More visibility about inbox maxout and PM suspensions.

It also helps if these people would only participate more in the forums because their mailbox's capacity gets bigger the more they participate. For example, my inbox has 7 pages of message chains and it's only 50% full. I clear it out every six months or so, but probably could get away with only once a year.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

There is an indicator which shows how full or empty your inbox is, it is marked as %.
As William already stated how more you participate how larger your inbox will be.
And don't forget to clear up your inbox once and a while, special when your capacity is not big.

Thank you for both replies, I appreciate it....

... But I am afraid that my main point was missed.  I understand the terms now...but the issue is a lot of people do not realize these terms coming in the door or while they are using the site...as I did not either.  I was suggesting a "fix" or modification to the process to make it more user friendly...For example.  Once you sign up for the site, there should be a notice of this information sent along with the confirmation email we receive.  So a person knows the standards of there inbox communications...for instance, if someone does not post an introduction message to the board when they first sign up...there private messages remain disabled until they do so.  This is something people should be made aware of when they receive there confirmation emails that there Expat.com account is active.  OR....when someones account is disabled or there inbox full and disabled, just a note sent to there contact email informing them so they can realize and participate.  OR just have a clear unavoidable notice when they go to inbox so they know.  --- I have friends whom I cannot reply their PM's to me, because there accounts are full or disabled.  I am positive they do not even realize it.  ---> Please advise <---

Actually the point of your message wasn't missed, it just wasn't commented on. Participation is part of our Automated Anti-Spam System, explaining it in the e-mail mailout would sort of defeat the whole purpose of having this protection. Spammers don't participate, they just try to fill up everybody's mailboxes, spam-bots can't read they're just computers that send out endless garbage. Real people who join and participate get activated automatically because they participate. Those who don't get an error message when they can't send out a private message. That message tells them exactly what they have to do to activate their private messages. We also have a topic with sticky "Anti-spam system & new rules" in the News and announcements forum:  https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23238

The information is out there for anybody who wants to find it, the answer to the activation problem gets stated in the error message. Problem is that many members just don't want to participate very much and they don't get activated for just that very reason.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

I do agree with you. But still this constraints helping in avoiding scammers to enjoy the site

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

Okay.  I understand.  Thanks for feedback.  I am still in the dark about how to proactively address the 'inbox full issue' my contact friend has.  They just don't realize there inbox is full to capacity and can't receive a reply from me to the questions they have asked me.  No big deal though, ill just wait...in time...eventually, they will realize and rectify the issue from their end. 

Again, thanks for taking the time, Mr. Woodward. 

Cheers

I'm not trying to be mean, but what does "constraints helping in avoiding " mean?

that doesn't sound mean...sounds like an honest question.  In my opinion (not sure if its welcome, but here goes) ...I understood him to mean...the policy of making people participate in forums before fully activating their account (PM's) is a constraint to the user, but it aides in avoiding the scammers/spambots from enjoying harassing people.

The topic in this thread has been discussed already.

See 'PM activation & member selection'
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=333788

That makes sense.

I have to preface some comments or questions because there are a lot of very angry people here and the most innocuous statements can lead to bizarre arguments and endless grudges.

That makes sense as well.  The idea to preface some comments - not the lot of angry people.

A sad but necessary evil.

Sad indeed...

The topic in this thread has been discussed already.

See 'PM activation & member selection'
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=333788

Thanks.  But my main suggestion/idea, was that people should be made aware of these terms on there confirmation email.  Saying something just basic...something like "welcome to the site - please take a moment to be familiar with PM activation, and anti spam safe guards" - for example.  Even the issue about inbox space growing the more you post.  That is good info for a new user to know "coming in the door" to a new site.