How can i block for PMs?

[Howard_Jones]

I know this aint no topic for the club tech forum, but for me it is, and a very annoying one.

For some reason there are profiles on this forum who hardly ever participate in the public debates, but for some reason they think im here to give them free private advice on PMs about equipment? im asking how selfish is it possible to be? All they have of knowledge comes from the open forum, but they dont want to use that so other readers can chime in or simply read to learn something, and i have to find a way to block for PMs because im NOT here for that reason, not even close. Im here to deliver knowledge and help IN PUBLIC, not only for the OPs who is asking, but for readers globally, and those term and conditions cant be meet with a private PM.

This is NOT to block all those users ive been writing with for years in here, but ALL of them is ACTIVE profiles in the forum, so when they send me a PM its because its not a question that has anything to do in the public forum, non of them is misusing my time and knowledge for personal benefit only, so they are still welcome, but i cant find a way to control who can send me PMs, and i want those "in-active" profiles who think im their free private club maker prevented from using PMs, i DONT want to reply to those requests, i dont want them at all.

Before WRX updated the forum there was a limitation for how many PMs the mailbox had room for, i simply had to let it stay FULL to stop PMs from this group of users, but that also prevented me for communication on PMs here that was needed, but i cant find any options to control this on the new platform, so im asking for help here.

Here is one example from today (i get 3-4 of the kind each day and ive removed his profile name). This man has been a member since 2006 and has posted 124 posts totally on this 14 years.

 

 

Hi Howard,My name is ............. I have read quite a bit of your posts and consider you to be one of the more knowledgeable shaft experts on the Forum. I’ve learned a bunch from reading your posts. I am hoping your experience will be able to help me with possibly selecting a new driver shaft. Sorry for such a long post. I am just trying to provide as much info as possible to give you a as much data as possible to work with.A little about myself:I’m 57 years old and have been playing since around 21 years old. 5’10” 165-170 lbs. My Handicap index is currently 8.5. I recently re-registered with GHIN, so only a few scores are being counted. 9.2 has been my index with all scores taken into consideration. My current equipment:Driver Titleist 913 D2 10.5 ( C4 setting)with Loomis Collegiate shaft X Flex 44.5“ D4 - D5 swingweight 3 wood Titleist 913F 15° with Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 7-x 42.5”3 iron Titleist 712U with Graphite Design Tour-Ad 95-x shaft4 iron Titleist 716 T-MB with Project X 6.5 5-PW Titleist 712 CB with Project X 6.5Vokey 52,56,60 wedges with Project X 6.0Irons swingweight D2/D3I had been using 710 AP2 with Project X 6.0 until this past year. My distances are : (carry)Using SwingCaddie SC300 launch monitor1W: 250+/-3w: 2353i : 2154i:  2005i:  1856i:  1757i:  1658i:  1559i:  145PW: 135GW: 118SW: 100GW: 90

Driver swing speed 102 +/-The current Driver shaft I am playing is the Loomis Collegiate shaft in X flex. For the most part I am happy with this setup. If I could find something comparable as far a accuracy is concerned, but provided a little more distance, that would be great. I’ve had rounds where I miss only a few fairways, but my distance has been dropping. Thus the search for a bit more distance. The only other concern is spin. The SC300 is reporting spin in the mid to upper 3000 range. Not sure how much to believe it as I’ve heard the spin numbers aren’t totally accurate. 

I have also used the following shafts in the same driver heD :Aldila Rogue Silver 110 MSI 60-xAldila Tour Blue 75-XProject-X 7C3None are as consistent as the Loomis. They also all feel just a bit looser than the Loomis. They are also about 1/2” longer than the Loomis. I shortened the Rouge by 1/2” and it is now D2 swingweight, but haven’t had a chance to hit it at the new length. At the moment, my natural shot shape is a slight draw. However, for most of my playing days, I was a fader. I still prefer to fade the ball, but i I need to make adjustments to hit a fade. What I am hoping to find is a shaft that is a bit softer than the Loomis to add some distance, but is just as stable. I tend to prefer shafts with tips more on the stable side vs soft tips. My initial thought would be the Graphite Design AD-TP in a 6-S. Or, the Loomis in S-flex with possibly a 1/2” tipping, but they are getting hard to find. My thought process is that a shaft in the 60 gram range might help increase speed/distanceI would appreciate any suggestions you may have. Regards,xxxxxxxxx

Mails like this P..me off BIG TIME, they admit that their knowledge comes from this forum but DONT want to use it them self to keep the forum alive and to give others something to read, and think i will spend my time on private requests like this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[pt73]

If it was me I would just delete them and move on as it’s unlikely the senders will change their ways.

