Private Messages useless?

[sonoran]

They way they are now - hidden at the bottom of the forums list, private message seem all but useless. There needs to be some sort of in your face notification at the top of the page (or at least an email) when someone receives a private message. Does this forum software not have such a feature? As things are now, people seldom realize they have a private message in a timely fashion.

 

[randomizer]

If you don't hide the "right column" there is a notification there as well.

 

[jpishgar]

Checking them out in the right-hand column really is the best way to catch any incoming private messages. It's very effective, and I recommend it.

 

[sonoran]

Thanks for the info, but the right hand columns is largely useless to me (and consumes a lot of screen space), so I keep it hidden. It seems I'm not alone, as private messages I send seldom get read in a timely fashion, even when I know the user is very active in the forums.

 

[aford10]

The right hand column is not only helpful for private messages, but also to notify of responses to threads, as well as quick access to your profile. I would hardly call it useless.

 

[sonoran]

Well, I certainly don't want to argue with anyone. But do others find that members don't notice and read their PM's in a timely fashion? I've PM'd very active forum members on several occasions, and it's usually days (or longer) before they notice they have a PM and read it.

My point is simply that the mechanism by which members are notified that they have PM's could stand improvement. Email notification, if the forum software has such an option, would be great.

 

[rolli59]

I can confirm what the mods and Joe have said here above that the right column is very useful. I simply use it to track my posts and never look at a new message until I have read all responses that pop up there including PM's.

 

[randomizer]

I was like you and hid the right column for the longest time. However, when I realised how good it was for tracking updated threads I left it visible. I agree that there should be a secondary notification though, one that is more visible than the one at the bottom. There used to be an annoying red indicator near the top left when PMs were received.

 

[Rusting In Peace]

As a UK user I find the right hand panel somewhat useless because the updated thread tracking doesn't work! It also seems to be the last thing on the page to render and the post / point counts aren't immediately updated.

Here's hoping the sexy new forum I've been hearing so much about makes thread tracking and messages a little easier!

 

[tecmo34]

If you want to get an idea... Join the German site and check out their forum. They were the guinea pigs on the update. From the little testing I've seen with the French site, the tracking is better but still utilizes the right hand column from what I've seen.

 

[K-zon]

For the idea of tracking, i find a lose of avenue for interest. Since messaging is included with the forum already.

How do the mods contact you, and why would it say that anyone else be of difference?

Given of course, "tracking" is already placed within the connect to the site.

Maybe, depending on site of course.

 

[Gman450]

When I send someone a message, I always look at the right coloumn to see if he's replied. But I find that most of the PMs that I send to some users, either forgets to read them, or just doesn't see it, or they rarely even go into the PM box.