The curse of the personal message on YBW?

john_morris_uk

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Is it just me, or are others concerned with the way that more answers to general questions are being answered by pm?

One of the fantastic things about the YBW forum community is that here is such a huge wealth of experience on a diverse range of issues. There are subjects that I read with interest and would never dream of commenting on, and yet I know that some industry professional has taken the time to give his/her opinion.

Of course there are some things that one wouldn't want to put in the public domain and YBW give us the means to communicate privately. We can share e-mail addreses, telephone numbers or arrange to meet people, all without the risk of becoming targets for lurkers on the www.

What I can't understand is why so much general advice is appearing to be passed outside the public domain by pm. Of course I haven't got too much proof except from the pm's I receive, but the evidence is there when you look for it. It is invidious to single out any individual forumites, and I won't name and shame those who pm me.

However recently I made some remarks about work done to my boat on a particular thread which gained several pm's asking for details. There was no reason at all as far as I could se why the questions should not have been asked in open forum, and answered in open forum.

I remember another comment in which someone said, pm so an so and he will pm you details of how to make that. The item is not some trade secret and (as its part of my specialist knowledge I knew what they were talking about) there was NO REASON to have a private pm about it - in fact it might have been useful to many people to have the design on the public area.

I am very happy to get pm's from people who want to meet, or swap PRIVATE information etc. I suggest that any other use is undermining the ethos of the boards and will untimately try the patience of IPC media who support the forums...
 
Tried to PM you but received message

"no further PMs allowed after your gross abuse of the system and Stingo"
 
No it isn\'t just you

I've had many PMs replying to posts and asking for or giving information that would be very useful in the public domain, why not go public? I've also had lots of support via PMs when some posts and posters get argumentative or just downright rude, it is very nice to have the support (don't stop folks) but how much nicer it would be if it were open forum support to maybe even things up.

Robin
 
Re: No it isn\'t just you

Robin - I agree - a couple of times, thing have been sorted out by pm. I have sent apologies when I have posted in haste.

Post in haste, pm in leisure, might be a forum motto.

Sometimes things have got heated and people have been very gracious in response to my pm.

I try not to get controversial and perhaps my thread is a break with tradition?
 
agreed ...

I know that I have pm'd a few times over last few days - but that has been to prevent me being flamed by others who cant see another's point of view.

I think that is one reason why some do pm frequently ... because of replies rec'd on threads. There are some really good experts in their fields out there and surprisingly it is not uncommon for them to be up against lesser mortals !!

PM can be misused .. agreed ... I have to also agree that it does happen that I click on a thread to see the answers - greeted by some b*****r posts : PM'd you .......... GRRRRRRRRRR !!
 
Re: No it isn\'t just you

The odd thing too is why tell the world as some do that they are sending a PM, with 'PM sent' rather than responding on the open forum? That surely is like putting an ad in the paper to say you will be phoning someone, nudge nudge wink wink! If people really wish to remain anon, why let the rest of the forum come up with their own guess at what might be about to be written in private, plus it fuels the suspicion sometimes that cliques are forming and ganging up!

Nowt so strange as folks..

Robin
 
Re: No it isn\'t just you

Robin & John, I completely agree, I only PM on matters of a personal, social or sensitive nature.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Tried to PM you but received message

"no further PMs allowed after your gross abuse of the system and Stingo"

[/ QUOTE ]I rest my case: Your personal abuse of Stingo SHOULD be in the public domain - for your safety and the obvious interest of the general public...
 
Re: No it isn\'t just you

Cliques are already there ... even if people deny it.

If someone wants to stay "proivate" then click on the guys id and send a PM - without posting a "PM reply ..."

I think that some post these PM replies when they do not receive a reply to a PM ... I know I have done this ....
 
Re: No it isn\'t just you

[ QUOTE ]
Robin & John, I completely agree, I only PM on matters of a personal, social or sensitive nature.

[/ QUOTE ]

And I already told you I had changed brand of deodorant. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: No it isn\'t just you

[ QUOTE ]
Robin & John, I completely agree, I only PM on matters of a personal, social or sensitive nature.

[/ QUOTE ]Didn't know your proctologist was a forumite! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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I\'d noticed

A fewer number of posts over the last months - tending to make me feel there's not much interesting happening - so I have begun to lose interest generally,

You might have hit the nail on the head!


Magic
 
I had a PM from a relatively inexperienced sailor. I replied saying it was a good response why didn't he post it on to the thread so that others could share his experience and obvious pleasure - he replied "no the thread it to old"!

I am not sure how many formites understand that its best to set preferences to most recent response so that the active threads come up on the first page irrelevant to the date of the first posting.

I also think a number are put off by how critical (and possibly agressive) some of the replies can be.

My back is broad enough but I remember how embarrassed I felt when someone pointed out a silly errror in one of my replies but I was wrong and deserved the criticism!
 
[ QUOTE ]
he replied "no the thread it to old"!

I also think a number are put off by how critical (and possibly agressive) some of the replies can be.

My back is broad enough but I remember how embarrassed I felt when someone pointed out a silly errror in one of my replies but I was wrong and deserved the criticism!

[/ QUOTE ]

look you stupid twerp, should that not be "No the thread is too old." ?
 
But, you ignorant twillop ... he was quoting a PM ... to be correct it must contain the same gramatical errors and spelin misteaks as the original.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Is it just me, or are others concerned with the way that more answers to general questions are being answered by pm?

...

However recently I made some remarks about work done to my boat on a particular thread which gained several pm's asking for details. There was no reason at all as far as I could se why the questions should not have been asked in open forum, and answered in open forum.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I was the person (one of the people) who sent you a PM in this case. And it was a question, not an informative reply. My specific reason was that I was asking the cost of having the work done, and by whom, and people are often very reticient about disclosing finiancial/commercial details. I felt it better to ask my question this way, leaving it up to you whether to post the reply to the forum (which you did), than to ask on the forum. "Better", because I (selfishly) thought I would more likely get the info I wanted that way. As you also posted your reply, then all interests are well served.

Alan.
 
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