[Howard_Jones]

ive done that so far, and i often reply with "please ask public in the forum"...but no, this users want share anything with others, so they are under-mining the whole concept of this forum and its been going on for so many years i have to stop it one way or the other. Thats why i hope some of the Admins read this and have a solution. Not responding makes me feel arrogant, but thats not me.

If they asked the same questions in the forum i would be happy to help out, but this profiles has no interest to do that, so i just want to find a way to stop this mails.

[SBH9458]

@Howard Jones Hope the moderators can help out with this and share with all of us. I, for one, have always been grateful for your dialogue and wisdom on WRX. Anything but arrogant. So I hope it gets resolved and you remain engaged here my man!!!

[Back9]

Howard-

 

Thanks for all of your very valuable contributions to this site.

I am not a moderator so take this for what it is worth. If you go on to the person that wrote you the annoying PM's profile page (clicking on their name on the PM should take you there) you should see a small grey box in the upper right hand corner next to a box that says "Message". The grey box has a white head and shoulders image of a person and a down arrow. If you click on that box it gives you a drop down message that says "ignore". I haven't used this before but I would assume this blocks further PMs from that user. Hopefully one of the moderators will let you know if this is correct.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[Howard_Jones]

Thanks for input Dave, but that dont really solve this, and will give the one who ask a "silent message" he is not welcome, but thats not how i want this to be.

Without this OPEN forum, most of us would not have any place to turn with club tech issues where we can ask for free help like we can on the board. Its just annoying that so many users is selfish and dont understand the value of the forum itself, even if thats where they got their own knowledge from, and i dont want to reply with "F...off" msgs either, it makes no difference for tomorrow when 2-4 new mails is delivered to the same mail box from other users.

I simply dont understand their thinking, and i know it want help with THIS tread either since its forgotten tomorrow and will only be known to those of you who see it today, so i was hoping for a "better way" to prevent this mails from coming, so this users understood that they are more than welcome to ask for help in the public forum, but NOT in PMs, it serves no purpose for other than the one who ask.

With the exception of sponsors, non of us who participate on the forum has financial interests here, we dont get payed and is not employees of GolfWRX or anything like that, we do this of pure interest and enthusiasm for the game of Golf where Gentleman ship is a major part of it for me and many others, so i dont want to be unfriendly either, its NOT the msg i want to get out here.

I was simply hoping that the new modern platform we are using now had the option to turn off PMs, or "filter them" some way to avoid this never ending stream of unwanted PMs, but i cant see any other options than the one you suggest Dave and thats "ignore" and 1 profile at the time, but it want stop PMs from coming from others.

My wish is simple, ask public in the forum for the benefit of the forum and other users as well as yourself, then you want find any limitations to the help im willing to provide, but when someone want this help exclusive for them self, they should go elsewhere and pay for the service they demand.

So...i look for a technical solution here, i just cant find it.

 

 

 

[braincramp52]

That really sucks Howard. I don't have a answer but I hope you find one. Is there a way to get a hold of one of the top dogs here? What a pita that has to be.

[Nessism]

3-4 a day? Wow, that's crazy.

I get questions also but nowhere near that many. I keep my answers short and sweet but don't brush off people.

Individual people can be blocked but I'm unaware of a way to filter other than that.

[Howard_Jones]

So do i, and today when ive been deep diving into all corners of my profile i can find, and im surprised to find questions directly on my profile page, their not even PMs but another MSG system i did not know exist, and here is a perfect school example, so i dont even bother to remove this mans profile name. Member since 2008 a total of 1 (ONE) post on WRX, but he seems to be in a position where he is in title to a answer from me.

