Ok, Ok, this has been an ongoing problem with me for, close to, the entire time I've been with TW. And I appreciate I'm in a minority of one.

I did ask for help on this a while back, a couple of you gave good suggestions, I followed your advice and, TBH, things were fine. For about 24 hours.

The problem remains that I can receive PMs fine. [Or, at least, I'm not aware of not getting any...]. But I can only successfully send an average of 1 every six months. [Nikki / Penny, you were lucky. Or unfortunate, of course, depending on your pov lol].

I don't have this problem with any other forum. I can PM to my hearts content. Which, to be fair, is not that often.

I have the usual run of the mill three or four year old PC running Windows 5.1 , Mozilla 3.0.14. Anti-virus is the free version of AVG. Broadband is by PlusNet and the chair I sit in came from Tesco Direct.

As an added precaution, there is an old oak tree in the field behind my home. I dance naked around it on every other full moon. Although it should be pointed out my dancing isn't exactly the best available. But the cows that inhabit the field don't seem to mind. In fact I think they appreciate my efforts.

It is a bit frustrating when I do receive the odd PM and I can't respond as the sender hasn't - unsurprisingly - not enclosed an email address. [And, for the record, the PMs aren't that odd at all].

So, dear gurus, what is the problem? My PC? Software playing up? Katie secretly hating me and sticking pins in an effigy of my PC? It would be nice to resolve this long standing hiccup...

Rae xxx

Since nobody has responded to Rae's post after 5 days, let me add I too have had very mixed luck with PM.

Since I joined TW I've sent 5 PMs but only 3 of them seem to have been actually sent.

2 were to Wendy and there doesn't seem to have been any problem (she got back to me and they showed up as "sent".)

2 were to Nikki responding to PMs she sent to me which didn't really require an answer so I didn't think much of it.

1 was to Anna-Marie with a question about my Scots heritage (her area of expertise certainly, that didn't show up as "sent".)

The last 3 didn't show up as "sent."

I sent a test message to myself and I received it and it showed up as "sent.".

I can't see any difference between those that went out and those that went into the pink void...

Best,
Melody

Hi Melody, I was beginning to get a little lonely here in the vaulted halls of Technical Support.

It is a bit of an issue at the moment for me. Not being able to send a reply makes it look like I'm rather rude and ignorant. But to keep trying to add into posts that I can't reply to PM's just makes me sound inept. [I don't mind people thinking the latter but the former heaven forbid!].

Rather relieved to see you have a similar affliction. And you're quite right, sent messages disappear into the ether but fail to materialise in the sent folder.

Well hunni I hope you've brought your thermos, sleeping bag and something to read. Settle yourself down, it could be a long wait - at least the number of people with this problem has increased by 100%...

;)

Rae xx

Hi Rae,

We're well stocked with Chardonnay, dog biscuits for Choca, and chips for a extended wait for action from tech support...
Hopefully someone out there is listening.

Best,
Melody

PS. The name of this thread reminds me of big program at a major communications corporation I worked at that they called "Payroll Made Simple." It was well after thousands of lectures and instructional binders were distributed that somebody realized the acronym was "PMS".

I do not think you are being ignored, Rae, I just think the rest of us haven't a clue.

I do have one possible solution. Are you dancing around the tree clockwise or widershins?

Seriously, have you tried using the HELP drop-down menus above, right? Katie may need to field this and if a lot of posts come in fast your post could have dropped off the radar and not been seen by many.

Melody - for the record, I don't recall receiving any PM's from you at all. As a general rule, I would usually reply unless you had simply sent a 'thanks for the info' kind of message.

Nikki

Hi Nikki,

The first one was thanking you for the 'welcome to TW' message you sent when I joined. The second was thanking you for answering my question about your bike and mentioning I worked on lots of 750/4 and 550/4 Hondas when I had a bike shop back in the 1970's.

I didn't realize you probably didn't them til I successfully PMed Wendy and unsuccessfully tried to PM Anna-Marie.

Best,
Melody

Hi Wendy (and Nikki of course!) welcome to the Quiet Room [kindly turn all mobiles to silent, thankyou].

