About Pool Rule "Don't PM members with questions".

[Lazyman]

I see why it's there, and agree that many readers can learn from any question you may want to ask a fellow member. There is somewhat of a problem with asking the general public as opposed to a specific member. If you have a specific question for a member who has very similar pool equipment as you, then you may want to ask that specific person. You may also see that this person lives in the same climate as you. They may even have the same schedule or routine as you, etc...

Most importantly, you may ask on the general board and this person may never see your thread.


So, does anyone ever get questions PM'ed to them? Have you done it? lol

I'm sure this rule isn't strictly enforced, and I'm sure the rule is a guideline (maybe?) but I don't know.


No, I don't have a question to ask anyone.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Post your question in the forums, perhaps put the person's name in the subject line. Then, if they do not see it, PM them a link to the forum, so all can benefit from their expertise. Likely you are not the only 2 people with the same stuff in the same region!

 

[waste]

It happens

Sometimes newbies aren't comfortable asking on the boards or aren't sure where or how to post a question on the forum, and PMing is an easy way for them to ask their question.

If it's something sent just to me, I'll respond with the answer I'd have given if it had been posted on the boards and include something like; "while I appreciate your faith in me, I think it's best to keep this on the boards so others with a similar issue can benefit from our interaction and someone else here may have an even better solution to your issue - as such, I'm going to start a new post <in the appropriate> section and copy this PM and my answer :-D "

Others, make mass PMs - including all the mods and/ or special contributors to the recipients list - these folks get gently told that questions should be kept to the boards 8)

PMing certainly has it's uses, but questions about pools ought be kept to the boards

 

[JohnT]

Here's the rule in question for reference:

4.Please do not PM the mods, admins or individuals with pool care questions. Posting on the forum will give your question greater exposure and the answer can benefit more than just one person.

We do enforce the rule, at least as it pertains to moderators and admins, and like Waste said, we do regularly have people PM moderators with general pool questions. We usually politely ask that they ask the question in the forum. Two reasons for the rule: First, if we answer in PMs, the message (and our brilliant, insightful, life-changing answer) isn't available for others to search, and second, during the busy time of year the special contributors, moderators and admins are pretty busy keeping up with things here (and swimming) and it's much easier to have a post in the forum where it can be answered by anyone having the time, knowledge and inclination to do so. Most of the time your question would get answered more quickly on the forum. There are over 8,000 members, and only 6 moderators plus Jason and Dave. That gives us each 1000 of you to keep an eye on :-D It would become overwhelming quickly.

That said, since we are all pool owners and forum members, some of us have systems that have been discussed in the forum about which a member may want to follow up via PM with a specific question, or as you suggested, a question about a particular climate or unique knowledge, particularly if the question is off-topic from any existing post. Doing so isn't a problem. That's especially true if the subject is in some way personal. If you post something and would like an opinion or comment from a specific moderator or another member but haven't gotten a response in a couple of days, it would be fine to PM and ask if they've seen it. PMing groups of people to do so is probably inappropriate.

PMs about board or member issues that shouldn't be made public are always okay as well.

 

[JasonLion]

Yea, what JohnT said.

I get several questions a day in PM and email, and every single one of them should have been asked on the forum. Long ago, when I was a new member, I got a couple of questions about my Total Control system via PM and I rather appreciated the attention. But now that I am the forum admin, and I am constantly getting messages, I just think how sad it is that they aren't asking on the forum. They would get a better answer more quickly if they posted on the forum.

 

[Guest]

I have a stock message that I cut and paste into PMs explaining that Mods do not have the time to answer individual questions since we are busy moderating the forum and that they should post it in the forum so everyone can benefit from the question and answers. I will usually answer the question once it is posted if it is something I am able to answer. Occasionally, I will answer a private PM if it is a question that is not something that would be of general interest to forum members, such as a PM from one of my old customers, but it is very rare indeed.

 

[Lazyman]

Yea, what JohnT said.

I get several questions a day in PM and email, and every single one of them should have been asked on the forum. Long ago, when I was a new member, I got a couple of questions about my Total Control system via PM and I rather appreciated the attention. But now that I am the forum admin, and I am constantly getting messages, I just think how sad it is that they aren't asking on the forum. They would get a better answer more quickly if they posted on the forum.

I understand.

One example I have is with a member from NJ. He has a Pool pilot like I do and winterizes it a specific way as he posted on one of the threads. At the time I saw that post, I thought to PM him a couple of questions about it since he lives in NJ like I do. Same climate, same swg.... Sure I could have asked on the forum (and I did) but I would have still liked to know what he does exactly with his system, which seems to be working out fine for him.

Not being able to PM someone like that is awkward. Sure I could have also asked for "DaveNJ" in the thread title and hoped he would see it, but I think a PM would be more discreet for HIM, as he may or may not want his name out there on a thread title. OH SHHHHH... it's on a thread now!! lol


No big deal. Rules are rules. I do think, however, that these PMs are more frequent than one would think. I moderate, or used to moderate 1 or 2 boards and know that some "rules" aren't set in stone. That's why I asked as well.

Thanks for reading. I do love the site. Don't ban me!! lol jk

 

[cobra46]

I too think it's best to keep everything or nearly everything on the board. Someone may come along years later and do a search for some of the terms that apear in the post and gain ore insight to whatever they were looking for. It is quite common for people to post questions that have been asked and answered countless times. All they had to do was spend an extra one or two minutes and they would have found the answer.