CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[Rockin' Kat]

I notice that this place has PM's disabled. Typically people see the option to be notified about PMs as sufficient enough for knowing if someone was interested in whatever they may have posted in the trade/sale. The options still there. I didn't know the PM system was shut down until I tried to use it to send a PM to someone else.

This leaves only email as an option but there is this:

Typically when people register a lot of them are going to see that option to "Always show my e-mail address" in profile settings and just think spam bots gleaning their contact info and say NO WAY to it.

But that's not how it works. It never shows an email address. It just gives a web form by which a user can email you with. They don't know your email address unless you reply to them. I don't think the option is really labeled properly...

I think a more accurate label for the option would be "Allow members to email me via web form. (No one will see your actual email address unless you reply to them.)"
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-RK

[Rockin' Kat]

Also a stickied thread explaining why someone would want to enable email contact when conducting sales and trades here since PM's are disabled might not be bad too.
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-RK

[Mayor West]

This is a great explanation and a pretty good idea. Liked it so much that I followed your advice. Thanks!
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[Beetlescott]

Okay, explain it to me like I was a third grader? I think I understand, but explain>>>
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[Rockin' Kat]

In general, Email is the only option on this forum for private conversation between members on this forum but this only becomes obvious after one tries to use the Private Message system and the forum gives an error that the PM system is disabled. Email is also the means of contact most likely to get the attention of a buyer/seller who perhaps only registered to post a for sale/wanted type thread and otherwise will likely forget to check in as other things in life get in the way.

The way the email option in profile options is presented is misleading and scary sounding. It sounds like the user's email address is going to be displayed in full myname@domain.com style for all to see and copy suggesting that it'd be ripe for the picking by spam-bots. All it actually does is provide a form to fill out to have the forum software send a message to the user's email address without ever giving anyone the actual email address.

Ultimately, it is rather annoying seeing someone come by with some VideoDiscs they picked up with whatever vintage tech which they actually collect, seeing that they haven't opened up email contact, and posting a reply in the thread only to have them never come back to see that you were interested in their wares.
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-RK

[Rockin' Kat]

So, Email:

Only way to conduct private conversation with other members of this forum.

Makes it possible to get a hold of drifters who only come by because they got VideoDiscs with something else like LaserDisc, video games, or Audio Records only to forget to check back after posting them for sale.

Provides members with a web form to generate an email to the receiving user.

Enabling users to email you DOES NOT make you a prime target to be doomed to endless junk from spam bots as it DOES NOT post actual email addresses on the forum.
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-RK

[SelectaVision420]

i just have my email in my signature, also some of us are on the facebook as well
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