dumb question: How do I send a private message?

[PhilBurton]

I know there has to be a way to do this, but I can't find anything on the forum to learn how.

Moderator: If this is off-topic, please move to the right forum. I'm new to this forum (but I subscribed).

Thanks.

Phil

 

[MattKing]

It is known as "Starting a Conversation".
If you have a post in front of you with the screen name of the person you want to converse with, just click on that name and you will see a screen which offers "Start a Conversation" as a link. Click on it and you will see the screen name you clicked on in the "Participants" box. Scroll down and put your message in the message box, scroll down below that box and click on the "Start a Conversation" link there.
If you want to add more people to the same conversation, add their screen names (separated by commas) to the Participants box.
If you don't have a handy post from the person you seek to converse with in front of you, go up to the "Inbox" link at the top right and hover your cursor over it. Click on that. You will need to fill in the Screen Name of your correspondent, but it will help you if you start typing the first letters. After that, it is the same as I already described.
Don't click the "Lock Conversation" box if you want a reply. And if you want the conversation to remain under your control, you may wish to avoid clicking the box that allows others to invite other people in.
Hope this helps.

 

[KN4SMF]

They changed the name of private message to "conversation" for whatever reason eludes me.

 

[MattKing]

They changed the name of private message to "conversation" for whatever reason eludes me.

The forum software was completely replaced. The new software uses different terms for some of the same things.
The utility is also designed to encourage multi-person "conversations", so I expect that factored into the choice of name.

 

[PhilBurton]

The forum software was completely replaced. The new software uses different terms for some of the same things.
The utility is also designed to encourage multi-person "conversations", so I expect that factored into the choice of name.

Matt and KN4SMF,
Thanks. I guess I was thrown off by the terminology here. All good now.

Phil Burton

 

[Mark Layne]

It is known as "Starting a Conversation".
If you have a post in front of you with the screen name of the person you want to converse with, just click on that name and you will see a screen which offers "Start a Conversation" as a link. Click on it and you will see the screen name you clicked on in the "Participants" box. Scroll down and put your message in the message box, scroll down below that box and click on the "Start a Conversation" link there.
If you want to add more people to the same conversation, add their screen names (separated by commas) to the Participants box.
If you don't have a handy post from the person you seek to converse with in front of you, go up to the "Inbox" link at the top right and hover your cursor over it. Click on that. You will need to fill in the Screen Name of your correspondent, but it will help you if you start typing the first letters. After that, it is the same as I already described.
Don't click the "Lock Conversation" box if you want a reply. And if you want the conversation to remain under your control, you may wish to avoid clicking the box that allows others to invite other people in.
Hope this helps.

Matt, problem is - the conversation is not private

 

[MattKing]

Matt, problem is - the conversation is not private

Mark,
As I understand it, not even the moderators can access the Conversations, unless they are set up to allow the addition of other participants - an election made by the initiating party.
Of course any authorized participant could copy the contents and send the copy elsewhere, just like with any form of digital communication.

 

[Charles O'Connor]

Hello. I am trying to create a conversation but cannot get the start conversation. Per above. Do i need to be a subscriber for this?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hello. I am trying to create a conversation but cannot get the start conversation. Per above. Do i need to beoa subscriber for this?

Once you have more than 10 posts, click on the avatar of the potential contact, select start a conversation, and you are on your way.

 

[Charles O'Connor]

Once you have more than 10 posts, click on the avatar of the potential contact, select start a conversation, and you are on your way.

Thank you!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Thank you!

Two more posts to go. So answer me again and then it will be only one more post.

 

[MattKing]

Once you have more than 10 posts, click on the avatar of the potential contact, select start a conversation, and you are on your way.

Thank you!

Sirius might be a bit optimistic about the thresh-hold being 10 - I believe it is 20.
I'll flag your wish for Sean (the site owner's) attention. He has a few more options available for low post count members.
By the way, if the person you wish to have a Conversation with has more than the thresh-hold number of posts, they can Start a Conversation with you, and you can participate. We have no problem if someone requests that in a post in a thread.

 

[Sean]

Hello. I am trying to create a conversation but cannot get the start conversation. Per above. Do i need to be a subscriber for this?

All set

 

[MattKing]

Clearly we are a service oriented organization here

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sirius might be a bit optimistic about the thresh-hold being 10 - I believe it is 20.
I'll flag your wish for Sean (the site owner's) attention. He has a few more options available for low post count members.
By the way, if the person you wish to have a Conversation with has more than the thresh-hold number of posts, they can Start a Conversation with you, and you can participate. We have no problem if someone requests that in a post in a thread.

20! What have we come to? Thanks.

 

[leicaboss]

All set

Hi Sean, do I need to enable something on my end to enable these PMs?

 

[MattKing]

Hi Sean, do I need to enable something on my end to enable these PMs?

Not any more - your post count is now over 20.

 

[citychicago]

Also newish here- how does one know how many posts they've made?

 

[citychicago]

Ha, found it as I made the above post; it's called "Messages" and the counter just ticked up.

 

[koraks]

It's also displayed next to every post you've made, under the join date, where it says "Messages: x"

 

[Thorsten]

Sorry, people, I just tried it, my count was 20 (now 21) and it did not work.

Now it works. Maybe the threshold is not 20, but 21

Sorry.

 

[koraks]

@Sean, could you look into the issue reported by @Krefey? Looks like he can't send pm's.

 

[eflyons]

All set

Sean, I'm in the same boat as our friend Charles O'Connor above was in. I'd like to message a member about a buy/sell listing, but I have a paltry 5 posts to my name. I understand the site's concern about scammers and the 20 post threshold. If you glance at my post history I hope you can tell I am indeed a bona fide hopeless amateur with a predilection for old medium format cameras. Could you perhaps allow me messaging privileges as well?

 

[Sean]

Sean, I'm in the same boat as our friend Charles O'Connor above was in. I'd like to message a member about a buy/sell listing, but I have a paltry 5 posts to my name. I understand the site's concern about scammers and the 20 post threshold. If you glance at my post history I hope you can tell I am indeed a bona fide hopeless amateur with a predilection for old medium format cameras. Could you perhaps allow me messaging privileges as well?

All set

 

[eflyons]

Thank you!!