MyBB Community Forums

Following the receipt of annoying buddy requests from newly registered members who haven't made any posts other than the automatic PM to my Inbox I've done a lot of research on the topic.

I then discovered that:

(a) There are other members who over the last few years have specifically asked for the function to be removed/option to disable in the ACP.

(b) The above suggestion has been "indefinitely postponed" and one is still unable to disable the buddylist system in Admin Panel

(c.) The only option for not receiving buddy requests in the User CP - isn't working that well.  That option is always unticked in my user panel, however that didn't prevent me from receiving buddy request PMs.  I then discovered that that option is probably to automate becoming a buddy, rather than blocking PMs for asking to be a buddy.  Perhaps you could confirm this?


Suggestion A
To completely remove the buddylist system from myBB.   In all of the years of using myBB I've never seen any one using that system until newly registered members recently decided to use this function for spam.

Suggestion B Alternative
If there is a good reason that you want to keep the buddylist system then Suggestion B would be to at least provide an option in the Admin Panel to disable the buddylist system completely - particularly since there are members who have asked for this.

Suggestion C Alternative
If Recommendation B is not possible, can you add an option in the User Panel to block receipt of buddy request PMs completely and that the receipt of buddy request PMs is blocked by default.

Suggestion C :Options available

un/check appropiate box

(2018-10-17, 09:23 AM)hellsing Wrote: [ -> ]Following the receipt of annoying buddy requests from newly registered members who haven't made any posts other than the automatic PM to my Inbox I've done a lot of research on the topic.

Suggestion B Alternative
If there is a good reason that you want to keep the buddylist system then Suggestion B would be to at least provide an option in the Admin Panel to disable the buddylist system completely - particularly since there are members who have asked for this.

I vote for Suggestion B.

What exactly is the purpose of that system anyway, other than limiting who can contact whom ?

(2018-10-17, 12:47 PM)linguist Wrote: [ -> ]What exactly is the purpose of that system anyway, other than limiting who can contact whom ?

I am sure that there is a purpose for forums that cater to younger people who may be home-schooled, lack social skills, mentally challenged, and so on.

For the rest of us, there may not be a need for a 'buddy system'. 

That's why I prefer Suggestion B. Allow the admin the option to turn it off or on.

The buddy system has absolutely no purpose to it. I rather have the buddy system to work with a quick chat. So once you accepted someone as buddy you two are capable of using a chat function other than mailing or private messages.

If buddy system is only used to 'limit contacts' than call it something else or do it differently.

The purpose is so that you can limit who can send you a PM or email. You can configure it so that only buddies can PM or email you, or so that everybody except those on your block list can PM or email you.

For most boards it is rather useless, but it's a feature that's been in both MyBB and other forum software for as long as I can remember.

Just because YOU don't use a MyBB feature on your forum, doesn't mean someone else don't use it.

if everytime someone "suggest" to "remove" a feature in MyBB, and that request was granted,
MyBB would  now be just a piece of paper and a piece of coal.

(2018-10-18, 03:11 AM)v_2 Wrote: [ -> ]Just because YOU don't use a MyBB feature on your forum, doesn't mean someone else don't use it.

if everytime someone "suggest" to "remove" a feature in MyBB, and that request was granted,
MyBB would  now be just a piece of paper and a piece of coal.

That's why he made the 3 suggestions. 

I will support Suggestion B. Let the Admin decide.

(2018-10-18, 03:11 AM)v_2 Wrote: [ -> ]Just because YOU don't use a MyBB feature on your forum, doesn't mean someone else don't use it.

if everytime someone "suggest" to "remove" a feature in MyBB, and that request was granted,
MyBB would  now be just a piece of paper and a piece of coal.

It is used but that doesn't take away that it is weird to have a buddy system, I'd rather have it renamed. 

Just because you allow certain members to contact you it doesn't mean they are your 'buddies'. 
Rather have it renamed and instead of asking to be buddies it should asked to be contacts. You're asking for permission to contact the person not to be a buddy in my eyes. 

Now it doesn't affect my forums as it is gaming related but I can imagine that it looks rather stupid for professional websites with forums.