I didn't think for a minute I was being ignored, just being very tongue in cheek. BTW loved the use of 'widdershins' - for some bizarre reason a word I've never come across before (perhaps it's more in use over there?) but have greedily added it to my lexicon!

I am glad to find I'm not the only one with PM PMS so I'll probably mention it to Katie for a think.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pinch another glass of Melodys rather agreeable Chardonnay... *hic

Rae xx

Hi Rae,

While I'm still having "sent" PMs not going out and not showing up in my Sent Folder, I've stumbled onto what seems to be a work-around. At least it has worked for me so far.

After sending a PM immediately check the Sent Folder to see if it is there. If it is great, if not use your browser's Back button a couple of times til you get back to where you composed the PM. Send it again. Repeat the above.

One PM to a particular member was sent fine. A second was a problem but the above worked on the second try. A third also worked on the second try.

Hope this helps,
Melody

Oh. Interesting theory Melody - I shall have a practise with it and see what happens (or not see as the case may be)

Thanks for the tip - and the chardonnay of course.

Rae xx

Rae...

I've kicked this thread around for a couple of weeks now...tried every little hacker trick I know, yelled at our maker (THAT was not a smart thing to do...already messed up enough as it is),
dabbled in codes, went to a Mac, switched lipstick color, put on a blonde wig....

And then it hit me....VOILA!!!!!

It's your chair!

Removing the blonde wig with care because I can't handle all this brilliance,

Traci xxx

Traci, of course!

Buying a computer chair from a supermarket chain is a typically cheapskate male thing to do. So trying to interact with TW, as an emerging female, will cause conflicting signals to be sent out. As any school child could tell you, the resultant clash of energies will immediately vapourise any PM at the touch of the send button.

Why didn't I realise that earlier? I feel so stupid!

Rae xx

[off to fetch one of my hormone patches to stick on my chair. Could be a bit of a job explaining to my doctor why I suddenly need twice as many patches. But, hey, if i get a happier chair...]

Hi Traci,

You may well be onto something there. I think perhaps you have to spin the chair counterclockwise three times (somewhat difficult if your chair doesn't swivel or doesn't have wheels.) And, of course, you must end up facing the Prime Meridian.

Best,
Melody

ps, Maybe telling our maker that Traci is sorry would help...

Yes, Melody, we're onto something here...

You're right. Anti-clockwise. Wendy had already given us this clue with the use of 'widdershins'. The symbology is there. It's all falling into place.

[Why do I feel like I've suddenly got sucked into a Dan Brown novel?]

I'll try PMing you in a mo - if I'm not feeling too dizzy or my shins aren't too widdered.

Rae xx

Apologized to "Her"...awaiting my next dysfunctional penance...replaced blondness with more traditional darker look...can feel the difference immediately...

Thought of another potential PM solution....feed your darn carrier pigeons...difficult for them to deliver messages when they are undernourished...mine enjoy a chalice or two of chardonnay along with exotic, spicy cheeses and chilled steamed shrimp. Or if they get real fussy, anything fried in good ol' "suthen USA" spiced batter!

Hmmm hmmm Hmmmm....(smile)

Traci xxx

Hi Traci,

I couldn't try the pigeon trick. My Choca's "sporting bird dog" and there ain't no flying rats leaving here alive...

Best,
Melody

Right, all.

Happy to report that the Melody Method seems to be working fine. (Sent the poor lass 568 PM's just to be sure...)

That said I'll be taking no chances. I shall continue to give my chair hormones - she feels happier - , spin it anti-clockwise as necessary AND, bearing in mind Traci's theory, confidently feed millet into the back of my PC to keep them carrier pigeons nourished. (Now I see what those little holes are for!)

Gosh, it's so simple when you know how!


Many thanks

Rae x

ROFLMAO!!!!

Ahhh...life is good! (smile)

Traci

Please accept my apologies, I didn't see this thread till just now. It's been a busy month!

I will ask Eric, our programmer to investigate.

Hugs,

Katie x