Senior Software Developer
|
| 27 people marked this as a favorite. |
Today we're introducing private messaging for paizo.com. This is a feature that's been requested a lot over the years and it's finally arrived at the top of the todo list. Here's the current FAQ for private messaging. (Note that I will not update this post if the FAQ changes, for the latest private messaging FAQ, see the actual FAQ.)
What are private messages?
Private messages are direct text-only messages between individual paizo.com members. You may format your messages using messageboards BBCode. You cannot edit messages after they have been sent. There is no delivery confirmation for private messages, and no guarantee that the recipient will ever see or reply to a message.
Where are my private messages?
Your private messages are on the "Private Messages" tab on your profile page, which you can access by clicking the envelope icon next to your name at the top of the page. If you have unread messages the icon will be highlighted and the number of new messages will be displayed next to it.
How do I send someone a private message?
Find that person's profile page, and click "Send Private Message." You may also click "Add to Address Book" to make it easier to find them later. If you do not see either of these links, that person has either opted out of private messaging or blocked messages from you.
I don't want to receive private messages. How do I opt out?
You can opt out of the private messaging system by unchecking the box labeled "Members of paizo.com may send me private messages" on your My Account page and clicking the "Submit Changes" button. If you opt out you cannot send or receive private messages.
Can I block someone from sending me private messages?
You can block the sender of any private message you receive by clicking "Block This Sender" on that message. Blocking a person prevents them from being able to send you new messages. Any existing messages to or from that person will remain in your inbox or sent messages until you delete those messages. You can unblock people on the Address Book tab of your private messages page.
Should I use private messaging to contact Paizo staff?
If you're asking a rules question, please post it on the messageboards instead. Paizo staff will not respond to rules questions via private messaging.
Should I use private messaging for customer service questions?
Please either post in the customer service forum or email customer.service@paizo.com if you have customer service issues. Paizo customer service may send you private messages to request additional information from you if that's the best way to resolve your issue.
Someone is harassing me via private messaging. What do I do?
If you no longer want to receive private messages from someone, block them. Please contact Paizo customer service to report abuse.
Can I delete my private messages?
Yes. Deleted messages will appear in the "deleted" tab on your private messages page. Clicking the "move to inbox" or "move to sent messages" link next to a message will move it back to your inbox or sent messages. If you click "empty trash" and confirm this action, your messages will be permanently removed from your deleted tab. If you delete a message you sent to someone else, that message will be deleted from your sent messages but will remain in their inbox. You cannot see if someone has deleted a message you sent.
Can I search, sort or file my private messages or contacts into categories? Can I have incoming messages forwarded to my email?
No.
Will Paizo staff read my private messages?
Your private messages are considered private, however messages may be reviewed by Paizo staff or disclosed to appropriate law enforcement agencies if required to do so by law, or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to investigate abuse or ensure personal safety.
Additional stuff that's not in the FAQ
You can send private messages to and from an alias. There are dropdown menus on the compose message page if you or your intended recipient has any aliases. You can't block aliases or add aliases to your address book; blocking or adding an alias blocks or adds the actual person, not the alias.
There's a saying that every software project expands until it eventually handles email, and I'd like to keep this one just shy of that point for now. This implementation of private messaging is deliberately bare-bones. So you can't sort your messages into categories or folders or tag them, or mark them as unread or flagged, or forward them to someone else, or include a CC or BCC list, or get an RSS feed of your messages, or include attachments, or send a message to groups of people, or organize your contacts into circles or friends or anything else fancy like that. If you need those features, use the private messaging system to ask someone for their email address and then use your email client for that.
Please use this thread to report bugs in the private messaging system. (Feature requests should also go in this thread, but keep in mind the bare-bones design goal.)
Edit: The privacy policy has been updated to include information about private messaging.
AWESOME!
Not just implemented, but sensibly implemented with a full suite of settings we can tweak.
I love how this site keeps getting better and better. I have been here since the days of Dungeon and Dragon, and I have seen dozens of steady, incremental improvements since then.
Great work from the dev team, Gary. No more spelling out email addresses in posts!
This also allows for completely in-character play by post games.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Giggity!
Excellent :)
Is there a limit to the amount of private messages that can be in a person's inbox?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
We want to watch, you crazy kids.
Grande!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Fantastic. Thanks.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
So I no longer have to write "TOZ, you suck" in public? Yay!
Our flamebaiting can carry on in private. Uncensored. Away from the prying eyes of the public.
In case of you two I'd say it's bug, not a feature.
Otherwise having PM is good addition.
PMG iz the Fawesome!!
sounds cool
I just got home from work, and I just noticed this. I was about to ask how long it has been there, thinking I had not been paying attention. Anyway, thanks for making this happen. :)
Hmmm... so much power... what to do...?
Power tends to....? Sad that you need to ask what to do with it. :-)
Excellent! Was always wishing for this feature. Thanks.
(V)_(;,,,;)_(V)
whoop whoop whoop whoop
Hooray hooray!
And also, woot.
Gary, I could kiss you ... (but I won't). Thanks computer team!
Truly an awesome response to customer feedback! Thank you, guys!
Neat!
(Although I have to admit that I almost never use private messages on other message boards.)
WOOT!
So I no longer have to write "TOZ, you suck" in public? Yay!
Incorrect.
You do have to write "TOZ, you suck" in public. Otherwize, what's the point? :)
I am happy you guys finally got around to this. Good job....well for now.