All 3 msg the same day....directly on my profile, how is that even possible?

1 msg January 14 - 3:25 AM

2 msg January 14 - 3:30 AM

3 msg January 14 . 11:52 PM....

this profile IS blocked now, using the ignore function, so my thinking is, when access is that easy, it should be just as easy to close it down, because its 99% misuse in this case, and its clear, they will NEVER post the question in the forum, they simply dont post there at all, so i dont consider them to be "members", just random outside readers i feel no obligations to serve in private,.,

.

[Howard_Jones]

the number does vary, today it was only 2 this morning, but the day aint over yet, so compared to the volume i post in the forum (about 10.000 posts during 10 years), ive got at least 5000 mails and PMs during those same 10 years. Like i wrote above, on the old platform i simply let my mailbox stay overfilled so no-one could send me PMs, but thats not a good thing either when profiles i do communicate with becomes blocked with all the others.

Here is a copy of the second mail today, (ive removed the profile name), but it should be clear for all, this is NOT a personal message, they demand personal and private service and thats something else, and a question like this belongs to the open forum, NOT PMs.

 

"Today @ 12:48am

Hey- I've been reading thru some posts on moi matching and/or sw progression and decided on wanting to build a "modest progressive sw set". Here's the details thus far:

Have a set of Titleist T100's (4-PW) with stock AMT White standard length shafts. All weight in in the d2-d2.5 range.

Replacing the AMTs with nippon 120s. Want to keep the standard length (or 1/8" short of standard).

Like the feel of the current 6i at d2 for a starting point, I would love to get your thoughts on a couple scenarios:

1) for sake of build ease, would a sw progression of: 4-d1.5 , 5-d1.5, 6-d2, 7-d2, 8-d2.5, 9-d2.5, PW-d3 make any sense? At minimum would it be advantageous to an equally sw set of d2?

2) if I wanted to do a progressive sw of .5 throughout the set, keeping the 4/8" length increments (until 9i-PW at 2/8"), is there a raw weight formula to base my build on rather than simply using sw measurement for each individual iron?

I've been doing my own club work for quite some time, but this is my first dabble into a progressive set. Any insight is much appreciated."

 

its this kind of misuse of my time i want to stop, if they was asking in public, they would have gotten the answer they needed, but it want come by sending PMs, because this aint personal for any others than the one asking, so it aint got anything to do in my mailbox

[getitdaily]

You need an auto reply where you can let folks know you're not here for PM advice on stuff. See if the mods have that capability. Then you can let folks know to use the forums and just tag you in a post.

With good always comes bad. If the mods can't setup an auto reply then you may just have to get more comfortable ignoring PMs...it wouldn't change who you are...just saying.

[getitdaily]

And by the way, you single handedly helped me grasp gear effect and CoG movement. So keep your head up and keep sharing all that stuff in your brain.

[Howard_Jones]

there must be something that could be done here, and like already mentioned, its ONLY users that has a very low numbers of posts on the forum that does it. Once in a blue moon there might be a PM from a active profile, and then i respond directly, they want be ignored and might have good reasons for not posting their questions in public on the actual matter, and thats what PMs is for, so thats perfectly fine and something i like to keep open, but if the only way to stop this mails is to block them all, ill take that option, it would be like i had it before the upgrade of the forum last year.

[third-times-a-charm]

@Howard Jones you're basically 'the man' of this forum and your knowledge has helped more people than you'll ever know since your information shows up in google searches and people can find it without praise to you.
This situation is multi-faceted;
1) This forum has poor moderation and poor input from the admins. I'm sorry to say but I doubt they can help - but I hope they can. I'm familiar with forum software and I'm sure they can close your PM box somehow but it wont be easy for them since they dont know much about their new forum system and are slow to address larger tech issues regarding it.
2) You are so responsive in your postings and so helpful that I think people mistake that for them assuming you're willing to help them personally. "Kindness for weakness" if you will. I am by no means saying you should stop posting, hell no, but I think you need to add a signature line in your profile that says 'DO NOT MESSAGE ME I DO NOT ANSWER PRIVATE MESSAGES - ONLY POST IN THE PUBLIC TECH FORUM'. Lots of subject experts of various forums I'm on have this in their signature line because this is prevalent all over the internet. I HIGHLY recommend adding this as a signature line on your profile.
3) People are entitled and stupid, in general, and dont realize what they're doing. Dont let it interfere with your immensely helpful postings on here!
Thanks again for all your information and help in this forum, it by no means goes unappreciated.

