# Who's online?



## lenabrasil

Suggestion:

why not show more information about each member (like place of birth and languages spoken) in the "who's online" page???


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## TrentinaNE

What purpose would that serve?  

Elisabetta


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## lenabrasil

Many times have I wished I could find someone online to ask urgent linguistic questions. Also, It'd be great to be able to see where everyone's from to look for the right people to help you.

Regards!


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## JamesM

Just speaking as a fellow forum user, I can certainly understand the reasoning behind that. On the other hand, I don't think that most users would want to be "hit up" with urgent questions simply because of their native language.  I think it is better to develop PM friendships with people in your target language.


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## TrentinaNE

JamesM said:


> I don't think that most users would want to be "hit up" with urgent questions simply because of their native language. I think it is better to develop PM friendships with people in your target language.


I totally agree. 

Elisabetta


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## lenabrasil

Ok, forget I ever said anything, then.


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## JamesM

No, it's just one (or two) opinion, lenabrasil.   It may be useful for others and fine with Mike to include it.   All I'm saying (as a forum user, not a moderator) is that I would personally want the option to not have my language displayed on the "Who's Online" page.  Others may love the idea.


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## Trisia

Hi, lenabrasil -- and welcome to WordReference! 
I hope you didn't get upset. We're all a very friendly bunch here, and we sincerely welcome new members.

So here's my opinion, that I think many of us share, but if not they're all free to correct me. 


Your request sounded a tiny bit strange to me, because that's why WordReference is divided into several forums - so that you look for help in the right place, and that others can assist you as best they can, in the shortest possible time.

I can certainly understand that some questions you don't want to ask in public. But that comes a lot later, after you've been an active member, and made some friends, you've gotten to know some people, and people know you. As JamesM said, some people may not be very happy to be approached privately just because their native language is of interest to you -- some may feel glad to help, and some may feel used. 


Just think -- if you see that I come from a country or other, and you need a sentence translated into my native language, if you send a PM, you have to hope that I'm not:


some incompetent girl who just happened to register but doesn't know a thing;
someone who won't even reply to tell you that she can't help so you'll wait for a long time (until it's maybe too late for you)
someone who may wish to help but is in the middle of some personal problems and won't be able to assist you
someone who will pretend to help but actually make fun and say something completely wrong 
Or, you can ask on the forum, where I will show up, if I can, and more people can come and help create the most helpful answer, and correct my mistakes. 

The forum is precisely the right place to help you with linguistic issues, and where you're also given the chance to help others. Not to mention that the forum is an addition to the dictionaries -- what you ask today may be helpful for hundreds of other users, in the future, just as now you can search for past discussions and know that you can trust us to work fine as a team.


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## TrentinaNE

lenabrasil said:


> Many times have I wished I could find someone online to ask urgent linguistic questions. Also, It'd be great to be able to see where everyone's from to look for the right people to help you.


That's not how this forum works. You post your requests in public where anyone who happens to be online can answer them. 

And I must say I find it a bit odd that you're concerned about your "many urgent requests" but have yet to post a single one of them to the WR forums.  

Elisabetta


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## lenabrasil

I got it, Elisabetta!

Thanks everyone!

Thank you, Trisia, for taking your time and being so considerate!



                          THE END


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