Lack of interest Message users

[Steff]

Any chance that better configuration or explanation for the "Message Users" please. I assumed this sent an internal message only but I was surprised that an email was also sent out.
This isn't normally a problem unless you have about 8,500 members like I have. The emails were sent straight out without any throttling and took down my mail server.
Can I ask for the next version to include throttling or at least a warning that messed users also means emailing them. Maybe an option for internal message only

 

[Mike]

This starts a conversation with users. Any emailing then happens based on their preference for receiving an email from conversations. I don't think this is something we'd override.

 

[Steff]

What about a better warning to admin in future releases? If I wanted the members to have an email I would have used Email members instead. I understand what you say about user preferences, but it is still quite a shock if this isn't the expected result.

 

[Divvens]

What about a better warning to admin in future releases? If I wanted the members to have an email I would have used Email members instead. I understand what you say about user preferences, but it is still quite a shock if this isn't the expected result.

It's already known that users can receive email alerts for conversations, that is the way it has been since day 1 of XenForo. It just depends on the user itself, thus even if you send a conversation if the user opts in for e-mail alerts they will be sent an e-mail. A warning is redundant in this case, since it is no we who are in control of the e-mail send outs but the users.

 

[Steff]

It's already known that users can receive email alerts for conversations, that is the way it has been since day 1 of XenForo. It just depends on the user itself, thus even if you send a conversation if the user opts in for e-mail alerts they will be sent an e-mail. A warning is redundant in this case, since it is no we who are in control of the e-mail send outs but the users.

First off it matters not if this has been the case since day one of Xenforo as I'm sure there are a lot of members like me that are new to it, and likely to be more in the future.
Secondly I'm now aware of the relationship between send message to users and emails. Most of my members had opted to receive email notifications and therefore the messages were sent out that way as well. My point was and still is that it wasn't made clear anywhere. There is an assumption that has been made that this was an obvious result... But taking the title of the action "Message users" next to the other actions "Email Users" in the CP you would be forgiven in thinking that "Message users" is a purely internal affair.

 

[TPerry]

There is an assumption that has been made that this was an obvious result... But taking the title of the action "Message users" next to the other actions "Email Users" in the CP you would be forgiven in thinking that "Message users" is a purely internal affair.

And it IS an entirely internal affair - with the ability (user chosen) to be notified via email of said conversation being started dependent on their personal choice whether to be notified or not.
The issue is not a "design defect" but a lack of understanding on how conversations and elective user notifications via email interact with each other.
For consistency, it probably should be titled something other than "Message User" as you are effectively starting a conversation with them since XF does not have a "messaging" system per se (PM's as thought of from other scripts).

But then again.. when you see this

a reasonable person would stop to think "Eh.... looks like this sends an email also".

 

[Steff]

The issue is not a "design defect" but a lack of understanding on how conversations and elective user notifications via email interact with each other.

Ok probably best that the XF community beat me up over this.
I'm wrong in thinking there was a dentist difference between message users and email users. All I was trying to say was that I assumed that message was just that (internal) and email was sent external. If I knew that Message (internal) also sent External I wouldn't have used it.
I'm wrong... I didn't understand the XF way and I'm sorry for mentioning it.

 

[Chris D]

No need to apologise.

Ultimately any feedback is valid feedback, thanks for bringing it to our attention. We briefly discussed it earlier. Although we're unlikely to change the behaviour, we may consider making it more clear in the future.

 

[Steff]

Really it's fine. I clearly should have read much more before doing any action. After all an action has a reaction.
Don't waste time on this there's plenty of development things that have a greater impact that needs the team focus, and to be honest it will only effect anyone who did what I did and have a big board.
I'm still very happy with XF

 

[TPerry]

Really it's fine. I clearly should have read much more before doing any action. After all an action has a reaction.
Don't waste time on this there's plenty of development things that have a greater impact that needs the team focus, and to be honest it will only effect anyone who did what I did and have a big board.
I'm still very happy with XF

Actually, you bring forth a very good point... it would be easy to misunderstand the workings of the conversation/email notification selectable options.
As I said, I personally think that "message user" is a misnomer when using the standard XenForo thought process (at least to me) as it involves a conversation (which yes, is inclusive of messages) - but most realize that a convo can result in email notifications.
What would really be nice is if it operated in the manner that you assumed - that it would be board specific and not send an email no matter what the settings of the user were - or at least have it have the ability to have to specifically allow email notifications and it default to board only.
I don't think anyone was trying to beat you up over it... it's just that sometimes new admins to XenForo perform actions without fully understanding what they are or how the work. If this helps another new admin figure out that it sends email notifications if the user(s) have it enabled - then it's served a very useful purpose.

 

[Steff]

Beaten up was probably a strong term for what I was trying to say. I know the community isn't that way inclined, so apologies if this is how it came across. What I meant was that there are a lot of long term experienced admins on this site so there is an assumption that users know core actions and likely outcomes. I didn't fall in to the group that knew this and therefore got the result I did.
Clearly this is my fault and I should checked the manual before doing anything new with the board, I'm sure it would have mentioned that emails would also be sent in there. I appreciate everyone's input on this, but as I said last night it doesn't warrant any more time spent on it.