, not to respond to unsolicited requests for technical help. To those newbies and lazy ones, you know who you are, please do not select the name of a regular poster who seems to know his stuff and send him private technical messages. Those that do, will find it increasingly difficult to use any part of the Afterdawn website, if you get my meaning.

For those of you who need an explanation, it is simple. Afterdawn is for people to share and learn information. When a question is posted privately, others can not benefit from the answer and work gets unnecessarily duplicated. This is the reason people like Afterdawn have provided this site, they want everyone to learn using Afterdawn and continue to develop their skills by helping others later on. I started with no knowledge, and whilst I am no genius, everything I have learnt comes from this site, not only the articles, but also the forums and now I help others, where I can.

When you have a question of a technical nature, post it in the relevant forum and wait for someone to respond. you are more likely to get a better understanding and more answers that way anyway!

Happy burning

Paul.

aka loaded.

 

Mr. Movies.

Please read the content of threads fully before you reply to them.

If you don't understand them, ask for help.

>> there are many reasons to have private messages <<

Yes, and the one Paul has carefully described to you isn't one of them.

He's right, you're wrong.

And learn how to spell. The word is "INSANE".

-- Mr. Klingy --

P.S. We're not (supposed?) to be able to reply in here? How is it I can reply?

(no need to reply) <heh-heh>

<< or if you like, you could send me a private message >> NOT!!! (Duhhhhhh!)

 

That is exactly the kind of response I would expect from someone who would do that kind of thing.

Hello Sir Klingon!

Paul.

PS : You can't start a new thread in this forum, but you can reply to those that are still 'open'. Closed threads anywhere are the ones you can't reply to, no matter how much you beg the webmaster!

 

Sam28 -- make sure you are logged in first, and then check the upper right-hand portion of your screen. There should be a "Private Messages" link to click on.

The link doesn't appear though unless you are logged-in. Also, (apparently), when sending a private message to someone for the first time (assuming it is *you* who is creating the first message), that particular thread will not show up in your 'private messages' folder right away, until the person has responded back to you.

(Unless dRD has spruced-up that function). Overall, the private messages function works fine for me.

<not to mention the ability to completely remove a sig line!>

-- Mike --

 

Mr-Moviez :

It may be my pedantic English, but I am struggling to understand exactly what you mean. If by your previous comment you assert that you are, in fact, correct, I am sorry to inform you that you are not. Please take a deep breath, count to 20 and don't let that testosterone build up. Then in a calm mood READ the thread and try to appreciate that all I am trying to do is encourage those with questions and knowledge to keep them in open forum, so that everyone may benefit from the answers. Clearly I make no statement to the effect that private messaging is bad. On the odd risque day, I might even try it myself ;-)

Please do not respond to this post, unless you have thoroughly read and understood what it is about, as it is (and I'm afraid the webmaster agrees with me) a problem that needs addressing.

I am sure that in the cold light of day you will be able to reflect on this, understand it and leave it alone. In future, we all sincerely hope you will continue to be a valued member of the Afterdawn users community.

I hope this clarifies things for you.

Sincerely (and somewhat pedantically)

Paul.

 

Paul --

Are you still around? I sent you a PM with your personal dvdxcopy activation codes.

Hope to 'see' you soon.

-- Mike --

 

I am right no matter what, and you are wrong.. I like that pre-pubescent cry baby attitude, not too uncommon in these forums (unfortunately). Anyhow Loaded, very well put and I happen to agree with you whole heartedly and have refused to help people in PM's myself.. Having said that, I will also add that the same cry baby that I told needed to create a thread and give me a link so that everybody could benefit thought I was being a jerk and left without saying good-bye, needless to say I haven't slept right since.. *cough*

;-)

 

Actual conversation:

sharon 16 Nov 2002 10:56 AM

I am sorry for coming right to you to ask a question but I can't find anyone that knows,I was just wondering if you knew something to use other then virtualdub because I have been having olot of problems with it?

VCDjunkie 16 Nov 2002 11:04 AM

I don't like to answer questions in private messages, please create a forum thread and give me a link to the address and I will answer you there. Thanks.

sharon 16 Nov 2002 11:42 AM

sorry for bothering you.Thanks

VCDjunkie 16 Nov 2002 12:05 PM

forums are supposed to help everybody, if I answer your questions in a private message, then nobody else can put in their feedback and nobody else can learn from what is said. This is a public forum, and the rules of the forum are set so that everybody can benefit from the knowledge of others. Please, create a new thread and post your questions there, and give me a link to the thread in private message, I will answer your questions in the forum thread, but not in a private message.

 

[ cry babies....]

"Waaahhhhh..... goob goob .....ahhhh-ahhhhhh, bluurrpphhh....Waaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

I get occassional PMs asking teckie questions, and while I appreciate someone thinking I'm smart enough to have an answer, I always politely try to redirect them to the forums.

Their chances of getting help are *way* superior because I am only one person versus ######. I DO hope these folks realize that this is not a 'cop-out- on my part, or that I'm trying to pass-the-buck, or appear impersonal or unconcerned; -- it's just that, for the most part, it's *dumb* to ask those kinds of questions unless you happen to know for certain that that particular is a genuine EXPERT in that area. Even then, I'd always try a Forum message to that person first.

(For example, I'd like to ask Derrow (ifoedit) a question or 8, but I know he's heavily preoccupied elsewhere and I wouldn't be selfish enough to 'demand' PM responses from him.)

" Goo-goo-goo.....blub-blub-blub.... Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!"

-- Ever See A_Klingon in Diapers? It's *Gross* --

 

Hey! It's been a 'slice' man! Don't slam the door on your way out.

-- The_Suck_Upping_Klingon --

 

heh.. I know the feeling. I get enough tech-help questions being the supervisor of technical support at my job full time, I do this in my spare time to try and help people, but don't always have the time to hold peoples hands.. that said, I think mr-movies wouldn't last 5 minutes working for me..

my 2 cents!

 

You could tell us all about it in a PM, of course.

-- thrrppphhhhh --

 

once again mr-movies proves that he did not read the posts.. nobody here ever said that the private messaging system did not have its uses.. oh, by the way jack ass, I happen to be very good at my job and go way out of my way to help people.. I just refuse to do so when it does not benefit everybody you sorry excuse for a stain on a monkeys ass.