New forum feature: Contacts and Friends

[Doctor Q]

Now that we've upgraded the forum software (see announcement), users may want to use the Contacts & Friends features.

To edit your contacts and friends, go to the Contacts & Friends page in your User Control Panel.

Contacts

Contacts used to be called buddies. They are forum users you have an interest in. If you select Open Contacts Popup from the Quick Links menu you can see which of your contacts are online.

To add a Contact, fill in their user name and click the Add Contact button.

Friends

Friends are two-way contacts established by mutual agreement. They are a subset of your contact list. When you fill in a user name and click the Add Friend button, that user is sent an invitation that they may accept, decline, ignore, or might not notice.

When you receive a friendship request, you'll see a notification indication under the "Welcome" message in the top right corner of the forum page.

You can also invite an existing contact on your Contacts & Friends page to become a friend. Click the Friend checkbox and then click Save Changes to issue them an invitation.

Netiquette

Don't worry if another user doesn't choose to accept a friendship invitation. They may not notice the invitation, they may not be interested in using the Friend feature with anyone, or they be less interested than you are. Don't be pushy about it; accept other users' personal choices.

In the same way, you are not obliged to accept every invitation you receive. Accept those you'd like to and don't feel pressured otherwise.

Don't overuse the feature. Don't count how many friend links you have as a sign of how cool you are.

Rules

Yeah, there have to be a few rules. The Contacts & Friends features should be used for positive connections, not to annoy or harass other users, and you should not send invitations to people you know won't appreciate it.

Profile Privacy

Using the Profile Privacy page of your User Control Panel you can control who can see which portions of your profile page:

• Everyone who visits MacRumors
• All registered forum members
• Only your contacts and friends
• Only your friends

Feedback

Friends and the Profile Privacy settings are new. If there are bugs, glitches, or problems with these features, please let us know and be patient while we try to smooth things out.

Your comments and suggestions about these feature are welcome.

 

[iBlue]

I had written this is another thread:

So is the buddy list system gone? I see it saved all my previous 'buddies' (but didn't add them to friends, which I suppose is a good thing) but is the buddy system now replaced with the "friends" system?

I kind of liked being able to add people quietly so their posts would highlight in the forum spy without notifying them with a request. Does anyone know if there's another way around that? I have a huge buddy list full of people that at some time or another I found amusing and or clever and worthwhile of calling more attention to their posts in the spy. It's how I've found a lot of interesting posts and threads. Are those days long gone? Now I have to make bloody "friends"?

But now that I've found this thread, it sounds like "Contacts" is the same as the previous "buddy list". Is that correct?


I'm not sure how I will use the Friends features yet so as the Etiquette section says, please no one be offended if I don't accept straight away, or ever. I may just prefer to have no friends for the same reason I don't use facebook. I find it difficult to balance online acquaintances from actual friends and what I might share with each can often be different.

 

[Doctor Q]

it sounds like "Contacts" is the same as the previous "buddy list". Is that correct?

Yes, correct.

In fact, look at the URLs of the Contact & Friends page and the Contact popup!

https://forums.macrumors.com/profile.php?do=buddylist

https://forums.macrumors.com/misc.php?do=buddylist​

 

[iBlue]

^ Oh good! Thanks, Q!

 

[GoCubsGo]

Thanks to Blue I get it now. So if I was the moron who thought you had to have a "friend" in order to "follow" and I went off and asked 30 people to be my "friend", can I un-do that? I guess my knowledge of forums and my overall antiquated mind didn't quite get that right off the bat.

My apologies to the 30 some people who just got the needy friend request.

 

[skunk]

What exactly is the "friends" feature for? Is it essentially just a further filter for messages? [/facebook virgin]

 

[Queso]

What exactly is the "friends" feature for? Is it essentially just a further filter for messages? [/facebook virgin]

Only one way to find out. Check your Control Panel in a few moments

 

[GoCubsGo]

What exactly is the "friends" feature for? Is it essentially just a further filter for messages? [/facebook virgin]

No, I believe it is just a show of hands who is your "friend". A contact is a contact whether they like it or not. In a sense, for many it will turn into a pissing match. It's like those with 200+ friends on facebook; they likely speak to maybe a dozen and see half of that in their daily lives.

