Genealogy Chat

When I look in my 'sent messages' envelopes appear next to the various messages. They are purple, white or white with an arrow.
When I put the mouse over the envelope icons a little box appears with some text in it - purple envelope is shown as 'unread message', white as 'read message' and arrow envelope as 'replied message'. The GR help states that there is no way of knowing whether a message that you have sent has been read - so I am very puzzled?????? I have contacted GU support team and couldn't make sense of their reply which was "when you see the words unread/read message then this is for you.It means that you have read some of your messages and not others"(but I am refering to messages I have SENT) Their reply continues "we have no way of telling you if a member has read a message that you have sent to them". Can anyone explain this to me, I just don't get it???????? Thanks

As far as I can see when a message has been opened by the person you sent it to then its white, and as you say if there has been a reply to you then there is an arrow as well. If unread or unopened then the envelope is still purple.

Betty

I think it has only been possible to see whether a message has been read since the last lot of alterations to the site....they probably forgot to update their information

Yes, that's right, a purple envelope has not been opened (i.e. read).

Thank-you for making sense of this. You would think that the technical support staff would know about this upgrade - I had actually contacted them twice!

can i ask why would someonewould not open their messages? i have sent some and had no reply when i know for certain this person is a close relation.

Lindsay

The most likely reason is that they have changed their e.mail address, and not updated it here on Genes, so do not get a notification through their own e.mail provider. It would also mean that they do not log onto the site to see that they have a message.

Chris

Following on from what Chris has said!!

I also think there are some ex members of GR who no longer pay their subscription and are no longer registered therefore I don't think they can actually view message on Genes Reunited nor do they receive e-mails saying there is a message for them.

Betty

thanks chris and betty boo.it makes sense what you have said and i did wonder if maybe the other person i was trying to contact was still a member or not.its sooooo frustrating when i really need to contact this person who is a main "key" to my researching.oh well, you win some you lose some!

Why don't people read their messages? BEFORE I subscribed to GR I got messages from people who'd found the tree I started but I couldn't reply or look at their trees. I expect some people don't check their emails, or are ill, or on holiday or have changed their address as mentioned.

Lindsay,

I can sympathise as I am in a similar situation and this is what prompted me to ask original question re icons.
I sent someone a private message and heard absolutely nothing, then a month later I suddenly got a reply. We then exchanged a series of messages on an almost daily basis for some three weeks or so - trying to establish whether or not we had a 'link' (to be honest I am pretty sure that we were very closely related but needed to be sure). Anyhow, it would seem that my last message sent prior to Christmas has been read but I have not had a reply, I sent another message a few days ago which is showing as not read. So everything has come to a halt and I am sitting here with fingers crossed and checking messages on a several times daily basis! At least from the helpful advice I was given by GR members I am able to identify what has been read and what has not.
I suppose there are endless possibilities why people don't read/reply to messages . . . but nevertheless it is frustrating!
Ros