The private message character limit.

[Soluzar]

At the moment it's 2000 characters. I've overrun that so many times it is not funny. Do you think it would consume a ridiculous amount of server resources to increase it to 4000 characters, or maybe even just 3000? It's nice to have breathing space if you want to write a long PM.

[Gray]

I've even hit the 10,000 word limit on the regular posts :P

[The Million Dollar Prons]

I agree, sometimes I have to PM people obscenly long things (instructions on how to tranlsate, scripts, etc.)!

[Soluzar]

I've even hit the 10,000 word limit on the regular posts :P
Me too, but for some reason I don't mind that so much. There has to be a limit of some kind, and 10k isn't something that I need to exceed regularly.

[Nano]

I've hit the limit a few times, I ended up sending about 10 separate PM's to the same person.

So yeah, 4000 would be nice.

[Leader Desslock]

I'd say a 4K character imit on PM size with a 50 PM limit would be better than the 2K character limit and 100 PM's. That'd most likely put less of a strain on the DB, I think.

[The Million Dollar Prons]

I'd say a 4K character imit on PM size with a 50 PM limit would be better than the 2K character limit and 100 PM's. That'd most likely put less of a strain on the DB, I think.


I don't like the idea of shortening the ammount of PMs. I'd rather live with 2k and 100, because as it stands I'm constantly getting private messeges, right now I have 89 in my inbox.

The question is, does 4k at 100 cause a lot of DB rape? Or would AN's servers just shrug it off?

All in all, I support whatever lets me still have 100 pm's.

[Soluzar]

I'd say a 4K character imit on PM size with a 50 PM limit would be better than the 2K character limit and 100 PM's. That'd most likely put less of a strain on the DB, I think.

Yeah, I thought so too, but I wasn't going to say it. I also hit the 100 PM limit too often to want it reduced. :shifty:

[kenshinbebop]

You guys sure right long PM's. Geez.

I'd rather have more PM's than longer, but that's just me since I don't right essays to people. (Not that that's a bad thng.)

[kiyomi]

Id rather get a nice email from folks, than a lengthy PM.

Though, having just a bit more in the PM wouldn't be so bad, I guess.

Oh well, to each his/her own, I say.

[Gray]

Okay yea I vote we raise it too. I can't send Guitar Tabs....:(

[Leader Desslock]

Well, we've already established that AN is not a chat board. Hence, all the 'conversation' threads got deleted. Why should AN be any more of an email service?

We all have to have a valid email adress to sign up for AN. Why aren't people using email to send something bigger than PMs allow? The PM's should just be used to say "I sent you an email", in my opinion.

[Soluzar]

Well, we've already established that AN is not a chat board. Hence, all the 'conversation' threads got deleted. Why should AN be any more of an email service?
I'm not sure who we are, but I didn't establish anything of the kind. It's a rule that's been imposed from above, but if you're proceeding from the assumption that "we" agree entirely with that rule, it may or may not be correct.

We all have to have a valid email adress to sign up for AN. Why aren't people using email to send something bigger than PMs allow? The PM's should just be used to say "I sent you an email", in my opinion.I'm trying really hard not to find this message snarky. I'm failing. I'm not going to let myself be bothered by that fact, but I can't see why you're suggesting that the way you do things is inherently more correct than the way in which others choose to.

If you feel you detect hostility, you'd be wrong. There's none here, but I just find that post a trifle presumptous.

[Leader Desslock]

I'm not sure who we are...
It was the 'collective we'. Meaning, the group concensus after all was said and done after PB&G was cleaned up. It's the same 'we' that implemented a filter, doesn't allow links to retailers, DOES allow links to copyright-infringing material and otherwise moderates the board from a technical aspect.

We the users may not be in 100% agreement with the collective we, but we can hardly say we're unfamiliar with the administrative philosophy governing our posts.

I'm trying really hard not to find this message snarky. I'm failing.
I forgive you. :P

Wasn't meant in a snarky way, I literally can't understand why anyone with an email service (which we all have, if we're registered AN members) aren't USING that service in preference to a small, crappy forum mechanism. I don't find PM's particularly useful for anything outside quick notifications. Even if they didn't have a size limitation, I wouldn't find them to be a particularly good substitute for email.

[Holy Knight]

The only time when I went over the character limit in PM's was when I was discussing my thread on Evil with Cell_288 and one other occasion. 2k may not be much and some other PM's I've sent came quite close to bordering over it, but I think it's fine as it is. I wouldn't mind 3k, but that would only serve the small percentage of individuals that actually go over the limit mark.

As for more PM's in the inbox? Unless you're a collector, 100 is fine. Like Prons, I'm also exactly at a total of 89 PM's and I've deleted a little less than a hundred since I first joined. So 100 is plenty.

