private messages

Staying on topic (for the most part!) is what keeps our discussions relevant in the long haul. It's simply great fun to open a message thread on prunus canker, for instance, and see all this useful wisdom being shared.

Here's an insight how each of us might do this all the better. Sometimes a particular reply within a discussion topic evokes a direct response to the writer. Maybe it's a personal thank you; maybe it's a request for scionwood; maybe it's a a jest between good friends. Whatever. Inserting what's basically a private message into the record isn't necessary for the topic per se. And this is where the Phorum software provides a quick means to reach out one-to-one.

Next to the name of every poster in every new topic and every reply withn that topic are the letters [PM]. This stands for sending a "private message" to that person and that person alone. Click those letters to respond individually when you think your purpose does not need to involve the rest of the orcharding world. This truly will keep the conversational flow that much more engaged.

Michael makes a great point.

Many of us have been involved in a variety of forums and user groups over the years.

One of the most cumbersome aspects, most all share, is fluff and off topic reply posts to the original posted question, comment or thought. These can be "thank you's" for help, "hey _____ how is your ___ doing?", "this post reminds me of ___ has anyone seen that too?" etc. The first two examples here would be great cancidates for a Private Message. The last example would be a great case for a New Topic to be created -- which is highly encouraged, especially if it is a focused question or query.

Please don't get us wrong, many of the off topic replies are great ways to build camaraderie and good relations with one another. For example, It is always nice to get a thank you for some advice or thoughts you put out there that help a fellow grower, but we are asking that you do it through the PM option to help us keep the threads as relevant as they can be for many of us that don't have a lot of time to come in to read through the forums only to find the 5 new posts you clicked on were all merely "hello" and "thank you" posts.

This can create many pages of replies to a great question or observation which then becomes time consuming and challenging for the reader to actually weed through the side commentary to get to the heart of what they wish to learn.

Think of it as our good housekeeping and a concerted effort to keep the posts and resulting threads on topic and relevant.

Our goal is to have our forum be not only ultra useful but also efficient. Your time is valuable and we want to help it be well spent.

Carry on friends and keep the good stuff coming!

Paul

Gopher Hill Apples
Zone 8 in California