hey Shawn, why don't you include user online /user offline status indicator in user-info bar panel like this : This can be done easily, by the use this addon: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/online-status-indicator-within-threads.8813/ Looking forward for this to be added to DP. DP friends, let us know whether you want this feature to be integrated or not.
I've been thinking about this a little bit... when it comes down to it, does it really *matter* if the user is online? Not sure it's worth the extra query overhead when viewing threads to get that info...
Several members who were using Old VB interface, they had became used-to this feature. and yes this helps us while using PM (now Conversation)
Yeah, but there's a difference between being used to it and it being useful. I'm not saying it's *not* useful necessarily, just that I've been debating in my head if it actually *is* or not. Like would you do anything different if you saw a post from a member who was online vs. not online?
This is useful in specifically in Personal conversation and and helps us to decide whether we can expect a quick reply or not.
Or whether it is worth sending someone a PM (starting/continuing a conversation) quickly to catch them while they are on the forum. I think there is a benefit to it.
Perhaps an option would be to enable this feature only in private messages, while also allowing members the ability to enable/disable their online status within their control panel if they want that privacy.
I do not think this will hamper anyone's privacy at all as currently in member panel we can see what the user is doing now (last visited thread/forum), and last activity time.
What if you are on the smartphone and always logged in here on DP. Someone will think that you are rude not to answer on her/his private message, but you actually sit nicely in your bed and sleeping.
Well you're logged in but once you cross ideal time, you automatically show logged out even you're looking similar like we use Facebook! So don't worry about it.