2000-character limit on private messages

Many times, in responding to a private message about a technical question, the 2000 character limit forces me to chop down responses into a sort of spastic ADD-type string of inadequate phrases.

Is there a reason for the 2000 character limit on private messages, and can that limit be increased to, say 5000 characters? I think 5000 characters would be more than adequate for even my classically-taught long-winded diatribes.

Thanks,
Jason

yeah! Why 2,000 characters?

This morning I realized long form stories are nearly dead. Most of us are now doing everything on a phone. Which makes reading much more than 2000 characters horribly long winded. NYT articles are too long.

VOX and Twit are it.

Deal

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter Collins

yeah! Why 2,000 characters?

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I bet it's limits of the server or service we use. I can't imagine another reason the Moderators would pick a lesser number simply to make things harder for use. I agree though 2000 characters is awfully small and hard to work with.
One thing I have learned is to always start a new message and not to tag on to one I receive because the 2000 characters is for the entire received and sent message and not each response.

Please see Ralph's explanation here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ssage-Settings

Ok gotcha.

I thought there might be a reason other than "human attention span has evolved."

Cheers,
Jason

The best suggestion when long-form writing is needed is to ask for an email address, and take it out of the forum software. That allows many other features we can't use with PM's, too, including a range of attached files.

The only time the limit affects me is when my correspondent and I quote each other, and the quotes fill up the quota. I sometimes have to trim quotes, if there's a reason I want it to stay in the realm of PM (which usually only happens with moderator stuff).

Rick "not the most succinct member of this forum" Denney

I’ve never had that much to say, even with quotes.

In a past life I wrote user interfaces... for 2x40 displays. I always envied the folks that had a 4x40 tp work with.

I try really hard to steer all PM back onto the open forum.

Some want a private answer which is just as easily asked on the main forum. And that helps others.

I always ask buyers or sellers to move to our email and some are reluctant. The forum has shut down during a transaction. Be warned ye who dodge email.

I delete all PM every month, I save nothing.

If I cannot be clear in 2000 characters I post a link to my website. How easier can it be?