Private messages "pm's"

[snoopy]

Alex, have you considered a career in politics?

 

[Deb in IA]

Originally posted by WebmasterAlex

Like ANY computer information including your medical records somebody can always read it.

There is absolutely no capability for a moderator or webmaster to read PM's.

Now, I will be the first to admit that I don't understand ANYTHING about computer language, but aren't these two statements contradictory?

Someone can always read it . . .

No way to read PM's . . .

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Nope Deb.. as I specified somebody with database access could read them. Moderators and Webmasters don't have that capability

 

[Dan Murphy]

I recall, on a thread like this some time ago, that it was stated that a WM could, albeit with difficulty and time consumption, read PM's of a poster, if a reason presented itself to do so. It was stated that it was not, as stated above, just a 'push-button' task, but rather somewhat time consuming, though possible. I do think it was stated back before the VBulletin software, on the old Infopop.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I don't recall any versions of our software that gave Webmasters the capability Dan. I think we have always said that only people with database access and with difficulty.
Webmasters don't neccesarily have server access

 

[Rajah]

I agree, I think past discussions on this have always gone back to the database access.

 

[Mskanga]

Oh man...now Alex knows what I think of him....

 

[Tiggeroo]

Who has database access? Wouldn't webmasters?

 

[buddy&wooz]

Originally posted by Tiggeroo
Who has database access? Wouldn't webmasters?

Not necessarily, I guess. It depends on what "webmaster" means on this board. In general the term "webmasters" means the people who do all the technical stuff, so that would mean they need database access. But apparently it means something else here, and that might be adding to the confusion.

I'm no expert but I do know a bit about this stuff. I believe it would be a huge pain in the rear to read PMs on a database this huge, and if Alex says they don't read them, I'll take him at his word. of course! But I also know that nothing is really "private" on the internet and I never write anything in a PM that I would be embarrassed to have read by someone it wasn't intended for. It's not easy to read PMs in a database, but then it's not all that hard either if you know what you're doing.

 

[Winka]

After the first page of this thread I just as soon skip to the last page-thanks Buddy&wooz for the info ....I've always wondered about PM security (not necessarily on this board but on other BBs in general).

So a site this large would be more cumbersome to fish out particular PMs than a smaller site I take it? But it probably IS doable for webmasters?

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Buddy&Wooz pretty well have it. A webmaster on this site has access to the area that allows them to configure users, forums etc etc but not direct database access. The only people that have direct access to the server would be Pete... since he owns them it doesn't seem polite to not give him the passwords, me.. because I fix them and various techs from our hosting company who you wouldn't know.
Our database is well over 3gig in size now so yes it would be a project. Certainly possible but not easy.
Anyway I know I am not reading them, I am sure Pete isn't and nobody else would know who you were.
We are kind of getting into a circular argument here and I would like to point out one other thing. If anyone doesn't want to believe that their PM's aren't being read all you have to do is send someone a PM saying "I need to talk to you can you please email me at XXXXX"
Problem solved.

 

[oldkicker]

Alex - I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 50......

 

[WebmasterAlex]

ROTFL... it's easy Bernie it was the square root of the USA-Ireland match in 93....

 

[oldkicker]

Dang...you're good.

 

[SugarBear]

Super Administrators can read PMs. There's even a hack that enables them to do it easier.

Read your members private messages.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

First off that is for a different version of vbulletin. It wouldn't work on this board. You can see that by scrolling to the bottom of this page where it gives the version number.
There are no super administrators in this version of vbulletin.
There probably is a "hack" for this version too but the only people that can install hacks are the same people that have database access anyway.
If you are going to come here and try to upset people it would be nice if you had a single fact to back it up.
As I said earlier if you don't believe me please feel free to exchange email addresses and handle it that way. That guarentees that you won't have this issue and the problem is solved.

 

[Poohlovr]

Me,me,me!!I'll be a SuperAdministrator!
That sounds pretty impressive and I figure after six years on the DIS I'm ready for an impressive title.


(Pssstttt..what is a SuperAdmin???)

 

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by Poohlovr
Me,me,me!!I'll be a SuperAdministrator!
That sounds pretty impressive and I figure after six years on the DIS I'm ready for an impressive title.

Me too! Me too!

I've been here for what seems like forever, even for the second time and I still don't have a cool title. Maybe we need to bribe someone?

 

[Poohlovr]

Originally posted by Planogirl
Me too! Me too!

I've been here for what seems like forever, even for the second time and I still don't have a cool title. Maybe we need to bribe someone?

Sounds like a plan. Who do we bribe? And with what?? I've got some old room keys from the Swan/Dolphin.....

 

[Pam]

Alex - I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 50......

All I wonder is........ did any of you inhale????