Question

Suggestion: Enable read receipts for direct messaging.

Answer 1

We all know that sometimes people are on OpenStudy, and it says they are online, yet they are actually busy doing something else. When you send a message to someone, and you are waiting for a reply, you could possibly be waiting for a very long time. This is very annoying and time consuming, because you don't know if they are going to reply soon. I think it would be helpful to have read receipts for private messages, so we can know when someone has read our message.

Answer 2

I think this is great:) Great idea. I have had this happen millions of times. Meaning when someone sent me a message, I don't read it right away for some reasons. Either I'm doing something else, or busy looking at posts, chatting in the boxes, or just lazy to read it. But mostly trust me. It's the "busy with my own school." So yes, I think this is something we should have.

Answer 3

I think its pointless :/ that gives another way to annoy the person and what if they dont feel like replying? It only makes them look guilty :P

Answer 4

If they don't feel like replying, then they don't have to. Nobody is going to make someone feel guilty for something as little as not wanting to reply! Having read receipts would just make it helpful for people who need instant help. This way, they will know whether or not the person is busy, and they can search for help elsewhere. :) @kidrah69

Answer 5

I dont see how this improves OS :P but good suggestion

Answer 6

Well it could honestly spark some arguments (if two users are in an argument and the person "read" the message". xD

Answer 7

*)

Answer 8

It improves OS because students who need help from a certain person don't have to wait around to be replied to. They can know whether or not the person has read their message. This is helpful because sometimes they have seen the message, and don't reply. Knowing that they simply don't want to reply will save a lot of time for students.

Answer 9

Mods get hundreds of messages, and users can be discouraged if they don't reply (in my opinion). xD

Answer 10

It's a good idea though. :)

Answer 11

Right, so by enabling read receipts, people will know if A) they just don't want to reply or B) they haven't read their message yet

:)

Answer 12

How would that be implemented though? Like there's a pop-up when someone sends a message, right? Say someone didn't click the message icon. Would that still be "unread"?

Answer 13

If someone clicks on the message, then they have "read" the message. If they don't click on the message, the message is "unread". This is useful because sometimes people have the "online" status, but they are away doing something else.

Answer 14

Yeah. There goes my suggestion a while back of having a "offline" status feature. xD

Answer 15

Like how it says "is just looking around"? I could change that to "offline"

Answer 16

Not quite sure about changing the statuses, but I can see what you're getting at. :)

Answer 17

Or, "is away from the screen" or something like that xD

Answer 18

There should also be a block message when someone you blocked tries to message you like "blocked you because you are a spammer" or something like that which could be customized to say different things for different people.

Answer 19

Yeah, that would be super helpful! Great idea! :)

Answer 20

That would be bad if someone ends up abusing that feature...like if someone puts "Blocked because you're mean" etc etc.

Answer 21

I'd just go with that default message.

Answer 22

Is there already a default message? If so, what is it?

Answer 23

http://prntscr.com/6toe7v

Answer 24

Hermes would be proud is only after you message someone.

Answer 25

Oh that one. That default message isn't very effective.

Answer 26

What happens if you message someone who blocks you?

Answer 27

That happens. My screenshot.

Answer 28

There should also be a feature to appeal for an unblock.

Answer 29

Who chooses if these get implemented?

Answer 30

The person who blocked the other person.

Answer 31

Admins

Answer 32

oh wait what?

Answer 33

Who chooses if suggestions get implemented or...?

Answer 34

No who decides if these suggestions actually get implemented?

Answer 35

Preetha, admins, and any significant others.

Answer 36

There is another issue about, how you get multiple messages and one click makes all the messages read even if you didn't actually read them all.

Answer 37

Well, @TheSmartOne , that message would be considered "read" because it has been "seen". The point of this feature is to know if someone is online and has seen your message.

Answer 38

There is no private messaging on OpenStudy. THere are just direct messages. They are not and have never been private.

OK, so this troll is stalking you and wants to know when you have been on. All they need to do is send DMs with a read recipt. Presto. They track you.

Hmm... perhaps read recipts are nto such a good idea.

Answer 39

Right, I meant direct messages, not private messages.

Track you? Can you please elaborate? I'm not sure what you mean.

@e.mccormick

Answer 40

Well, people tend to ignore trolls and stalkers. But a recipt would let them know they were getting to you.

Answer 41

What's the harm in that?

Answer 42

We have had people leave OS because of how bad some of the trolls and stalkers get. One more tool for them to use is not good.

Answer 43

How is knowing if someone read your message a path to stalking?

Answer 44

No. It is a tool for stalkers who are already following the path of stalking.

Answer 45

We've also probably had people leave OS because people were not replying to messages, but little did these people know that they were't receiving their messages because they were busy doing something else away from the computer.

Answer 46

A stalker is a person who stealthily hunts or pursues an animal or another person. Knowing if someone read your message is not stalking. Nor could it be used for stalking. Just about every social media utilizes read receipts because they're useful.

Answer 47

I do not know of any that allow recipts without also allowing people to refuse to send one.

Answer 48

Right, so people can choose to enable read receipts if they want, I'm not saying they should be required. Plus, if someone is "stalking" you or "trolling", you can just block them. It's as simple as that.

Answer 49

I just think read receipts would be really helpful for a student who doesn't want to wait around for a reply, because they know the person they messaged to didn't read it.

Answer 50

Trust me... it is not as simple as that. They make hundreds of accounts to do this... /sigh it is a real pain in the anatomy for moderation.

Answer 51

Ok, but still. I don't see how a read receipt does any harm. That's not enough information to "stalk" someone. And we can make read receipts optional.

Answer 52

Also, the messageing system was never meant for studying applications. All of that was intended for the Q&A stuff. So there is less need for a fully featured message system.

