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I was thinking, seeing as having an e-mail address is only optional when creating an account and sometimes (such as completing tests, for example) things must be done through email. I am aware that the vast majority of users have email addresses but there are some which may not have access to one for any reason and can’t complete any tests. The reason I’m wondering is because I’d like to do the NAB test but can’t access my emails for a while (not sure how long). Also, I haven’t checked out the “email this user” feature and what the form looks like but as I said, I was just wondering. Let me know what you guys think and let me know if something of the sort already exists and I’m just being an idiot, Thanks.

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(I’m aware of the admin notice board by the way)

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You can create a new email ID only for “wikiHow-stuff”.

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You mean creating a new email account?

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I guess, yes.

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Here, this will help: http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Gmail-Account

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I know how to make an email account and have more accounts than I need (like many) I’m just suggesting there should be some sort of messaging system.other than.the talk page. It should be seperate so you can send files etc. eithout clogging up rc patrol. PLus this way people can do the NAB and welcome wagon tests through this platform

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This sounds like a very good idea, a back-channel communication venue, if the resources are available. That would keep everyone from seeing my nasty messages to wikiPhlubbo and Anna_the_awesomest! The key is probably the resources, both engineering and security wise with the mediawiki upgrade making its way down the mountainside like a snowball headed for hell…

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Thanks for your feedback Bob, I have to agree with you on the rescources and security front. I also thought that a list of users online wouldn’t be a bad idea so that not the same admins or welcomers etc. are bombarded with messages. Plus, it would encourage users to interact with new or different users. But then again, there’s the whole “talk page not chat page” thing.

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Exactly. I am opposed to this idea because this will take wikiHow a step closer to “social networks”.

If it will not go through the RCP, there might be no easy way to prevent spam. Advertising companies will create ad bots and post 100s of personal messages to users (which the user will have to delete manually, since it won’t go through RCP). Also, there have been instances in the past where users have been blocked for persistently using offensive language. With such a personal message/ email system, we might see an increase in use of offensive language. Since these messages will be “private”, it will be difficult for the admins to moderate such spam/ offensive messages. I can think of 2 ways to solve these issues: 1) Let these messages go through RC. This will certainly reduce spam messages, but then it won’t be “private” anymore. It will just be a more sophisticated version of talk messages. 2) Users can “report” spam messages. Each message can come with a “report” button. If a message is reported, admins can look into it. The 1st option does not make sense because it will be similar to our current communication system (talk pages). The 2nd option seems better, but it will be a huge engineering project. And I don’t think this is such a high priority thing. However, if this can be used ONLY for tests (and such), I will support this. One way to eradicate the use of emails for tests is by “embedding” Google forms into wikiHow (I don’t know if that is possible or not)

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Here are my thoughts… If we come across a spam message (talk or discussion page message) we can give the contributor who posted it a friendly warning. Such as “Hey there! Welcome to wikiHow:slight_smile:I saw your message on [[Page Name]], and I just wanted to remind you that wikiHow is not a site for advertising. Please keep talk and discussion page messages collaborative and wikiHow-related. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!” If the contributor posts this message in a repetitive rhythm (which is considered talk or discussion page spam), an ANB report may be placed and it might be time for a block. Usually, after a spammer gets blocked, they tend to leave the site and go somewhere else. Same with the vandals. If we come across a vandal edit, we can give a friendly warning to the contributor who made it. Such as “Hey there! Welcome to wikiHow:slight_smile:Thank you for contributing to [[Page Name]]. However, I wasn’t sure how your edit was constructive, so I rolled it back. If you were just testing, feel free to try out our [[Sandbox]]. Please let me know if you have any questions, or need any help learning how to contribute constructively. Thank you!” If they continue, an ANB report and/or block will need to be placed, and the vandals will (usually) leave the website after a block. (This also applies to the trolls.) This way, option 2 is not such a high priority feature. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in trying to reduce spam, and the engineers might build this feature, though!

