Problems with private messaging...

[cyanogen78]

Why I can't send a private message and receive the following text - "Private messaging has been disabled on this board." ? I want to send a message to the user Danko, I think we are both from one nationality

[tom jupille]

Things like private messaging, direct posting of images, and so on are generally susceptible to abuse by hackers, so they have been disabled.

[MaryCarson]

So, if we wanted to, how could we take a discussion "off line?"

[zokitano]

Unfortunately Mary, these days chromatography forum members do the "off line" discussions via e-mail
unless... something new happens, right Tom?

[MaryCarson]

That only works if you know the person's email address....

[chromatographer1]

Do the YIM and the AIM functions work if properly filled out?

Rodney George

[tom jupille]

Zokitano, Mary, Rod, et al

When I set up the current version of the software (phpBB) for the Forum, I disabled private messaging on the grounds that it is susceptible to abuse by hackers. As it happens, disabling the function does not disable the icons (which causes a bit of confusion).

The AIM, Yahoo Messenger, etc. icons do work if you have an account with any of those services and are set up to use it. I actually prefer the asynchronous nature of e-mail exchanges, since it give me time to reflect about what I want to say (and how I want to say it); I'm prone to "foot-in-mouth" disease, and this mitigates the problem a bit.

That said, I can activate instant messaging very easily if you all think it would be of value. Let me set up a separate thread with a poll to get a sense of Forum members preference.

[HW Mueller]

If the disabeling prevents at least some discussions from going "under ground" it would be very worthwhile to keep it.

[zokitano]

Ok, also with or without private messaging, some discussions can go "under ground" and the administrator can't prevent it if he disables the private messaging.
I think that the problem of "going under ground" persists anyway. One who posts aricles on this forum, (I normally think that) he/she intend his/her articles to be read by as many forum members as possible in order to find the best solution for his/her problem, right? For personnal messaging you don't need this forum in the first place.
One positive side of the personal messaging is getting to know better with your colleagues across the world. It is my opinion, i don't expect everybody to agree with me

Best regards

[HW Mueller]

OK, Zokitano, you summed it up: One does not need "personal messaging" to do personal messaging. A slight barrier to doing it might make people think about the merits of continuing in public.