Why is PMing disabled?

Snakedoctor · 5 Sep 2010 at 10:53

I have often wondered. Is it due to load?

Mucky_Pup · 5 Sep 2010 at 10:55

I always thought it was too stop people PM'ing each other to OCUK competitors websites if they're after some kit.

Haircut · 5 Sep 2010 at 10:57

Snakedoctor said:
I have often wondered. Is it due to load?

Yes
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/faq.php?faq=vb_board_usage#faq_vb_pm_explain

Greenlizard0 · 5 Sep 2010 at 10:58

It's not about competitors, people could still email each other. It's about the load.

Neil79 · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:00

I bet it's nothing to do with load even though it says so in their faq , probably more likely due to some anal reason they won't tell us

. Mucky Pup thought the same aswell i see

Delvis · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:02

YTou can still PM though can't you? But it goes to the email address and comes from OcUK?

Or is that old school now?

1LANCS · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:04

How about using decent forum software instead of vbulletin crap.

bledd · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:04

Mine works fine :confused:

semi-pro waster · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:06

Delvis said:
YTou can still PM though can't you? But it goes to the email address and comes from OcUK?

Or is that old school now?

You mean sending a message via Trust? Yep, that works just fine and goes to email as you say. It does however rely on people checking their emails regularly so isn't quite as immediate as PMs, not a big issue though I don't think.

1LANCS said:
How about using decent forum software instead of vbulletin crap.

Go on then, what would you suggest instead?

bledd. said:
Mine works fine

Cosimo · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:06

Just reinstall and it works.

Bluraybunny · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:07

Did you remember to slip the Don's a bribe?

1LANCS · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:08

semi-pro waster said:
Go on then, what would you suggest instead?

Invision,

Im a long time member of Neowin.net and the have over 250k users and nearly 10m posts, PMs are enabled as well as server uploads for embedding pictures, blogs, etc.. etc.. and they manage fine.

TheCenturion · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:13

1LANCS said:
Invision,

Im a long time member of Neowin.net and the have over 250k users and nearly 10m posts, PMs are enabled as well as server uploads for embedding pictures, blogs, etc.. etc.. and they manage fine.

And what sort of cost would that incur? Bearing in mind this forum is a lot smaller than that.

1LANCS · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:15

Its $350 for business licence, i dont know how much it would cost for the webmaster to convert the database or what their hosting costs them.

Snakedoctor · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:20

I suppose it's what the shop is willing to invest in the hardware which runs the forum. If they spent a few more quid, these things could easily be enabled.

orderoftheflame · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:21

Trust is good enough for me. Stops spam PMs at least.

Morba · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:21

The forum runs at a loss independent to the shop iirc.
Pm'ing isn't needed tbh.

Tomsk · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:23

1LANCS said:
Invision,

Im a long time member of Neowin.net and the have over 250k users and nearly 10m posts, PMs are enabled as well as server uploads for embedding pictures, blogs, etc.. etc.. and they manage fine.

anant_shah94 said:
And what sort of cost would that incur? Bearing in mind this forum is a lot smaller than that.

Extra load on the forum = more ££ fro OcUk.
Neowin has adverts to help pay for their costs, OcUK doesn't.
Also despite neowin being a larger forum, looking at the stats, I suspect that OcUK is more active.
eg right now, neowin and OcUK each have >1200 active users, but of those neowin has <200 active members compared to OcUK's >600.

semi-pro waster · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:23

1LANCS said:
Invision,

Im a long time member of Neowin.net and the have over 250k users and nearly 10m posts, PMs are enabled as well as server uploads for embedding pictures, blogs, etc.. etc.. and they manage fine.

Ah, I haven't ever used a forum based on that but it looks interesting. I doubt it would be implemented here though as vBulletin is pretty well known, cheaper (although that's probably not a major consideration) and has the functionality required.

memyselfandi · 5 Sep 2010 at 11:25

1LANCS said:
Its $350 for business licence, i dont know how much it would cost for the webmaster to convert the database or what their hosting costs them.

+ $50/6months for support including software updates ... which given that the board is connected to the internet it would be foolish not to do given that some of those updates are likely to fix security issues. Things like blogs and image gallerys seem to be seperately licensable as well.

Personally I don't think I'd use PM'ing even if it was enabled and it would likely be used to (a) communicate things which are not allowed on the forum or (b) communicate things which previously would be posted on the forum thus decreasing the knowledge shared to all members.

I have no issues with the existing setup really ...