Introduce a messaging system for communication between users

[loobster]

Stevo
Why don't you do like Blanko has apparently done and create a separate email account for genealogy - or even just for FTDNA contact.. Lots of possibilities there. Makes more sense to me, then subjecting me to yet another messaging system.

Some messaging systems require you to go to the site to even see what the message is. I totally hate that.
As for replies - I have at least as good luck getting responses from folks on FTDNA as at Ancestry.
Moreover -
I can start a reply, save it, continue it later in my email. I cannot do that in any of the messaging systems. Which is one reason I hate messaging systems.

[Jim Barrett]

Why I HATE Message Systems: I'll be the first to admit I don't have the best Internet provider in the world, but I have found trying to enter a message in the Message Systems of 23andMe or Ancestry seem to automatically bring on an Internet failure which results in the lost to the message I was trying to send. My email system saves my messages as I enter them. Internet failure or power failure and I find the message I was entering saved in the email draft folder.

I agree with loobster. Be sure to identify the name of the match in your subject line so there is no question about what the message is about. If you manage more than one kit you might want to include the names of both matches so you'll know what the message was about when they reply several years later.

[blanko]

Such an alternative communication channel can prove immensely helpful in cases where emails cannot be delivered to the listed email address/s of some users, especially when there's no other way to get in touch with them in written form, such as a Facebook profile. I have exactly such a case and it's been enormously frustrating.

If this desire has been raised already, I hope you'll realize from this repeated urging just how important it is to introduce.

I looked back at Zvi_R_Z93's original post. I can understand the frustration and might agree that IN ADDITION to KEEPING the ability to contact matches by email, that a messaging system could be useful. How frustrating it would be to have a very promising match only to find that the email address is no longer working. But if the email address is the one that is used for letting you know you have a message on the site, then you'd never know about the message since the site can't contact you. It's a catch-22 situation. Most of the time having the email address is great, and overall I think is the best way to communicate with matches. I do not want to lose that ability. But people do not always update their email address, and that is the situation when a message system might be helpful.

On the negative side
I don't like the messaging systems at the other sites because some are awkward and limit the text you can enter. Another problem is that sometimes people don't realize they have messages at sites where the message alert is not obvious. Plus you can't exchange images/photos as you can with email. 23andMe, LivingDNA, and MyHeritage will send an email to let you know you have a message, but you need to make sure you allow notifications in your settings. Not all matches know how or think to allow notifications. Ancestry doesn't seem to provide notifications that you have a new message. You have to be logged in and notice that the message icon has changed. That is not useful for many matches who don't check their accounts often. They will not see your message.

At the other sites, if you put your email address into your profile information so matches can see it, that is a way that they can contact you outside of the messaging system. But I believe it can possibly also lead to spam in some cases. You are darned if you do it, and darned if you don't!

[Stevo]

The folks who don’t like messaging systems wouldn’t have to use one as long as the direct email option is left open. I think we should have both options.

When I get a message at Ancestry, if it turns out to be anything potentially worthwhile, I end up giving the match my email address, and we expand the exchange that way.