I do not think that adding someone as a friend has further benefits but I could be wrong.

 

[rdowns]

I do not think that adding someone as a friend has further benefits but I could be wrong.

So you're advocating for a Friends With Benefits section of the forum? I fully support the idea.

 

[bartelby]

So you're advocating for a Friends With Benefits section of the forum? I fully support the idea.

That's what I was wondering too!

 

[skunk]

Only one way to find out. Check your Control Panel in a few moments

Does this entitle us to an e-hug?

 

[Queso]

Does this entitle us to an e-hug?

You're always entitled to a hug, e- or otherwise

I think I've worked it out too. The Profile Privacy settings have a friends only option, so whilst contacts work like the old buddy list the friends bit allows you to tie down your privacy a bit more. Probably totally obvious to those that use these new-fangled social media bits and bobs, but Teh FaceBook does not appeal to me either.

 

[GoCubsGo]

^ good point Queso. Yes, you can really block people from contacting you and such. I can see this ending badly sadly, for me.

 

[Queso]

^ good point Queso. Yes, you can really block people from contacting you and such. I can see this ending badly sadly, for me.

Well you can contact me any time

 

[rdowns]

^ good point Queso. Yes, you can really block people from contacting you and such. I can see this ending badly sadly, for me.

I can be your friend?

I hope Waloshin accepts my friend request.

 

[skunk]

What I really dislike is the "Break Friendship" option. What kind of emo crap is that?

 

[Queso]

What I really dislike is the "Break Friendship" option. What kind of emo crap is that?

Not truly emo, or it would be labelled "Break Friendship, Cry".

 

[rdowns]

What I really dislike is the "Break Friendship" option. What kind of emo crap is that?

LMAO. Post of the Day!

 

[Blue Velvet]

...they may not be interested in using the Friend feature with anyone

This is true. Thanks for also allowing Visitor Messaging to be disabled.

 

[Eidorian]

Looking good after the recent forum slowdown. It was a pain to finally remove the notifications staring back at me.

 

[alphaod]

No, I believe it is just a show of hands who is your "friend". A contact is a contact whether they like it or not. In a sense, for many it will turn into a pissing match. It's like those with 200+ friends on facebook; they likely speak to maybe a dozen and see half of that in their daily lives.

I do not think that adding someone as a friend has further benefits but I could be wrong.

Wait 200+ friends in FB is considered a pissing match?

Also, I'm hurt you didn't send me a request.

 

[-aggie-]

Looking good after the recent forum slowdown. It was a pain to finally remove the notifications staring back at me.

I’m glad I don’t have to see my infractions every time I open my profile.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Have I missed a setting? Any way to completely disable the Friends option entirely in user CP? I'd love to have a stripped-down bare bones profile with as little as possible on it.

No offence intended to anyone at all, but it's a layer of engagement I'd rather not have with anyone on MacRumors at the moment, my PMs are usually turned off for good reason and worrying about the protocol of accepting and declining friend requests isn't something that I'm entirely comfortable with right now, especially as I'm occasionally in the habit of disappearing for long periods of time.

Would be great if we could opt in rather than having to opt out.

 

[WildCowboy]

Unfortunately, I don't think there's any way for users to turn it off entirely.

You can use the privacy options to set things so that no one will be able to see the friend listing on your profile (except for friends, but the point is moot if you choose not to have any!), but that's about the extent of it.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Unfortunately, I don't think there's any way for users to turn it off entirely.

Thanks for the reply and the semi-workaround, WC. Had a google around on vBulletin's forums and saw that it's a feature that's been requested before, but they haven't implemented it, suggesting that admins set up a user group where it's disabled, something I'm sure you guys don't want to go near in a month of Sundays.

I'll deal with it.