"Send me an email when someone messages me"

Dear all,

as far as I got it, the “never” option behind this line in client.en.yml deactivates all email notifications, also new posts and replies from subscribed categories.

The other one, “Send me an email when someone quotes me, replies to my post, mentions my @username, or invites me to a topic”, can deactivate also everything that is explicitly directed to me.

Is that correct?

If yes, the first one I think could have a more explicit text. “someone messages me” implies that the message was explicitly directed to me, like the ones from the second option, where in fact it means “do not send anything except personal messages”. Is there any chance to changing this text or using a new one (which is probably easier for the translation process)?

Kind regards from white Black Forest
Flo

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I see how it could be confusing, although there is a distinction:

“Send me an email when someone quotes me, replies to my post, mentions my @username, or invites me to a topic

It says topic, while in:

“Send me an email when someone messages me”

It says message. In Discourse, message implies private message, while a topic is shared with a wider audience.

I’m not sure if this is something we could change in Discourse at the moment, as it would require updating all the translations, and I don’t think many users have had an issue. But something you could do in your community is changing that text in the customize section of your admin page. You’ll have to consider how translations will be affected, though.

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Thanks for your reply.

But as far as I got it, that also applies to watched and followed categories, even if nobody explicitly addresses me, right?

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Yes, as far as I am aware it applies to watched things (categories, tags and topics) as well as the things listed in the official sentence. Here is a potential wording:

Send me an email when someone quotes me, replies to my post, mentions my @username, or invites me to a topic, and also regarding categories, tags and topics I’m watching.

Could it not be as simple as:

  • Email me when I receive notifications
  • Email me only when someone messages me

Is that true already? If not, what would need to happen to make it true?

To make it true Discourse would at least have to start sending emails about “like” notifications, which I don’t think would be popular.

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I knew there’d be at least one I was missing. :slightly_smiling_face: Are there any others?

Edit: I’ve realised I can just look up the notification_type in the notification table through the Data-Explorer. :+1: There seems to be 30 of them.

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On the notifications page they’re separated into:

  • All
  • Responses
  • Likes
  • Mentions
  • Edits

I’m not 100% sure but I think “Edits” applies to admin edits of your own normal posts, and any edits of wiki posts, and neither notification get emailed. I think quotations count as “Responses”.

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I think that’s right. :+1: I’ve just done a little test, and a wiki edit gave me a notification but no email.

I might see if I can put a tick-grid together to help me visualise it better.

You will qualify for a PhD when you work out what leads to forum notifications and/or counts from which notification choices (watching first post, tracking, watching, normal) for which events (responses, likes, mentions, edits etc) based on which notification preferences, and which email preferences lead to email notifications of which forum notifications. Professorship when you can explain it!

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See previous discussion:

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I’m confused. Why? Why email you?