Dear Tom's (users & moderators)

On an unrelated note, polls should not auto-close if the user does not enter an end date. They should be forced to enter one. I fixed this poll for now.

Oh no! I entered an end date of 5-01-10

Did you enter a time?  

indeed, 12:00

I find the PM notificatin fine. If I receive one I can have an e-mail notification and it will appear in the box thingy at the top right corner.

Interesting, I've seen many polls failing to work lately. Maybe it's a bug. Anyway, this has nothing to do with your thread so I'll stop hijacking it  

The problem with PM notification is it only occurs when you receive replies to PMs. The initial PM will not generate an email.

The first PM should be an email notification as well as all of other replies (that already happens, just saying to keep that).

I absolutely agree. Unless you already know where to look (bottom of the forum or in the widget thing on the right side of the page near the top) you'll never know you've received PMs.

I wold find that if there was a little link that said "PM (1)" or "Private Message (1)" as soon as you log in, somewhere near the user's profile / Log Out area is a little user-friendly.

Just click the "show right column" link, and use that- it lists your messages as well as threads you have posted in that have new replies and your profile. Its all there already if you just open it:-)

I agree, but this option is not available from the home page when you first log in, and on top of that, it may not dawn on new users to look at it from that perspective until they get used to the website.

I am not posting this because i don't know how to find my PM's or threads, I've been an avid member for over a year now and if i didn't know how to navigate the site, i should not be giving advice.

I am referring to newcomers who don't know Tom's website all that well and once they post something, ill PM them sometimes and they don't reply. My guess is they don't reply because they have no idea, so, like i said, might be a little user-friendly to have that PM notification option right on the home page (as well as other pages).

Afterall, we ARE here to help newcomers and keep them coming back....

I understand that Jonpaul- just thought it was pretty clear, but I guess I may have been one to figure that stuff out pretty quick. It would definitely not hurt to add it to the profile or somewhere easier to see.

I picked up on it rather quick myself, i'm just trying to keep an inexperienced user in mind. They may not pick up on it at all...

right- and I always forget that others may not have the same experience as me:-p

I don't like the right column because it is just another ad to look at. I see the PMs because I scroll to down to see other categories to post in. A little notification at the top of the screen under the mobile, twitter, and facebook right next to "so-and-sos profile" as well as an email notification would be ideal.

As with everything...

I shall whine...

I liked the old system!

I LOVE the right column (minus everything except the widget thing). For someone like me who replies to many threads and receives several PMs regularly, it's invaluable to have everything accessible from one location, and without needing to bet my money on email notifications that aren't always working. Not to mention my inbox no longer gets flooded.

Could we have multiple systems to choose from?

That is what i am thinking, keep the right column as i like it as well and many are used to it... Then, just add a link at the top of the screen under the mobile, twitter, and facebook right next to "so-and-so's profile"

I use the right column all the time- too many threads to just remember:-p

What would be good is as you scroll down the thread the right column would follow you down so you don't have to scroll all the way up to select another thread or reply to a message.

I could handle that- good idea Sparkman. Only problem is how much work it could be to implement.

I really don't how much work it would require, but I don't think it is too hard. I have seen it done on other websites (like an ad or survey that follows you down). As I have some knowledge of Adobe Dreamweaver, I think it is just some Ajax/Javascript code (or an add-on that can be downloaded) that drops right into the editable regions (this website is so large it should be based on editable regions right?) on the right column.