This has come up (several) times before in PMD. There have been several good solutions to the /msh & \msg problem suggested. There are however, a certain percentage of those here than consider any embarrasement or worse caused by someone mistyping in this way, thoroughly ammusing and don't want this random opportunity to make sport at someone elses expense, disabled or disable-able.

The worst part of course is that the minority for whom this source of fun, at another's expense, makes life worth living, happen to hold the reins of power. So, as with so many other suggestions that have garnered popular support from the general population, it will probably never be implemented because, as we have been reminded many times. This isn't a democracy.

It's a meritocracy, with the definition of 'merit' being soley withing the decision of those already incumbent.

(The one I use does in fact require a prefix to chat in the CB, or send a /msg, it hasnt actually saved me from typing one thing while thinking another, and still accidently sending to the CB..)

C.

I'm going to step out here for the sake of argument and say, "Why?!?!?" You want a setting that requires you to specifically /msg (via some syntax) the cb, or someone, or what you type goes where? /dev/null? And you want the setting to be off by default, only selectable if you want it? By the time most people will want it, it is because they've made that error and it is already too late. I also suspect it would be cumbersome enough that very few would leave the setting on for long once they did turn it on. Also, would it affect just the CB interface on the webpage, or all clients you may use? In the latter case, depending on the syntax chosen for it, would that require modifications to all the various other CB clients? How much additional load would be generated by having to look at an incoming posting to the CB, look up the user's setting, then determine if it should be posted or not?

I have to say I am not as crazy about the idea as the much simpler one of thinking before you hit submit. ailie reminded me of an old saying a few nights ago in the CB: "Choose your words carefully/make them short and sweet/for you never know from day to day/which ones you may have to eat." Besides those factors above, you can only make any reasonably-complex system proof against foolish errors only to a point, or make it unusable, and Nature is always coming up with better combinations of foolishness. (And please do not take that to mean that I think anyone herein a fool, only that we all may make foolish errors or typos from time to time.) To be quite honest, I actually can't recall any time such an accident has occurred where there were aftereffects that were anything other than perhaps a slight embarassment or a short period of jesting as a result (although I could very well be wrong in this point).

or what you type goes where? /dev/null?

Same place it does when you typo a message to someone that doesn't exist... back in to a message to you (from root.)

By the time most people will want it, it is because they've made that error and it is already too late.

It's never too late for the next time.

I also suspect it would be cumbersome enough that very few would leave the setting on for long once they did turn it on.

I would use it and I suspect I'm not alone. I don't say much in the CB usually, but I do use /msg regularly.

Also, would it affect just the CB interface on the webpage, or all clients you may use? In the latter case, depending on the syntax chosen for it, would that require modifications to all the various other CB clients?

I suppose that it would depend somewhat on the implementation. As for existing clients, they would presumably need changes if they wanted to support the new feature, but they would continue to work normally without modification as long as you chose not to turn the feature on.

How much additional load would be generated

I honestly don't know, but I suspect it would be very little.

ailie reminded me of an old saying

Actually, I'm not suggesting this out of concern that I'll accidentally post something to the CB I'd be embarrassed about. I'm actually just irritated with the disconnect that it can cause in a conversation when, three messages too late, you realize that an earlier one went to the CB rather than to the person you are talking to. Or one of his did.

-sauoq
"My two cents aren't worth a dime.";

I will love this for sure.

As sauoq said, this is settable, and the default is to work just as what we have today. So for those who don't care this, just don't set it, and the chat room will just work for you in the same way as today, no extra effort at all.

But for those who care, this would be a great feature. Well, if it can be easily done.

I solved this problem locally - whenever I'm about to mispell something my client catches the error and tells me about it. By policy I allow a few variants on msh, rnsg, ignore, and me.. This is something you can solve yourself without requiring any changes on the server.

if (m(^(\\)((?s:.*))) or
    m(^(/)(?!(?:ms[gh] |rnsg|me|ignore ))((?s:.)*))) {
    warn "You nearly said $1$2\n";
    goto TALK;
}
[download]

Sure, I could solve it locally. If I was interested in running a separate client for the CB. I'm not, though. The one on the page is, for the most part, more than sufficient for my needs. But it could stand a few simple improvements.

-sauoq
"My two cents aren't worth a dime.";