PM Outbox/Sent Suggestion

ace604 · Post by **ace604** » Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:15 pm

Brf wrote:
ace604 wrote: if we could brainstorm
This particular forum is for "discussion" of phpBB. If you actually want to participate in any sort of future planning then Area51 is the place to be posting.

Sorry, I just joined yesterday and just to reply to this post.

I only wanted to try to provide feedback to improve the product.

Someone pointed out the ticket interface. I filled one out:
https://tracker.phpbb.com/browse/PHPBB3-14741

Do I still need to post something somewhere on "area 51" ? Can you point me to where exactly?

Post by **Brf** » Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:23 pm

Here:

ace604 · Post by **ace604** » Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:41 pm

Brf wrote:Here:

LOL. That's not quite what I meant by "exactly".

I don't know if this is a "general" discussion or "3.x" discussion or ticket discussion or ... ?

That's what I meant. I posted a ticket already. I don't know the process here. Sorry for the n00b questions.

ace604 · Post by **ace604** » Tue Aug 09, 2016 11:45 pm

sorry for another n00b question ... I can't login to area51 with the same login??

I was able to make the ticket with the same login, is area51 "restricted" (like the real area 51?

)

JimA · Post by **JimA** » Wed Aug 10, 2016 6:45 am

ace604 wrote:sorry for another n00b question ... I can't login to area51 with the same login??

I was able to make the ticket with the same login, is area51 "restricted" (like the real area 51? )

The Bug Tracker is linked with this site, but Area51 is a separate one, you'll need to create a new account there to be able to login and post.

AmigoJack · Post by **AmigoJack** » Wed Aug 10, 2016 7:07 am

Following your ticket. But I have little hope either your ticket or a request at Area51 will change anything in the near future (1 to 2 years), if at all. Capsulating the search so many more places in the board (MCP, PMs, subscriptions, bookmarks) could use it or implementing an ACP search or implementing checkboxes for each post to multi quote/moderate them have been passed by unnoticed so far, although I was always able to fully code it.

dkone · Post by **dkone** » Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:54 pm

Hello,

I also receive regularly Email from user because their PM remains in Outbox. I know that i can make the change myself, but it could be useful to add a line in FAQ to explain Outbox's operation.

Post by **stevemaury** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 12:51 am

This is a generational issue. Inboxes and Outboxes were a two level basket that sat on your desk. When the messenger put something in the Inbox, you had it. When you put something in the Outbox, it still sat on your desk until the messenger put it in the addressee's Inbox.

CaptainStarbuck · Post by **CaptainStarbuck** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 4:20 pm

I haven't been here in a few years. No need. But today I had one of those HUH?

moments with this Outbox/Sent thing. So a single Google query led me to this 9+ year old thread.

After almost a decade of ongoing random confusion in the field, I'd think it's time to put this to rest. I completely understand the historical Inbox/Outbox metaphor, but that's only because I'm a child of the 60's and old enough to remember such things. What we're seeing is a common scenario where engineers see things one way while the rest of the real world sees them another. Being one of those engineer types I recognize this, and recognize that there are times when whatever I had in mind in development is unimportant when it becomes an ongoing UX issue in the field.

C'mon folks, shake this up a bit. Why hasn't this been changed so that items are moved to Sent, with an Unread flag and option to edit items with the flag? That's completely intuitive and in-line with other messaging applications. The term "Outbox" is purely a query/render issue. It should at least be a user option to decide if Unread PMs should be available in the Sent or Outbox folder.

Thanks for your time.

Post by **Brf** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:18 pm

Brf wrote: ↑Tue Aug 09, 2016 12:19 pm
Brf wrote:You are welcome to change the names of the folders of they confuse you. Simply change the Outbox to Unread, and the Sent box to Read.

Post by **Mick** » Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:50 am

You could try posting in phpBB Ideas, it may or may not get implemented though.

helpneeded22 · Post by **helpneeded22** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 5:36 am

Add me to the list of people confused by this. Fortunately a Google search found this thread, so I know that the message has been sent.

If any Dev is listening, please amend the names of these to stop the mass confusion

Outbox should be: Unread Messages
Sent Messages should be: Read Messages

Post by **Mick** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 8:08 am

You can make an RFC at Area51 if you wish although I believe it’s been discussed half to death and I don’t think it will change and, personally, I hope it doesn’t, it’s been in discussion since 2007 and probably earlier. As described above, there are reasons for the way it is, if a message sits in the ‘outbox’ the author can still edit or delete that message until such time as the recipient opens it. It’s a parachute if you like. If the message went straight to ‘sent’ there would be no opportunity to edit or delete it.

Lumpy Burgertushie · Post by **Lumpy Burgertushie** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:47 pm

also consider the number of phpbb users overall. millions and millions I assume.

now, consider the number of people who have come here and posted about being confused by it...maybe less than 50? over all these years.

somehow I don't think this is a really big problem for most people.

as mentioned above, if you really don't like it just go change the text for it in the language file here:
language/en/ucp.php
around line 421

Code: Select all

	
		'PM_INBOX'					=> 'Inbox',
	
	'PM_OUTBOX'					=> 'Outbox',
	'PM_SENTBOX'				=> 'Sent messages',

robert