Private messaging
-
@a_5mith Don't get me wrong, I totally love the chat system. However, I don't think it replaces PM. I see the chat system as no different to Google Chat. Yet I still email more important topics to the same chat audience.
Here are the reasons why I think chat should not be viewed as a replacement for PM:
- Inherent archiving capabilities of PM is important
- Advanced editing feature do not exist in chat
- PM system gives users the ability to engage in different topics with the same audience but under multiple threads. Chat is very linear and doesn't support compartmentalization of topics. As a result, chat is great for real-time one-to-one dialogue but not so great when you have to discuss a particular topic in a laid out manner.
Those are the reasons I can think of for now.
-
@cytrax said:
As a result, chat is great for real-time one-to-one dialogue but not so great when you have to discuss a particular topic in a laid out manner.
Any reason why you wouldn't want to use the actual forum itself for that?
-
I imagine for the private part of it
As for the actual feature itself, imo I'd leave it for a plugin rather than build the feature into core -
@julian said:
@cytrax said:
As a result, chat is great for real-time one-to-one dialogue but not so great when you have to discuss a particular topic in a laid out manner.
Any reason why you wouldn't want to use the actual forum itself for that?
@psychobunny said:
I imagine for the private part of it
As for the actual feature itself, imo I'd leave it for a plugin rather than build the feature into coreYeah, Psychobunny answered the question in the reference to "private".
I don't think PM should be classed as a plugin. If the aim is to make NobeBB displace other forum engines that are already established, then the very minimum would be to have the fundamentals locked down. PM is fundamental to most communities online. It would be a great selling feature.
Let's take SeekingAlpha.com as an example; even though they could run that site without PM system, they still have it and it has come handy when I need to discuss something specific with authors of articles.
Another one is Reddit; Reddit is pretty much the largest community based site online and even they have PM system.
Something as simple as PM system is what a new prospect would look at it. I read somewhere within the forums that it would be great for gaming sites to adopt NobeBB. Well, I am that guy from a gaming site that's looking to start using NobeBB. And I can tell you that it would a deal breaker for my users if I try to force them to use a system without PM. Actually, I would get stones thrown and me and threats made against my dog. lol
-
@cytrax It's your forum, if my forum got everything they asked for id never have a day off in my life. I recently had someone ask for a way of hovering over a thread and seeing the usernames of every user who'd posted in that thread because they didn't want to read posts from a specific few users. But didn't want to use the ignore feature. shrug
Could the chat not utilise localStorage in html5? Brainstorming here.
-
Could the chat not utilise localStorage in html5? Brainstorming here.
If we were to do that I think somebody would eventually QQ about not being able to continue their conversation on their phone after they left their desktop etc etc.
And I can tell you that it would a deal breaker for my users if I try to force them to use a system without PM.
Yeah I could see why people who are used to the traditional way wouldn't be too pleased. I see us building some sort of hybrid compromise that takes the best of both worlds, rather than build a whole separately different system, if you know what I mean
-
The current chat feature has no difference than a PM system, the messages are kept forever. It's the front end that just displays the last 50 messages and the presentation looks like its a chat system. It can be themed and/or moved to a separate page and labeled 'private messages'.
-
@a_5mith said:
@cytrax It's your forum, if my forum got everything they asked for id never have a day off in my life. I recently had someone ask for a way of hovering over a thread and seeing the usernames of every user who'd posted in that thread because they didn't want to read posts from a specific few users. But didn't want to use the ignore feature. shrug
Could the chat not utilise localStorage in html5? Brainstorming here.
Nah.. I don't think it's a matter of just giving users what they want. I think there are core features that drive any community and the very best of them have PMs and a form of calendaring. PM especially is fundamental to these communities. Not even Facebook would become what it is today without that feature. I don't think deciding to do without PM gives any advantage to NodeBB but rather puts it at a disadvantage against other engines. You only have to read through this list to see that - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Internet_forum_software
@psychobunny said:
Yeah I could see why people who are used to the traditional way wouldn't be too pleased. I see us building some sort of hybrid compromise that takes the best of both worlds, rather than build a whole separately different system, if you know what I mean
@baris said:
The current chat feature has no difference than a PM system, the messages are kept forever. It's the front end that just displays the last 50 messages and the presentation looks like its a chat system. It can be themed and/or moved to a separate page and labeled 'private messages'.
That would be awesome! If the Chat feature actually keeps the message in the backend, it would be great to be able to thread that out in a private system of some kind.
-
wonder why we're not on that list yet
-
@psychobunny you aren't cool enough :squirrel:
-
Rofl, what is the world going down to these days, people holding us ransom for feature requests?
-
@psychobunny said:
Rofl, what is the world going down to these days, people holding us ransom for feature requests?
LOOL... Sounds like what I do to my current Product Managers. haha. They never want to touch filed FR unless there is $ sign attached to it. lol
Actually, here is another reason why PM is so important. I sent both yourself and Julian messages over the past two days asking about self-hosting services. But my guess is that it probably got lost in your other chats. My query is actually quite important for my project and wanted to find out more from you guys. I would have loved to just put that in a PM, write what I need to write and CC relevant recipients. Chat is no good for that, I don't think.
-
@cytrax said:
Actually, here is another reason why PM is so important. I sent both yourself and Julian messages over the past two days asking about self-hosting services.
Could've made a topic about it, can't see anything in that situation that would be considered private. Depends on the question though obviously.
-
I like the current system. Some people get used to the old school PM systems but isn't that just redundant to your existing email accounts?
I just assume give someone my email address if it's going to be long winded and move forward that way. Easier for adding attachments, long messages, v-card, etc. anyways.
-
This post is deleted!
-
@julian said:
Haha, according to wikipedia editor policies, we aren't allowed to write an article about ourselves... someone else can though
You need to use a pair of those:
http://www.amazon.com/Groucho-Fuzzy-Nose-and-Glasses/dp/B0006GK1DO
