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Should SW get rid of private messaging?

Would this improve the feeds?
Or are most people here primarily using messaging while here?
I mean…this can’t be everything this site has to offer, can it?

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uncalled4 · 56-60, M Best Comment

How the heck can we talk about you if it's all out in the open?

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uncalled4 · 56-60, M

@Ghostinthemachine Thanks for BC.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@uncalled4 you’re welcome, made me laugh

Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User let me know what you hear about me, and I’ll do the same for you, deal?

NerdyPotato · M

This place would be boring without PMs, but I wish the feed were a little more active too.

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OogieBoogie · F

@NerdyPotato i think it lies in FIXING DA FUCKING FEED!🤬

This place was pretty good. It was slowly gaining a decent, varied, funny and sociable community : one better than most chat sites.

Now....im afraid the culture will end up like every other site, or worse ....its gonna die a slow death due to the stagnant feed😔

Ghostinthemachine · M

@NerdyPotato you may have a point. Much better than my idea of cancelling PMs so more people will reply to my posts 🤭

NerdyPotato · M

@OogieBoogie not only stagnant, but also only showing the topics we've interacted with before, reducing variation and trapping people into one-sided information confirming their bias. SW was the only website not contributing to that dangerous thing, until recently. 😔

sspec

Idk since I am hardly into PMs.

Feeds' improvement has nothing to do with the so called PMs coz Not All users have epics to share all the time via PMs.

Besides, the scope of interaction to know opinions on wide range of subjects can only be reached properly through a forum based question or thoughtfully expressed post where there's nothing to impress a wide range of audience n one's responses are their own feelers to a great deal.

Also, all the users can read others' interests to know them more and better.

Having typed it all, I understand your point of view abt those participations that limit upto PMs only.
Well, you can't stop users from doing what they want.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@sspec I would never PM with someone without interacting with them in some way on a post first, and getting an idea of who they are.
Then I check their profile, see what else they have posted, what groups they belong to.
Finally I will write to their family and friends, get an idea of their social life, childhood and upbringing. Then, and only then will I message them with “Hi 👋”

sspec

@Ghostinthemachine LOL

Fungirlmmm · 51-55, F

We originally had no pm. People said some crazy things

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Fungirlmmm on posts, in front of everyone? I guess it doesn’t dissuade some from inappropriate behaviour
That’s probably why they decided to add PMs

Fungirlmmm · 51-55, F

@Ghostinthemachine Yep. You would see people bring ho ho's in the open. And people would make rude comnenta and talk about people like they couldnt see them. We didnt have Pm's or blocks in the beginning.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Fungirlmmm rough and tumble beginnings of an online world, I don’t think I would’ve survived

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

Not everyone is comfortable in an open forum

Ghostinthemachine · M

@HoraceGreenley creepy, yet so apropos of here

smiler2012 · 56-60

@HoraceGreenley 😆you know it is surprising he is doing all the talking as she is full of wind normally

Kowabunga · 51-55, M

I like getting messages

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Kowabunga I like getting pierogies fed to me with sour cream while lying in bed…doesn’t mean it’s going to happen 😁

Kowabunga · 51-55, M

You never know. The day is still young 😂@Ghostinthemachine

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Kowabunga I appreciate your optimism

SW-User

Sincerely, no. Outside a few conversations that happen in public, which often lead to an interesting conversation after. I spend most of my time in PM learning about personal details, and sharing. So you have one helluva a no from me.

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Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User halitosis perhaps?
I mean, I don’t see anyone vaguely familiar. Is there a secret chat room I’m not privy to?

SW-User

@Ghostinthemachine PM?

Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User I feel we’ve come full circle 😁

smiler2012 · 56-60

{@ghostinthemachine] no i disagree as sometimes people discuss things that they would rather keep private and not for general consumption for all and sundry of similar worlds ears

Ghostinthemachine · M

@smiler2012 yeah you’re right, like a private conversation at a party. But here no one else can join in. Maybe they should have group chats?

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

No.....they are an important part of any forum.

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Ghostinthemachine · M

@TheSirfurryanimalWales which other forums do you use, if you don’t mind me asking? I e only ever known this one, but I haven’t really looked for others, just stumbled across this one by accident

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

@Ghostinthemachine I don't know old you are.
Most of them are aimed at over fifties but these aren't
https://www.reddit.com/
https://takerefuge.freeforums.net/
If you are over fifty I can name four.
I'm also on a railway forum...

https://www.railforums.co.uk/

Which has a non-railway section.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@TheSirfurryanimalWales hey, thanks for the suggestions!

LilithoftheTrees

But then I’d have to post my nudes in public!! that would chase everyone way.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@LilithoftheTrees Nah, more likely increase the traffic on the feeds.
Only one way to find out for sure…

LilithoftheTrees

@Ghostinthemachine that would be a freak show for sure.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@LilithoftheTrees which means you would fit right in here, most probably wouldn't bat an eyelash and call you "Old school kink"

SW-User

maybe, maybe not but this place was great before PM's were added
imo

Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User so the feeds and posts were busier before they added PMs? My suspicions have been confirmed!

Ynotjenn · F

No!🤣 Then I’ll have to properly stalk ya 😎

Shipwrecked · 46-50, M

@Ynotjenn In some cases... a proper stalking... is still the way to go.😎

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Ynotjenn Stalking implies unwanted attention, so it wouldn't be that 🤓

ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

Not that I get many PM's but I wouldn't want to see that feature go.