[Howard_Jones]

Good input, and i had a text on the old forum profile with "No PMs please, ask public in the forum", but most did not notice or ignored it, and on the new platform i cant even find a way to add a text like that, but ill look again...maybe the text box many has as "signature" with their clubs could do it....ill check again.

[third-times-a-charm]

Yes thats the box I'm referring to. I believe there is also an 'about me' section in your profile you can add that line to so people will see it when they click your profile page.

[Howard_Jones]

i have to laugh, i just tried, only to get a reply about rules for user names, mine seems un-valid ??? .

....seems like i will have to live with it as it is for now and simply ignore those PMs i dont want.

[third-times-a-charm]

Click on your 'circle photo icon' in the top right of the website, go to 'Edit Profile' and on that page click on 'Signature Settings' on the top right-ish of the page. There should be a large box you can input and save the DO NOT PM ME message.

[Howard_Jones]

testing testing....

[Howard_Jones]

Fantastic, lets hope that will do for now, thanks a lot for help

[third-times-a-charm]

Fantastic! And if you're feeling fancy you can make it bold and red, haha.

Happy to help!

[nitram]

Hope it works for ya Howard. One of the saddest days for me on GolfWRX was when you announced you were retiring and didn't know if you'd be present on the forum very much. Thanks for coming back around.

[Howard_Jones]

I did not know that my presence here was of importance for others, im just one of many contributors to the forum, but it feels good that someone appreciate what i have delivered here.

Yes i retired and closed down my shop and wanted to do some Voltaire work for a legal institution, but i simply "dont have it" anymore, i though my long break from that had restored me, but no, it was simply not what i wanted to spend my time on anymore like i thought it was, so i was not gone for long. That means i will still be around and write in here if im not occupied with other trivial matters .....

I notice the MODs have moved this tread, i have no clue what part of the forum we are in now, i hardly ever leave the tech forum, but today it was only 1 mail in the mail box, and not a long demanding one, and that means so far so good.

[dcmidnight]

1) This forum has poor moderation and poor input from the admins. I'm sorry to say but I doubt they can help - but I hope they can. I'm familiar with forum software and I'm sure they can close your PM box somehow but it wont be easy for them since they dont know much about their new forum system and are slow to address larger tech issues regarding it.

The moderators have absolutely nothing to do with the business decisions made by the site. We also have absolutely nothing to do with the software or software changes or anything involving the software. Even those of us that have spent entire careers in the software industry have not been involved and were not asked to be involved in any way, shape or form with the software updates, testing, rollout or changes. We are volunteers who try to do the best we can with the pile of crap we were handed a year ago. So any "tech issues" you think the moderators can address are completely out of our hands.

I recommend you speak to @easyyy or @gxgolfer if you have further complaints about the moderators or anything you think we dont know much about or are slow in addressing.

Needless to say, your comments are completely wrong and absolutely misguided.3) People are entitled and stupid, in general, and dont realize what they're doing. 

You dont say.

[third-times-a-charm]

Hah, well sorry to rustle your jimmies.

I actually didnt know that. I thought the moderators on here were part of the same team of 'golfwrx guys' who do all the other stuff in 'the office'. So, cool.

Be that as it may, 'the moderators' are slow to respond to spam comments on the site and to police up certain troll threads, posters, and other community issues - no fault of your own I guess? Maybe 'the ownership' needs more or more active moderators, and to allow moderators to do more within the forum.

Anyway, the reasons I think the community moderation performance is poor is for another discussion - not Howard's thread.