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This topic has moved here: Subject: Mass PM + Search Feature
  • Subject: Mass PM + Search Feature
Subject: Mass PM + Search Feature

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

Personally, I find that one of the most valuable tools to a group admin has been removed, and that is the Mass PM system. When a group is 10-50 members, it might not be too bad to copy and paste all those update PM's. But what about groups with 100+ or 500+ members? Can you imagine trying to PM 500+ members individually?

I think that a mass PM button should be added into the admin tools (if it hasn't already, which I don't believe it has). It would make managing large groups infinitely easier as well as improve update quality by allowing more time for that than time spent on just PMing the thing.

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Now, about the search feature. Most anyone here knows how the search feature works... or better yet DOESN'T work.

The search feature scans the entire site (can be scaled down to just the forums... wooptie do) for any and all results that contain the words you put into the search. Sounds effective right? The problem with that is that it searches member posts, names, quote boxes, updates, titles of threads and everything in-between for those words. this leads to some pretty botched up results even when you know what your looking for.

I feel this situation needs to be addressed, since the new motto here seems to be "use the search button" for anyone who is out of place or repeating a topic. The problem might be they already did and didn't find what they were looking for on the first to fifth page of the search.

A way to improve the feature would be to add filters. These filters can narrow the search down to author's name only (allowing for you to find all posts by a specific user), thread title only (allowing you to find specific threads easier), and search post content only (so you can find a specific quote in a post on the forums you wanted).

Not only that, but the search should also prioritize results. So far it is just displaying results rather than giving any rhyme or reason. If it prioritized results with the most words you searched for and the closest string of words to what you searched for it might make things easier.

For example:

Say you searched for "The greatest thing ever about Halo is the wraith". The search would probably just give results for each word and only prioritize ones with more of those words and not them being in any specific order. But with a better search system it would the string of text and not just more words, allowing for the first result to be that specific quote if it does exist on the forum.



Just a few thoughts.

  • 03.17.2008 10:25 AM PDT
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2 things I'd like to see with this search feature:

1. Show threads and NOT replies.

2. Delete out old threads and file threads that have no file.

  • 03.17.2008 10:30 AM PDT

Old school Bungie, born and raised,
In the Septagon is where I spend most of my days.
Relaxin', maxin', posting all cool,
Talking about Halo, life and some school.
Got in one little argument, and the mods got scared,
they said "You're gonna get banned and your member title'll be bare!"

Group PM'ing function should be a privilege that can be given, by the administrator of a group, to security groups. That way, the Admin can choose whether or not to allow other members to send group-wide PM's.

  • 03.17.2008 10:33 AM PDT

» Sincerely, Dan

Mass PM's is a good idea, but there would have to be some restrictions to limit abuse. As for the search feature, I agree that it needs to be revamped.

  • 03.17.2008 11:46 AM PDT
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Hello.

Okay, I like the Mass PM's idea myself. This would greatly help me PM members when I have something important to say.

That is pretty cool.

  • 03.17.2008 12:24 PM PDT

"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things."

"Waiting is good. It means you’re not going to die. The person you need to feel sorry for is the one who gets rushed into the ER and treated first."

NREMT-B

Tiocfaidh ár lá!

I agree, mass pms would be nice, but there would have to be a report spam option included for those (or some kind of anti abuse feature) just in case.

  • 03.17.2008 12:27 PM PDT
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Hello.

Hey, I can PM this guy! He is in my group!


Posted by: Spartan 104 S2AM
I agree, mass pms would be nice, but there would have to be a report spam option included for those (or some kind of anti abuse feature) just in case.


I wonder how to avoid the abuse. That would be hard, but no impossible.

A lot of good ideas can be abused, sadly...

  • 03.17.2008 12:31 PM PDT

Old school Bungie, born and raised,
In the Septagon is where I spend most of my days.
Relaxin', maxin', posting all cool,
Talking about Halo, life and some school.
Got in one little argument, and the mods got scared,
they said "You're gonna get banned and your member title'll be bare!"

Poppycock to the abuse idea. There's no more potential to abuse with mass PM's than with normal PM's. Don't like what you're receiving, blacklist the person (or group, in this case) and/or leave the Chapter. Problem solved.

The Bungie.net community isn't that bad. People said that the special ranks, report feature, and new moderators would be abusive...haven't heard any complaints about those, save one, ever.

  • 03.17.2008 12:38 PM PDT

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

Again people are haunted by the "it will be abused" side of things... why are b.net people so negative?

  • 03.18.2008 8:35 AM PDT

Come check out the The Christian Halo Union. Whether you’re looking for fellowship, intelligent discussion, positive gamers, or maybe you just want to have fun, you'll find it with us. With over 650 members and counting, we're the most active Christian group on Bungie.net.

I think it's a great idea—one I've been thinking about myself. l used to run a GameSpot Union. They have a system just like this for groups. Only mods and admins, however, are allowed to use it.

This would be extremely useful for me. I run a group here of almost 600 members, and I have no way to contact the entire union about tournaments without posting news—which no one really reads.

As far as abuse, I don't think you have anything to worry about. If you don't like receiving mass PM's, just do what Prometheus suggested: leave the group or block the member sending them.

[Edited on 03.18.2008 9:09 AM PDT]

  • 03.18.2008 9:05 AM PDT
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Talk to the Soul | ~B.B. | Know Your Duardo |  | Hero | ISFJ | 77135 | 94371

"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."

Even if it was abused (which I seriously doubt it would be), I think the pros outweigh the cons.

  • 03.18.2008 9:05 AM PDT

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Posted by: prometheus25
Poppycock to the abuse idea. There's no more potential to abuse with mass PM's than with normal PM's. Don't like what you're receiving, blacklist the person (or group, in this case) and/or leave the Chapter. Problem solved.

The Bungie.net community isn't that bad. People said that the special ranks, report feature, and new moderators would be abusive...haven't heard any complaints about those, save one, ever.


Too right. I am sick of people saying that new features would be "abused" if they were implemented. Sometimes the pro's outweigh the cons.

Oh and thats the fifth time today I pressed Report instead of Reply. Good thing there is a confirmation screen.

  • 03.18.2008 12:41 PM PDT

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

Abuse! Abuse!!!

  • 03.18.2008 2:11 PM PDT

I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.

This would be a good feature to go hand in hand with a friend's list. That way you can only spam those who accepted you as a friend. "Hey, you accepted him as a friend... you gotta live with the consequences."

  • 03.18.2008 2:16 PM PDT