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ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

@Ghostinthemachine Nah. It wouldn't work anyway lol. I would say Happy Thanksgiving but you already had yours:)

Ghostinthemachine · M

@ravenwind43 I’m sure you don’t need my help getting PMs.
Happy Thanksgiving!

ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

@Ghostinthemachine LOL I don't get them except once in awhile. When I was gone from here completely for 6 months I came back to 2 PM's. Just how it is:)

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

Absolutely not! That would fragment the site. It would mean that people would need to use email for those parts of a conversation that should not be public. But without PMs how would one exchange email addresses?

Ghostinthemachine · M

@ninalanyon you have a point.

And no one ever uses email anymore.

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

@Ghostinthemachine

8. By the end of 2023, the estimated number of active email users will be 4.4 billion.

(Source: Statista, The Verge)

And since we can’t talk of office discourse without including the Slack stats for comparison…

In March 2020, Slack had around 12.5 million daily active users.

Email still rules supreme.
9. The daily number of business emails received and sent is 124.5 billion.

(Source: Campaign Monitor)

Yes, business correspondence is mostly email-based. And statistics say the numbers will continue to rise. If you want to easily find a business email address, you can use services like Contactout.
10. In 2020, there were 306.4 billion emails sent every day.

(Source: Statista)

https://techjury.net/blog/how-many-emails-are-sent-per-day/

Ghostinthemachine · M

@ninalanyon I better get email if I want to keep in touch with people going forward!

YourMomsSecretCrush · M

I don’t PM very much. Just a few select.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@YourMomsSecretCrush it’s good to be picky and choosy.

Justmeraeagain · 56-60, F

Most people rarely use it .
I may message 3people sporadically here.
Not sure how it improves the feed to get rid of it?

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Justmeraeagain I’m probably wrong. But it seems like there are a lot people here, but always the same people on the posts. What are those other people doing…lurking?

Justmeraeagain · 56-60, F

@Ghostinthemachine Maybe or only interested in that one kind of chatting

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Justmeraeagain I know what you mean...private recipe swapping 🤫

SW-User

I don't think the messaging has a darn thing to do with the feeds. I could be wrong ...

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Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User I think it’s more about people interacting with others here through messaging rather than replying to posts

SW-User

@Ghostinthemachine I manage to do both. I don't think I'm special.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User anyone who’s username starts and ends with the same letter is pretty special in my book, especially capital letters!

bookerdana · M

Nay,my liege lord to both propositions!

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Ghostinthemachine · M

@bookerdana I’ll never understand this place smh

bookerdana · M

@Ghostinthemachine You have to click to see em...🤣🤣

Ghostinthemachine · M

@bookerdana according to you I don’t want to see em!

JimboSaturn · 51-55, M

No I like to talk to my friends privately. Not all conversations have to be with all of SW

Ghostinthemachine · M

@JimboSaturn Good point. It's where I do my best plotting with my alt accounts

JimboSaturn · 51-55, M

@Ghostinthemachine Well just like in life you have conversations in groups and you also have conversations with just one person; it need not be sinister.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@JimboSaturn Nothing sinister about my conversations, I assure you, Batman

calicuz · 56-60, M

Everyone has their reasons for coming here. I say leave it and improve on everything.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@calicuz how can we improve PMing…group chats, where you have to get invited ?

calicuz · 56-60, M

@Ghostinthemachine

I really can't say, I like it just the way it is.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@calicuz If it works for you, that's terrific 🙂

TexChik · F

With their TOS, if we didnt have PMs , everyone would be in violation.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@TexChik how do you know? Aren’t PMs actually private?

GJOFJ3 · 61-69, M

No. Even though I don’t use it much I really like it

Ghostinthemachine · M

@GJOFJ3 I suppose it’s nice to have the option of chatting with someone privately. I’m just spitballing ideas to improve the feeds and participation on them

goliathtree · 56-60, M

where would I go with all my dick pics?

Ghostinthemachine · M

@goliathtree there’s a time and place for everything, David

Andromedanian · 22-25, M

I like pm very much, leave it as it is

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Andromedanian I don’t mean to suggest taking away something that people enjoy and works for them.

Lilymoon · F

No just fix the damn feed

This comment is hidden. Show Comment

Curiosity13 · 51-55, M

I like the PM's

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Curiosity13 what do you like about that function?

Sequoia51 · 70-79, M

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Sequoia51 why not?

Sequoia51 · 70-79, M

@Ghostinthemachine Sometimes I prefer Private Conversations with Special People.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Sequoia51 define “special people” or point one out to me when you see them, please

Whodunnit · M

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Whodunnit Whats your reason for keeping it?

Subsumedpat · 36-40, M

Ghostinthemachine · M

@Subsumedpat ok, keep it

bijouxbroussard · F

I like being able to talk with my friends privately sometimes.

Ghostinthemachine · M

@bijouxbroussard I get it, and it makes total sense. It allows you to get to know someone on a more personal level

OogieBoogie · F

No....and no.

Admin showed user stats once about SW, and its primarily used for PMing.🤷‍♀️

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bookerdana · M

@Ghostinthemachine Place is falling apart anyway..be like that😶

Ghostinthemachine · M

@bookerdana fine! 😤

bookerdana · M

@Ghostinthemachine done!🤨

SW-User

That would be fine with me, I hardly use PM anyway

Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User why not? Just pm someone right now and see if it improves your SW experience

iamonfire696 · 41-45, F

I think the algorithm has made the feed worse. I liked it better before they changed it but they aren’t changing it back.

As for PM’s I ignore a lot of them 🤷🏼‍♀️