[Soluzar]

We the users may not be in 100% agreement with the collective we, but we can hardly say we're unfamiliar with the administrative philosophy governing our posts.
I disagree entirely. There is no "collective we". There's no consensus. There are simply the rules, which we are all bound to follow. There's nothing compelling me to agree with, or like the rules, guidelines and philosophy of the site.

I forgive you. :P
Thank you.

Wasn't meant in a snarky way, I literally can't understand why anyone with an email service (which we all have, if we're registered AN members) aren't USING that service in preference to a small, crappy forum mechanism. I don't find PM's particularly useful for anything outside quick notifications. Even if they didn't have a size limitation, I wouldn't find them to be a particularly good substitute for email.
So? That's great for you, I'm glad. It doesn't have the slightest bearing on how anyone else chooses to use the internet, and it seemed to me that there was a certain component of "I think this and so should you" to that post. Well, if you say it isn't so, then I'll not be discourteous enough to dispute that, so I'll admit my mistake.

I find that there are many occasions where PMs are just plain more appropriate than email, and not for any technical reason. I could explain why, but I don't expect or desire anyone to share my views. It would also be a boring philosophical diatribe of no interest to anyone. ;)

[SabakuKuniGaara]

Soluzar, I think Leader Desslock was just suggesting a different solution to your problem.


On topic - I've never hit the limit for PMs, but if it is a problem for people, I don't see why not. If you increase the limit it doesn't mean that EVERYBODY will immediately start writing 4 000-character PMs, thus doing horrors to AN. It would just help those who write longer PMs and not really be a problem.

[Shiroiyuki]

Personally, I agree with Dess on this one.

Sure, I don't get PM's too often, but when I do--they usually warrant a very long reply back from me (*ahem* I'm long winded, as some of you will probably already know). It got so bad trying to discuss the Writer's Workshop while keeping under the limit that eventually I did have to just go to email. It was no big deal really (not like I assumed it would be), so I just don't understand...if you sit there and spend a long time making an effort to type up something, then have to go back and edit that said block of text to get it passed the word limit, why you wouldn't just opt for the email alternative in the first place? Save yourself time, energy, and unnecessary angst.

I mean, it is just so much simpler--and with email, you don't waste time worrying about size limitations.


AN is a big forum, and I'm sure Kevin and the other admins/mods would not want to increase the size limitations for everybody here. It doesn't take too long to do so, but it a change like this would suck up more space AND cost them more money (well, that is what I'm assuming) to maintain. Maybe you should just try to use email, like Desslock suggested, instead of the PM system for longer messages.

What is the worst that could happen? Every member can already see your email address (if you enable them to do so), and if you trust them enough to PM them, I don't see what the problem would be to just email them instead. If you worry that much about getting spammed or whatnot, just set up another free account chiefly made for this purpose alone. Then, it won't interfere with anything you may have that is important (on your actual, primary email account), and the 'size limitation' problem is solved.

[Lemina]

The PM character limit is fine, and doesn't need to be changed. If people want to make longer PM's, they can always try sending PM's in two parts or more. Otherwise, sending messages via email would be a great alternative. On the other hand, some people would rather choose not to allow emails for privacy purposes, me included, so the Private Message system can work too. Most of us don't really get many PMs on a daily basis, so it's pointless talking about why we don't get enough space. Our current configuration is perfect!!

[VidelCoolGirl]

I would like to lengthen the PM limit. I've written a lot of PM's and a lot of them always go over the limit. Emails are a problem sometimes because some people never check their email. I check my PM's on AN more than I do my Hotmail.

[Shiroiyuki]

Emails are a problem sometimes because some people never check their email. I check my PM's on AN more than I do my Hotmail.

Then write a PM to the person in question stating that you emailed them. Harrass them with short, simple (to the point) messages until they wise up and check their email like they should ;)

[Soluzar]

Soluzar, I think Leader Desslock was just suggesting a different solution to your problem.Yeah. I guess so. There's no hard feelings either way, nor was there ever likely to be over something as minor as this. :)

On topic - I've never hit the limit for PMs, but if it is a problem for people, I don't see why not. If you increase the limit it doesn't mean that EVERYBODY will immediately start writing 4 000-character PMs, thus doing horrors to AN. It would just help those who write longer PMs and not really be a problem.Actually, that depends on whether the forum code automatically allocates 2000/4000 characters per mesage no matter what the length. If it does use a fixed-length storage, then bigger PMs might well rape the database.

[SabakuKuniGaara]

Actually, that depends on whether the forum code automatically allocates 2000/4000 characters per mesage no matter what the length. If it does use a fixed-length storage, then bigger PMs might well rape the database.

Well, if that is the case, then I am in favour of the email + notification via PM idea.