Thread: Do you like that blinking mailbox thing?

I found a pretty cool hack that uses AJAX to check the state of the PM system even when you're idle. It will, of course, pop up if you refresh a page. It even follows you down the page. If you're idle, however, it checks every hour to see if there are any new PM's in your mailbox and will popup.

I originally went to a text announcement because I hated the popup thing and having to deal with it right away. The text message thing on the top of the screen didn't work for me either because it was so easy to miss sometimes.

I kind of like this thing. What do you guys think? If you don't like it, is it just the icon that's obnoxious? I tried to find something that wasn't too cheesy but would also be something that would alert you.

Yes. I like it. I like it A LOT.

It just Rocks.

Originally Posted by PuritanCovenanter

It just Rocks.

I keep some messages in my inbox as "unread." Is there anyway I can toggle the thing off so it doesn't always tell me I have messages of which I am already aware?

Originally Posted by CarolinaCalvinist

I keep some messages in my inbox as "unread." Is there anyway I can toggle the thing off so it doesn't always tell me I have messages of which I am already aware?

Plus, in this particular case, I guess I'm the Scrooge in the minority in terms of thinking it's neat-looking overall!

Originally Posted by CarolinaCalvinist

I keep some messages in my inbox as "unread." Is there anyway I can toggle the thing off so it doesn't always tell me I have messages of which I am already aware?

No. It's kind of a "binary" check. Maybe in future versions of the hack.

Originally Posted by Me Died Blue

Originally Posted by CarolinaCalvinist

I keep some messages in my inbox as "unread." Is there anyway I can toggle the thing off so it doesn't always tell me I have messages of which I am already aware?

Plus, in this particular case, I guess I'm the Scrooge in the minority in terms of thinking it's neat-looking overall!

Ba humbug. Is it the mailbox thing or just having an icon there?

I have to admit to having a bit of a love/hate relationship with PM's. They kind of grow out of control for me and I like having a clean inbox in general with things filed away. I know I can create folders for PM's but I don't like the extra work. The problem is, also, I have important messages both in PM and inbox and don't always know where I read something.

Originally Posted by SemperFideles

I kind of like this thing. What do you guys think? If you don't like it, is it just the icon that's obnoxious? I tried to find something that wasn't too cheesy but would also be something that would alert you.

It certainly does that. Works for me.

My experience with the mailbox thingee is that it has appeared after I log out. I put my cursor over it and it says I have a PM. So, I log back in to check - and, of course, there's no PM.

Is the blinking mailbox thingee broken? I think it's a good idea, but apparently it's not working.

Originally Posted by bookslover

My experience with the mailbox thingee is that it has appeared after I log out. I put my cursor over it and it says I have a PM. So, I log back in to check - and, of course, there's no PM.

Is the blinking mailbox thingee broken? I think it's a good idea, but apparently it's not working.

Hmmm...very strange. I don't know why it would do that. I cannot replicate the problem.

Originally Posted by SemperFideles

Originally Posted by bookslover

My experience with the mailbox thingee is that it has appeared after I log out. I put my cursor over it and it says I have a PM. So, I log back in to check - and, of course, there's no PM.

Is the blinking mailbox thingee broken? I think it's a good idea, but apparently it's not working.

Hmmm...very strange. I don't know why it would do that. I cannot replicate the problem.

I take that back. Problem reproduced. Strange. Hopefully the coder will answer my question as to why this happens.

Just so long as the pop ups don't return!

I dunno... the creature inside the mailbox looks kinda nasty to me...

The mailbox appears on the very far right of the screen, running off the screen (Firefox). It seems very hard to notice. The text was the same way. I actually liked the popups - partly because I never leave unread messages. It also has the annoying habit of "sliding" down the screen if I scroll so it is always visible (or at least 1/2 of it is).

The box (or some indicator) would be better if it was more in the middle of the top of the screen. My guess is that I'll "miss" new PMs about 50-60% of the time.

I don't like it. It's annoying. I liked having the text message at the top of the page.

I liked the pop ups...and for those who didn't, there was always the option in one's CP to turn Pop-Up Notifications off.

Originally Posted by SemperFideles

I found a pretty cool hack that uses AJAX to check the state of the PM system even when you're idle. It will, of course, pop up if you refresh a page. It even follows you down the page. If you're idle, however, it checks every hour to see if there are any new PM's in your mailbox and will popup.

I originally went to a text announcement because I hated the popup thing and having to deal with it right away. The text message thing on the top of the screen didn't work for me either because it was so easy to miss sometimes.

I kind of like this thing. What do you guys think? If you don't like it, is it just the icon that's obnoxious? I tried to find something that wasn't too cheesy but would also be something that would alert you.

I LIKE it! I just felt a little stupid....I got a PM and saw it blinking....then my next thought was...."have we allways had that?????"

Rich, I don't like it. I have no new pm's, but the thing is always there. Is there anyway I can get rid of it? It continually tells me of new pm's which simply don't exist. Thanks. Also, how do I delete old pm's?

Never mind. I just figured it out. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Preach

Rich, I don't like it. I have no new pm's, but the thing is always there. Is there anyway I can get rid of it? It continually tells me of new pm's which simply don't exist. Thanks. Also, how do I delete old pm's?

I had the same thing happen. You probably have an unread message somewhere (on one update my read messages became unread).

The simple thing to do for these is to go to your mailbox, the inbox. At the top of the list on the right is a notice that says "Messages: " followed by the number of messages. If you click that box you will mark all of your messages.

Then scroll to the bottom of the list and you'll see a box titled "Selected Messages". If you click the little arrow to the right of the box, it will give you options to delete, move, mark as read, etc. Choose the option and all of the messages will be deleted, marked as read, whatever you choose.

You can also delete messages one at a time by marking the box next to the message.

If you're wondering "how do you get to the mailbox?", one way is to just click on your login name at the upper right corner of the opening screen. An option called "private messages" will appear. Click on that and there you are.

Originally Posted by Preach

Never mind. I just figured it out. Thanks.

Oops. Oh well. Maybe it will help someone else.