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jasonbaum

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 11, 2007
118
0
Arlington VA
I just ran into a little scenario and I wanted to see how other people felt about the issue.

A newbie posted a link without HTM tags so you have to cut and paste into a browser window.

I figured, since he was a newbie, I'd send him a quick PM with instructions on how to use composition toolbar to insert a hot link.

When I tried to send the PM, I received an error message that the user had opted out of receiving private messages.

So here I am...I spent a whole six minutes of my incredibly valuable time :rolleyes: to help a newbie, and therefore improve the overall quality of the forum.

My immediate thought was: it would have been nice if there was a flag that warned me not to PM him. (Perhaps there is and I just missed it or neglected to check before hand. In either event, I think my workflow was pretty straightforward and it wasn't until after I had written my epistle that I learned it was all for nought.)

Second thought: Not too long ago I was a newbie and it took me a while to figure out the nuances of posting reader-friendly messages...between quotes, uploads, links to pix and URLs...I wonder if the forums would benefit from a tutorial...perhaps something that earned newbies message credits toward the next tier of membership...If there's already one, I throw myself on the mercy of the forum. As I said..."Not too long ago I was a newbie".

Cheers!

JB
 

r.j.s

Moderator emeritus
Mar 7, 2007
15,026
52
Texas
PMs are disabled until a member has 5 posts and has been a member for one day - that's why you couldn't PM them.

It's to prevent people from signing up and sending out PM spam messages.
 

jasonbaum

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 11, 2007
118
0
Arlington VA
PMs are disabled until a member has 5 posts and has been a member for one day - that's why you couldn't PM them.

It's to prevent people from signing up and sending out PM spam messages.

So much to learn and so little time...but there is a option to disable PMs from fellow members I think?

Thanks for the insight btw...I still think a small tutorial might serve the forum well regardless. JMO
 

annk

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 18, 2004
15,109
9,175
Somewhere over the rainbow
I think maybe what you're asking for is already there.

This section of the FAQ lets members know that PMs are only enabled after a member has five posts.

In this section of the FAQ there's a link to a page that explains the various tags.

Is that the sort of thing you meant?
 
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