Answer 53

good idea @vera_ewing I like it!!!

Answer 54

But do you see how read receipts could be really helpful? And last time I checked, you can choose to only be messaged by people you fan. That eliminates the so-called troll and stalker issue.

Answer 55

Thanks @shifuyanli I'm glad you like it. Hopefully it gets implemented :)

Answer 56

yw :P

Answer 57

How about if this feature is implemented so that only the users that you've fanned can have that "read receipts"? So that majorly lowers the random users that message? xP

Answer 58

Well there is already a feature that only allows people you've fanned to message you, so there can only be read receipts if someone you've fanned messages you. :)

Answer 59

True but I'm considering the users that have the "anyone can message you" one. x)

Answer 60

Well my suggestion isn't completely perfect, and little improvements can be made, but overall I think it's a great, useful idea :)

Answer 61

Great Idea !!!

\(\Huge\color{Yellow}{\bigstar\bigstar\bigstar\bigstar\bigstar}\)

Answer 62

AWESOME IDEA I NEED THAT ;-;

Answer 63

haha thanks :)

Answer 64

\(\color{blue}{\text{Originally Posted by}}\) @vera_ewing
Well, @TheSmartOne , that message would be considered "read" because it has been "seen". The point of this feature is to know if someone is online and has seen your message.
\(\color{blue}{\text{End of Quote}}\)

Nope. I get 10 messages. I click it to start reading 1. That makes it so that I read all 10. And the other 9 people think I read theirs when I haven't.

Answer 65

Well the point of a read receipt is to let the sender know that you are online and active. You know that you received those 10 messages. They aren't necessarily "read" but you are actively on OS. If a message is not "read" then the sender knows that the receiver of the message is not currently at the computer, and they are busy doing something else. That is the real point of a read receipt. Not to know if the message is actually "read" @thesmartone

Answer 66

What if I kept my messages thing open?
http://prntscr.com/6u9aha

and I go afk for 2 days. All my incoming messages become read and they think that I am active.

And I don't respond to some people because of some reasons, and I don't need them to know that I'm active but just ignoring them. Like people tag me to help them, but I don't want to help them since they don't cooperate with me when I try to guide them and they start messaging me. I don't need them to know that I am chosing to ignore them.

Sometimes someone sends you something wierd or random (sometimes even people you fanned or haven't fanned) maybe because you are in an argument or something accusatory, but you don't know what to reply, why let them know that you saw it and chose not to respond? And then be accused that you read it and never responded...

Answer 67

^ That's a point.

Also, say I got a message and I checked it hours later. The person may wonder why I didn't reply (however in my case I get way too many dm's that I don't even see some users' messages, which is why I don't reply to some).

Answer 68

And also the scrolling skips a few that I don't see until someone says "Did you see my last DM? And then I carefully look and then I see it.

Answer 69

^ True story.

Answer 70

Well the read receipts would be activated by actually clicking on the message icon once the message is received. So if you leave your message thing open, a new message wouldn't count as being read because you didn't click on the message thing AFTER the message was received. Also, it is probably not a great idea to leave your message thing open.

You said, "I don't need them to know that I am chosing to ignore them." But that's the EXACT point of read receipts! For students to know whether or not someone is intentionally ignoring them! That way, they are not waiting around for a reply! That way, they can look for help elsewhere, instead of thinking you just didn't get the message yet! That's the whole point of read receipts. And if they accuse you of ignoring you, which shouldn't happen much, then you just CONTINUE to ignore them, as you have been! Also, you can block them with a simple click of a button.

@TheSmartOne

Answer 71

You do not have to click on a message to read it. They are marked read just by opening the DM pulldown.

Answer 72

Yes, so if someone opens the DM pulldown, the messages are marked as read. I can't think of a reason for someone to keep their DM pulldown open, so that's fine.

Answer 73

It happens. When you are reading a message, more that come in are auto marked as read. If you are scrolled down you will not even notice this happen. In fact, I have that go on a lot.

Answer 74

Oh, and if you click near the messages icon specifically below it, but not on it, they are marked as read and you do not even have to open it. LOL. That is a recent bug.

Answer 75

Wait, but read receipts aren't enabled, so how can they be marked as read for the sender of the message? Messages would only be marked as read if you click on the little message icon AFTER the message is sent.

Example: My DM list is open. Bob, an OS user sends me a DM. I am reading other messages. I do not click on the message icon, because it is already open. Because of this, Bob's message is not marked as "read" because I have not clicked on the message icon AFTER his message is received.

Answer 76

And read receipts are not supposed to mean that someone has actually READ your message, it is an indicator of whether or not that someone is idle, or active on OS.

Answer 77

I have gotten them and the new message number does not increase and when I close it I have no new.

Answer 78

That can be changed for read receipts, though. That's just how it is currently.

Answer 79

Which means redesigning the message system even more...

Answer 80

There's nothing wrong with improvement. The OS message system could use it, in my opinion.

Answer 81

Ah, but OS is not meant to be a messaging platform, so I do not see them improving the message system. If I recall, there are old developer messages about this.

Answer 82

Yes, but messaging is very helpful to students of OS, which is why there is a messaging option in the first place. If OS were truly about helping students learn, then the messaging system would be updated. However, I agree with you that the messaging system probably won't be updated. Sad but true.

Answer 83

Messaging allows people to cheat easier and was very nearly removed a few times. I see no way in which it helps studying since that happens on the Q&A part of the site, not DMs. Also, it is abused for sexting, has had people get so involved in DMs and chat that they forget to study, and other issues.

So how does it improve studying in ways that follow the site goals: that all tutoring be open to public review?