WS no longer displays email addresses. What do you think about this?

As others have commented, I see some security benefits, but also see some problems with those who don't have full electronic connection on the road. this makes have a list of potential hosts in a hard copy format useful. Also, rural libraries are often only open during the day and some hosts may be at work and can not access the e-dress that they use for WSL which would be problematical in a short notice situation.

I do like that the message comes directly to the e-dress so that the first contact is from a known source (WSL) rather than an unknown that might be deleted as a spam or malicious e-mail.

Recently I got a note through WSL from a prior guest who I would gladly host again (Paul Evans). When I clicked on the link I got a message that he was unavailable (this makes sense as he is currently on the road). This could be a problem in that someone depending upon WSL to reach a host might be able to contact the host, but would not be able to get a reply (or would require undue research by the host). {By the way, I tend to use portable e-dresses for things like WSL, but someone on the road who uses a provider based e-mail for their WSL contact might have a problem.}

Obviously, if they included the "on the road/personal" e-mail then that would be used; however, if they were "unavailable" due to being on the road and assumed that the contact would work both ways this might be a problem.

Additionally, there might be times when it would be understood that someone might not be available to host, but it would be necessary to send a message to that person (a question about local information, an emergency, potential mail-drop,) one host to another. "Unavailable" might mean not there, but could also be that the host was undergoing a remodel, invasion of in-laws etc. and yet would still be a resource.

What do you think, Roger.

Hello Roger,

Nice improvement on the site, congratulations!

I have received a message from a user on the site. The message is display with a link. When I click the link, I access the member profile, and then I can send him a totally new message. Will he remember what he wrote, or have asked me if he doesn't sees the message he wrote? The only way would be to go back to is own email and look for ac copy of the original message he has send me, only if he has used this option when writing it. But this is not very user friendly and a good web practice. I think it would be better to at least answer to this trend. This means that you have kept a copy of it on you server.

Another way would be to create a message box feature on the site to keep all messages and only send a notification via email when a new message arrives and provide a link to go to the message box. The URL should have a random code to prevent other users to guess URL's and fall on messages on other box. The message box would allow to answer to the other member on the same tread. The user should be have to manage his messages inside his message box such has delete unwanted message.

Do you want to see a prototype someday?

Good luck!

Bruno

Why would you do that? email is my favorite way to communicate, it is unobtrusive, convienient and free. It is my favorite way to be contacted and contact especially when I am planning a route

Using a phone-accessed email server requires that I bring a list of all possible Warm Showers hosts on my tours. That way I can contact them from the road as the need for help arises using my cell phone without having to find internet service along the way.

To the 12 members who voted

"I don't know how to contact members now",

I would like you to send me a message at wsl@rogergravel.com

I'll show you how to contact other members from now on.

Thank you

®oger

I don't see it as a problem as long as there is still an email address that I can send to from outside WS that will forward to the host. I might not have web access when on the road, but can always send an email or text message from my PDA or cellphone. Of course, most users might not be as well-connected as we are (laptop with cellular access, PDA etc, so it is good that there is still the old-fashioned telephone list still on the site especially since that is how most of my guests make contact; my typical guest calls about 3 days in advance from near Pensacola, which to me is about perfect. Any further and I would feel that their ETA is not firm and might it therefore impact more of my time until it firms up some.

I know that Couchsurfing has a lot of security built-in, but I think that they are a totally different site; most of their people are in cars and are making discrete trips with a known itinerary. It is easy to sit down at home in front of a computer and plan out your trip, including the people that you plan to stay with. Most cycletourists are on much longer trips and are a little more flexible; they may not know what their schedule looks like for next month or next week...or perhaps even next day for some. They also need to be on the road riding, not surfing the WS website trying to find a place to stay. As hosts, we need to recognize these differences and work within them, after all we are here for the benefit of the touring cyclists, not vice versa.

One thought that I had was to make a full list inc emails (or even forwarding emails, but real email addresses nonetheless that didn't require a web-ready connection to access) available on request to those with a valid need-to-know...so that if I email you and say "hey, we're going on tour and I want to make sure I can find folks as easily as possible without having to go online and surf the web since all I have is a crappy cellphone connection", then you could email me the requested info.

I'm new here - so I don't know how it is as a user yet. However, as a web developer, I dislike putting my email address anywhere on the net. SPAM ahoy. Using the the website to contact member should be fine. I can see, that it might be difficult at time - but also think of the peoples mail boxes.

