You can opt to have "e-mail" or "pop up" notification to alert you of incoming messages. If neither are activated, then the user might not even be aware they have any messages.
Some people also have their PM option set off. I am not sure if the PM system tells you when somebody has turned off their PM option. They may not even be receiving them. A few of my friends have done this... some people just like their privacy and prefer not to exchange PMs.
Yep... some people do turn off their PMs because they prefer to keep things to e-mail, or on the boards. It is like IM... some people tell their IM screen name to everyone, others keep it to a few friends. If you are trying to reach someone by PM and they don't respond, and they don't answer e-mail, you might post a heads-up on their board and see if they respond to that.
I have to admit, I used to IM all the time, and now I NEVER do. It got really annoying to be interrupted.
It was no big deal...the PMs I was trying to send; just an update on things that they'll definitely find out other ways, and probably already know. I just couldn't understand why they weren't getting them.
By the time I figure all this stuff out, the DIS will probably have all new features.
This way they can keep up with how many people are figuring out the current features and when a certain number get the hang of it, they can change it and sit back and watch the confusion!!
Since I never have, and never will, used the ignore function on these boards, I do not know if that has any effect on PMs. That would be an interesting thing to know... tech folks?