online account

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psq
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I have newly registered but realized that the e-mail address I gave will be out of date soon. But I am not allowed to modify my e-mail address when I go to my 'account' > 'edit' page. Could any one enlighten me on this? I have to ask such question because there is nowhere I could find a link to the  webmaster.

Thanks,

psq

Martin Cullingford
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RE: online account

Unfortunately your email address is the one bit of information around which everything else pivots. So if you change your email address, you'll have to set up a new account. I'm sorry about that, though it should only take a few minutes to do. Martin

 

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Vaneyes
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RE: online account

How does one unsubscribe from Gramophone Forum?

SpiderJon
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RE: online account RE: online account

Martin Cullingford wrote:

Unfortunately your email address is the one bit of information around which everything else pivots. So if you change your email address, you'll have to set up a new account. I'm sorry about that, though it should only take a few minutes to do. Martin

With respect, that seems a somewhat short-sighted way of setting up a forum system.  

People change email addresses quite often - eg, because of changing ISP (it's a competitive market) or changing job - and having to lose your existing identity (since, presumably, you won't be allowed to re-use your existing username) will obviously be a blow for a frequent user.

AFAIK, the Gramophone forum uses Drupal (?) and having to persistently identify an account by its email address isn't a limitation imposed by that, which makes it a very puzzling thing to do.

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phlogiston
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RE: online account

Does it matter if your e-mail address is out of date?

You should still be able to log in even if the e-mail account is defunct, it's only a glorified password. I probably shouldn't say this though!

P

SpiderJon
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RE: online account

 

phlogiston wrote:

Does it matter if your e-mail address is out of date?

It would if you ever needed to request a new password.

Or if the admins ever needed to contact you.

Or if they ever enable "email notifications", so you get emailed when there's a reply to a thread you're 'watching' (which would be a very useful facility).

Or if they ever allow users to send private messages to each other (ditto).

Etc.

 

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tagalie
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RE: online account

SpiderJon wrote:

 

Or if they ever allow users to send private messages to each other (ditto).

 

A basic feature which, given the limitations on what you're allowed to say on here, would be very useful. Other forums have a message centre that allows interchanges without giving out your own private email address. At the same time, that message centre notifies your own mailbox that there's a message for you. It's a great way of continuing a dialogue with particular posters who seem to have similar interests/background to your own.

Andrew Everard
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RE: online account RE: online account

SpiderJon wrote:
With respect, that seems a somewhat short-sighted way of setting up a forum system.

Our registration system isn't based in Drupal, but in a centralised database, giving users access to most Haymarket sites with a single username/password. Yes, we could cut loose from that and have separate registration for Gramophone, which is something we are examining for a number of reasons on a number of our sites. But then you probably knew that already...

SpiderJon wrote:
Or if they ever allow users to send private messages to each other

Although on other sites we have seen this facility being abused for spamming and other advertising.

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SpiderJon
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RE: online account

Andrew Everard wrote:

Our registration system isn't based in Drupal, but in a centralised database, giving users access to most Haymarket sites with a single username/password.

Which still doesn't need to be tied to someone's email address.

But then you probably knew that already... :-)

SpiderJon wrote:
Or if they ever allow users to send private messages to each other

Andrew Everard wrote:
Although on other sites we have seen this facility being abused for spamming and other advertising.

Easily dealt with via your house rules - eg,  just cancel the registration of anyone who abuses the facility -  and other mechanisms.

Best rgds

 

 

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Andrew Everard
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RE: online account

SpiderJon wrote:
Which still doesn't need to be tied to someone's email address.

But then you probably knew that already... :-)

I didn't actually: rather as I tend not to trouble myself with what goes on in the engine-bay of my car, but enjoy driving it, so the intricacies of databases are something I have no need to understand when we have people who do this for a living. I'm merely passing on what I have been told by those in the know.

SpiderJon wrote:
Easily dealt with via your house rules - eg,  just cancel the registration of anyone who abuses the facility -  and other mechanisms.

I am again indebted for your superior knowledge.

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SpiderJon
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RE: online account

Andrew Everard wrote:
I am again indebted for your superior knowledge.

You're very welcome, of course.

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austinh7
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RE: online account

 

SpiderJon wrote:

 

Andrew Everard wrote:
Our registration system isn't based in Drupal, but in a centralised database, giving users access to most Haymarket sites with a single username/password.

 

Which still doesn't need to be tied to someone's email address.

 

But then you probably knew that already... :-)

 

 

Sadly we didn't design the system that we now have to use, we are well aware of it's restrictions and it's a main part of our overall "development roadmap" to extricate ourselves from it and rely on Drupal to handle the user profiles. This will then allow users to upgrade any part of the account, (including email address.)

 

SpiderJon wrote:
Or if they ever allow users to send private messages to each other

 

Andrew Everard wrote:
Although on other sites we have seen this facility being abused for spamming and other advertising.

 

SpiderJon wrote:

Easily dealt with via your house rules - eg,  just cancel the registration of anyone who abuses the facility -  and other mechanisms.

 

Best rgds

 

 

Private messaging is something that is being considered but it will be on the back burner for now, it may be something we turn on when we switch the registration process to Drupal as there is something inbuilt that allows members to contact each other directly. Obviously having an up to date email address is vital for that to work...

Also we wouldn't delete an account, much better to suspend it as it then stops that email address from working and we keep any details / content that they have created.

 

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SpiderJon
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RE: online account

austinh7 wrote:
Sadly we didn't design the system that we now have to use, we are well aware of it's restrictions and it's a main part of our overall "development roadmap" to extricate ourselves from it and rely on Drupal to handle the user profiles. This will then allow users to upgrade any part of the account, (including email address.)

Hi austinh7

Many thanks for the helpful reply - it's obviously good news that you're looking to improve user account 'editability'.

Does your 'dev roadmap' also include things like enabling people to view a simple list of what someone's posted? (ie, a list of extracts from, and links to, their most recent N messages, rather than having to trawl through every thread in every forum to find them).  That would be very handy.

austinh7 wrote:
Private messaging is something that is being considered but it will be on the back burner for now, it may be something we turn on when we switch the registration process to Drupal as there is something inbuilt that allows members to contact each other directly. Obviously having an up to date email address is vital for that to work...

Also we wouldn't delete an account, much better to suspend it as it then stops that email address from working and we keep any details / content that they have created.

Again, many thanks for the information.  I can quite understand that private messaging won't be a priority until the major stuff is sorted out, but it's good to know that it's being considered.

best rgds

 

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