Hello Everybody.

I just want to say that I agree with Mr. Gene Floyd. Having to contact members in advance is a hassle even when people want it. While on the road it is very easy to change plans. Some people want to be contacted with 2 weeks advance, this does sound like adventure. I am glad to have had the opportunity to have the paper lists and just knock the doors or give a call 1 hour before arriving. I know, definitely this is something that some of the listers hate.

regards

Carlos Ferrandis

I realized I may not have pointed out the headache for me of not having direct email very well.

Sending it through the warmshowers website requires full web access, since I'm prefer to use my phone/PDa rather than look for an internet cafe it makes a significant difference. It's functionality is dependent on the local phone service and how well the website is designed for PDA use and is both fairly expensive and just isn't that dependable from my phone when traveling.

Sending it via email just requires email server access, which is fairly cheap and bullet proof on my phone when traveling.

That's why to me an alias would be another way to give people the privacy of their email address while allowing the use of portable devices such as phones and PDA's in a more dependable mode.

I tried the new system before voting. It worked fine. Therefore, I voted 'causing me no problems'.

I'm fine with no longer displaying in a list form if it's still displayed on the map. That would at least slow harvesters down by removing it from the list function, especially if you have a program that periodically changes the substitution work or symbol used for the @ symbol.

Here's my rationale for why I still want the email address displayed somewhere and ways it could work. Of course, while this works for me, what works for others may be different:

- I'd much rather be contacted by email than by phone myself, you don't have to worry about time zones and who may be sleeping. I may be different in this regard simply because I travel so much and my contact number forwards to my cell phone, so if someone is trying to be polite and call me during the day in Seattle and I happen to be in New York, Lithuania or Germany, they may call me in the middle of the night (which is why I often turn off the ringer ;-)

- I do my look up using the map function while I'm at home, but I send the email requests as I get a chance after I've looked at my route more closely. I send the email using my Nokia which means my connection is really way too slow to use the web features of the phone.

- When I'm on my trip I do most of my contacts via email as my non English language skills are marginal at best, and email allows both parties time to translate. Since I send those emailas via my Nokia 9300, the connection is painfully slow and if I'm in another country it's also expensive, via the web.

- I'd be happier with warmshowers alias's being a member choice in our profiles, this way members that want their email address private can chose to do so - i.e. we select a checkbox, "show your email" or "send email through warm showers as an alias" and then if it's as an alias the member would enter their alias name. This way those of us with painfully slow connections could still send an email, such as to: "HostSeattleSaul@warmshowers.org" or something like that. We use this approach with two of the non profit boards I'm on and it works pretty well. Personally I'm entirely fine with having my email address shown to the world, it's already listed on so many sites as a contact for various organizations that I'm involved with that I just have to deal with the Spam anyway.

- You may even want to consider the alias route as a revenue generator. One of our local bike clubs sold email addresses with a slight change in the org name to members so that they could use those to autoforward to their regular mail and to reply back through. That way someone could have an email address like: SeattleSaul@warmshowers.org or to help deliniate that they aren't an employee of warmshowers, you make a slight alternate such as SeattleSaul@cyclinghost.warmshowers.org

- In the end I can make any of these methods work and appreciate the work you put into this and also understand how solving one problem for one user creates a different problem for others, hopefully my input is useful to you.

Thanks again - Saul
saul@isomedia.com

Am I missing something? It appears to me that email addresses are still shown in other fields or when one uses the map of an area. The "pins" still take one to the nearest Warmshowers Member and the email is still visible. All one needs to do is copy the shown email into the address box of any email service and contact the party.

I do agree that it may be good to eliminate showing email addresses and use a link via Warmshowers.

I just voted in the poll....none of the available responses was my reflective of my opinion, so please count me as "none of the above"...maybe it would be useful to explain *why* it's considered useful to delete the email adresses ( I guess you are trying to avoid s@ammers ??) ... but surely there are ways to defeat them ..

Anyway, i "need" the email adresses because I "need" to carry a *printed* list that I can use when I am on tour ( and maybe not near a computer...!)Here in Australia, sometimes it's not possible to get a fast www connection, so a *printed* list ( including telephone numbers !) is the only way to contact the hosts ...

You should have a fifth choice: I prefer it this new way, please don't go back. Email should be private.