Post Length Limitation

[highflight1985]

In my opinion, the text limitations of 2,000 characters in private messages is a bit of a nuissance. Is this imposed by the message board itself, or administratively imposed? I find myself having to split my messages up into two or more parts. I politely and respectfully ask that if it is at all possible, would the administrators consider increasing the limitation on the length of private messages from 2,000 to something substantially higher, such as the same 10,000 characters allowed in normal forum posts.

Regards,

highflight1985

[brad jones]

It is administratively controlled.

In general, we prefer communications to be public so everyone can learn from questions and answers happening. The PMs are primarily on as a convenience for minor communications. If you need to be writing 2000+ word PMs, then you should probably be using email or other systems for communicating -- or better, if the information is technical and others could learn from it, then post in a forum.

I know a lot of people tend to ask technical questions in private messages. I get many of these. I tend to ask people to post these in a thread.

Brad!

[highflight1985]

Then forgive this question if it's a stupid one, but in most forums, there is an option to disallow forum members from emailing you directly. You can usually even keep administrators from emailing you. While I haven't really been paying attention, I haven't seen such an option here. Is there a way to disable forum members from emailing you, and more importantly, if so, then private messages become the only means of communications. That is at least until the forum member you are communicating with chooses to disclose his/her email address to you.

That said, I understand your point about sharing information and in some ways agree and disagree. However, placing a limitation on the amount of text doesn't really deter me from private messaging nor does it motivate me to post the information I'm discussing to the public forum; it only causes me to send more private messages.

If increasing the character limitation is not an option, then here's an alternative (compromise): Instead of increasing the characters allowed, create a small modification to the posting function such that characters between code tags (VBCode, PHP, etc.) are not counted or count for only half of their actual numbers. (For example, if there are 3000 characters in a string of code between code tags, there are considered to be 1500 characters in the post, allowing for 500 characters outside of the code.) It seems that the biggest consumer of characters available in private messages is code. I believe that increasing the amount one can type into a private message will allow for easier flow of information between forum members and provide for less overhead on the forum because members will send fewer private messages per subject.

Alas, I cannot force my request, but ask that others at VBForums post their opinions and that the administration makes a decision based on the general consensus.

[Hack]

Then forgive this question if it's a stupid one, but in most forums, there is an option to disallow forum members from emailing you directly. You can usually even keep administrators from emailing you. While I haven't really been paying attention, I haven't seen such an option here. Is there a way to disable forum members from emailing you

Yes...go to your UserCP, click Edit Options, uncheck "Receive email from other members"

[NotLKH]

Alas, I cannot force my request, but ask that others at VBForums post their opinions and that the administration makes a decision based on the general consensus.

The Character Limitations in PM's And in Thread Posts are Fine as they are, IMHO.

I agree with Brad. Technical, Lengthy Communications should be limited to Threads.

BTW, How often have you run into this issue?

[Hack]

In the 5 and half years that I've been a member, I've run into it about 4 or 5 times. In all of those cases, the code example I was posting exceeded the limit. So, all I did was break it up into two posts with an explanation of what happened on the first one.

[JPnyc]

In addition to what Brad said, private message storage limits consider only number of PMs, not aggregate size of them, so to increase the individual limits from 2k to 10k would increase the storage potentially required by 5x.

[highflight1985]

BTW, How often have you run into this issue?

Approximately 3 times since I joined in December. Call me a whiner, but I find it unusual for me to see a message board that limited the length of private messages.

[JPnyc]

Can't be that unusual, it's the default length for vbulletin. Unless everyone running vbulletin on the web changed it except us, which seems very unlikely.

[Hack]

If you need to be writing 2000+ word PMs, then you should probably be using email or other systems for communicating -- or better, if the information is technical and others could learn from it, then post in a forum.

I know a lot of people tend to ask technical questions in private messages. I get many of these. I tend to ask people to post these in a thread.

Brad!

I agree with both points (especially the second one)....I've run into limitations on posting in a thread but never on the length of a PM.

[sessi4ml]

highflight1985, I read you comments about text size and your reason why to make PM's allow a larger size. The reason I joined this Forum is to learn about the profession I chose. If I find a lengthy posting, I am going to read it and learn from it. This stuff we do is complicated, and even with an understand (basic) of all the equipment needed from one user to another, it still amazes me what these electrons can do and what we can make them do. If your message is too private and long…call them using Skype.com…I have
Yes, I read, “Interpolating Airplane Performance” Not that I understood it, I still enjoyed it.
Thanks