I agree with this. Talk pages are for communication related to wikiHow issues; they are not places for chat about random things.

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Of course the whole messaging system wouldn’t be for chatting. Although, understandably, if made private this would probably happen. I do think though, however, that the system should be used for completing tests or sending drafts of articles etc. In short, either enabling the talk page to facilitate documents, pictures etc. or having some sort of “information exchange” feature. Obviously to do this (as Bob rightly said) would probably be a huge step. Just think it would be a good idea:slight_smile:I think the messages for this suggested inbox/system should go through RC then, as they won’t be used for chatting. Just wondering how the messages would be displayed then? Thanks for your thoughts everyone

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Nope. Sorry If I did not read the whole discussion:P but if your idea to post the answers on talk pages(and delete them) it is not chatting. It is wikiHow related. And yes, I think there should’ve a notification button where people cannot see what a person posted. Like private cha.

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I’m not sure I understood what you meant there Ima, could you explain?

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Ask someone else. Feeling lazy:stuck_out_tongue:

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So basically, you mean to say you think there should be some sort of notification system when using a private chat system? I’m just not sure because you were talking about the talk page and then jumped to a private chat:confused:

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I will support this idea, but only if messages sent through this system go through RC patrol, and if this inbox is only made available for admin use, and not to every user on the site. Why? Because of several reasons. I want these messages to go through RC so that trolling and spammy messages can be reverted in time. I do not want our administrators to open their personal inbox only to find it flooded with trolling and spammy messages, among which quality messages can easily get hidden. I also want this inbox to be made available only to admins. Normal users could message admins through this system, but they should not get a inbox of their own. Why? Because I can quickly see this becoming a social network if we implement such a system. Non wikiHow related chatter will flood this system if it is made available for every wikiHow user. A bunch of short messages would then be needed to be patrolled, and this wastes patroller resources on something that doesn’t contribute to our mission. It would also make it easier for wikiHow to be mistaken for a social network, if chat is made available to every user. I have a suggestion to deal with spamming and trolling. How about making it a requirement for the admin in question to be online at the time of messaging him/her? Trolling and spammy messages would be greatly reduced, and if at all they continue to exist, admins could exercise the necessary action on the spot, after deciding whether the behaviour warrants a block. Messages would then not have to go through RC, since the administrator in question could himself exercise the necessary action. This would save a lot of patroller time, and make it much more of a private messaging system than a talk page extension, and would make it a good way to send nab tests and the like. I can see the advantages of what Jamie is proposing. However, every change on wikiHow is a double edged sword. Some people use it for the forces of good, and some people use it for malicious purposes. Unfortunately, if we were to not approve any feature which could be abused by vandals, we would lose out on a lot of good features. Also, I would like to point out that the implementation of such a feature would be a massive engineering project, and would have to wait until the mediawiki upgrade. Thanks for reading my two cents. Regards, Abhishek

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My Idea is to have a “Make a Notification” button. It is like IRC, just for giving the answers to NAB and welcome wagon test and avoid giving them via email. That does not need to be patrolled and if someone spams or trolls there, they can Report. No body would be able to see it.

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Thanks Abhi for your feedback! I think you just perfectly summed up a kind of conclusion of what I proposed with the unnecessary things removed so I completely agree with all you said. I think that the “only online” enabling is a great idea too, not only does this reduce spam and trolling but will encourage users to contact admins which they might not have contacted before, giving a more community and supported feeling. Obviously, this should only be given to Admins. Alternatively, a new badge could be created for users who’d wish to opt in to use this and would need to do the appropriate tests to be able to receive and send messages. Plus, as all of the messages are monitored, the use of them could be tracked. So far it all sounds like a great idea (obviously unreachable at the moment would need huge amounts of effort to be possible) and is pretty interesting to talk about as a concept.

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So you mean a private inbox that admins can use to send tests etc.?