Originally posted by JHB:
I think all have the PM feature, and some have live chat.

I share Tim's concern about adding those features here - that it would dilute the public sharing. For example - at PBS the forums are used for public sharing. The messaging is for working out an issue with someone regarding details of a transaction - information of no interest to the group at large.

I understand the concern about the dilution of sharing with PM ability. I'd still like it, though, because sometimes there are some things ("details of transactions," so to speak) that I'd just like to discuss offline. For example, say there's someone in my state having difficulties with PTA. There have been times when I could offer specific advice to that person, but I don't want to necessarily put that out there under my name with my email address. The info would be very state/person specific, and I wouldn't want my name/email out there so people could think I'm the anti PTA person in my state or something.

And occasionally there's stuff--like pictures--that we can't post in the forums, but we would still like to share with others.

I don't post on page 2 (no offense--just not into it), but I do read it, and there are some times where maybe I'd want someone's recipe, or if I see someone is coming to the Washington DC area, I might want to help them out or meet up with them--personal stuff like that. I'd prefer to keep that off the boards. So that's my take on the PM feature.


Yuck to live chat and seeing who's online. And AMEN to keeping out those stupid long signatures, avatars, etc. Google's had success with keeping extra words and other crap out of their main page, and keeping all the extraneous stuff off of this board is part of what makes it my favorite.

[ 10-12-2006, 03:19 AM: Message edited by: mum24kids ]

This is my first time on the site, so maybe I have missed something. I have just volunteered as the Teacher Activities chair at my son's school. Couldn't find a message board for that, so maybe that would be a good one to add. I hope that is the kind of info you were looking for, as I see most of the posts are about the system operations.

On Spellcheck - maybe we need to add something under the FAQ about this. There are plenty of freebie spell check downloads you just add to the Browser. Then it's available for any site you visit.

I happen to use ieSpell ( www.iespell.com/ )

The forums I frequent most often (besides this one) are...

Paperbackswap.com (PBS) - members list books and earn/spend credits by ordering or sending books, costing members only postage.

Slickdeals.net - a bargain site

TheElderGeek.com - tech help site

I think all have the PM feature, and some have live chat.

I share Tim's concern about adding those features here - that it would dilute the public sharing. For example - at PBS the forums are used for public sharing. The messaging is for working out an issue with someone regarding details of a transaction - information of no interest to the group at large.

Experiences in the chat rooms can be really strange. Great, good, weird. There are some creepy people around and folks on the internet sometimes take on a unique persona.

Some peple really like the feature to see what other members are online at any give time. I'm big on privacy. I'd only want to see that added if it's optional at the member level to display.

On the flip side - I absolutely hate the elaborate signature lines with endless "blinkies" and slogans. Some people really like to express their personality. I find them all annoying. So if you implement that - please make sure there's a feature to turn it off at the user level. (I like the small icons like are already available. It's the overwhelming Las Vegas-like, slogan-brimming ones I can't stand.)

[ 10-06-2006, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: JHB ]

I think with the PM some of us are looking for an easier way to keep n cotact (update pg2) or share ideas without having to give out an email addy (spam)- I have a pretty decent spam filter and I'm used to 100- 150 business emails a day- that way noones giving out an email to someone thre not confortable giving it too.

We use PM on elitehackers and broadbandrepots and tons of info still gets posted to the respective boards.

I think it more a time thing- If I know CC hubby grills and t has lobster recipes its quicker to PM then do search or look thru pg2.

I still despise the 'White background' but hey 'scottmom' likes it so the vote is even


Maybe having more than one 'hot topic' per main heading (I know of one way but it'll kill the dial-up people ( the topics rotate via java applet- for each heading) Think sporting event billboard in NBA under scorers table)

and More graemlins

I like the PM thing because so many of us are on page 2 in the evening and typing over each other-read a post and type while l other person posts so you post another post to discuss something they mentioned and in 10 minutes you've posted 3 or 4 times about the same thing.

I would like an email feature through the boards to maybe help those who want to retain their anonymity (sp?) so they can give good details or send you something in formats that don't always work for posting here.

It might be nice to be able to post pictures. There could be a system so that an admin has to approve them. I would have really loved to get pics of someone's scrapbooking bulliten boards.