OK, I may have just missed that giant PM button on a user's profile so bare with me.

I've tried to send a PM from my message box with no success. I click the link "New Message" -- then I get an error that says "An Error Has Occurred -- You are not allowed to send personal messages."

I've received PM's, but cannot seem to reply to PM's people have sent me either.

I'm a registered user, but do I need a different type of account?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dale

Well, now there are reply and send buttons appearing on PM's that I have received.

Sorry for the alarm -- there seems to be no problem (he said sheepishly).

Feel free to delete this thread…

Thanks,
Dale

It's funnier than that.

The forum is set so that you have to make at least three forum posts before you can send private messages, to scuttle PM spammers. Your opening post in this thread was your third forum post, so THAT's what made those buttons appear.

-Vincent

Thanks Vincent!

Yes it is funny, and I am laughing…I was wondering why the help wasn't so helpful…

I completely understand the whole security/spam resistance issue, it didn't even occur to me that could be what was going on.

Dale

Just been through the same. Did I miss something notifiying me of such when I registered on the forum, or is it really a puzzle to be figured out?

Hello,

It depends on how you look at it. No, there is no instructions you receive upon signing up at the Forge, and we do expect new people to take the time to learn how the place works. This isn't by design so much as an artifact, because Vincent and I are busy people and can only devote so much time to refining such things.

Still, it's true, there are about a thousand things I'd like to change about the beginning Forge-user's experience here. I don't think of the private-messaging function as a top priority, however, and have frequently considered shutting it down.

So if one chooses to see the Forge as an unfriendly place which forces people to grope a little in the dark as they join up, well, all I can say is that you shouldn't visit such places on-line; there are easier and nicer ones if that's what you're looking for.

If, on the other hand, one chooses to see it as a place devoted to pure functionality, with the frills only added or refined briefly and rarely, and if the function seems like something you want, then it's worth a little time to get used to it (and as we eventually work on it). And Vincent and I are always happy to answer questions about it.

Because it was mentioned, I'll also take the opportunity to point out that requests or "permission" to delete threads or posts are wasted at the Forge. Posts are not deleted. Some few are sent to the Inactive File (a forum you can scroll down to) for various reasons. Most stay right where they are.

It strikes me that a lot of new users might not know who we are. I'm one of the co-founders of the site and the final authority for moderating content. Vincent is the authority for the software and how the various parts work, as well as second-in-line regarding content. My partner in founding the place is Clinton, who's still here too, and whose role Vincent is pretty much stepping into.

Therefore with the answers we've provided in this thread, you are getting the straight and ultimate dope. That's how it's done here.

Best, Ron

Ron,

Thanks for the rundown!

Also thanks to Vincent, Clinton & yourself for the work you've poured into this forum!

Keep it up and know that you have another supporter out there! I can already see that The Forge is going to be a great resource and the hub for a vibrant and collaborative community I want to explore further. I'm glad that I was pointed your way!

Thanks again,
Dale

Oooo, straight dope! @_@

I figured you were some authority, for I see many of your posts and they all seem to have an "Important aura". Nice actually knowing who people are, tho.