Minds Messenger Usage Tips
I see a LOT of users confused by the messenger, so here is a quick rundown on how it works.
Password creation: When you first sign on you will receive a prompt to create a password for your messenger. Your messenger has a secondary password because all the information in the messenger becomes encrypted. Do you not know what that means? Watch this!
The encrypted password is an extra layer of security that ensures that your private conversations are truly private and even in the event of someone getting into your account they would still have to figure out the password you used for the messenger. Minds.com does not know what the password is either so it is important to remember it.
Password Recovery: If you manage to forget your password, you will have to create a new one and it is important to note that when you create a new password you do not get your old chat log back. The encrypted information is just abandoned and you get to start over with a new encrypted chat log.
You can do this at any time by selecting the “re-key” option on the messenger.
Password Memory: Assuming you'll have important conversations in the private chat log you should probably make sure you don't forget the password and it wouldn't be wise to make the password of the chat log the same as the password on your account. You can always breakout a piece of paper and write the password down. You can create a document and put a password on that (or not, it would not be safe though) or you can use a password storage service. BitWarden, Last pass, and Dash-lane are just a few password managers that at the very least will remember your password for you. Last-pass also follows the method of never knowing your personal password for the account and BitWarden is similar but is Open Source (which means more trustworthy because anyone can verify the quality of the program by looking at its publicly displayed code).
Password errors: There will be a few times where the encryption doesn't run properly. Please report it to the Help and Support group so that a developer can help you.
Checking your inbox: The messenger can function differently based on what browser and device you are using, when on a tablet there is a notification that someone has sent you a message, On desktop, the message is supposed to appear or the chat log flashes yellow when a new post. On certain browsers, neither of those things will happen. I believe optimal chat log behavior is on Firefox but I have also gotten it to work correctly on Comodo Dragon. If you feel someone has sent you a message but notification fails you can always open the messenger to see the list of users too see if someone sent you a message. If you remember the user's name exactly you can send them a message but if you have subscribed to them the subscribe button on their channel turns into a message button that brings up the chat log right away. Only one user has to subscribe to the other to arrange that connection. When a user posts a message, the user will go to the top of your messenger list and his unread message noted with a green dot.
The blue dot notes when a user is online or at least appears online (this user is not necessarily offline when you do not see the blue dot).
Additional tips:
Clicking on the message shows you the time and date of the post.
On mobile devices, you may have to adjust the orientation to use the messenger.
I would recommend against having creepy conspiratorial conversations about other users on the site. Its one thing to talk about someone else but I would not put together a hit plan because somebody will screen cap that and it will become public and it would make you look like a kook.
You do not have to set up your messenger but other users may prompt you to set it up so they can talk to you and you can send a request to a user to set up their messenger if they have not yet done that.
You do not get points for talking to other users in the messenger.
You can have multiple chat windows open but they will eventually push some of the chat logs off-screen.
You can message the creators of the site (@Jack, @John, @Ottman, and @Mark) and if you have, a private problem that needs dealing with you can message them or send them an email. “For personal or security issues, please email [email protected] For general inquiries or appeals, please email [email protected]” -Help and Support
The messages are not on the block chain (normal posts and blog posts are not on the block chain either).
If you clear your cookies or sign into a new device or browser, you will have to log back into your messenger.
Auto fill extensions can occasionally fill incorrect information into the messenger. If you were having trouble, logging in I would try disabling that if you happen to have such a feature on your browser.
Refrain from making solicitations in the chat logs. Nobody likes that. It is rude. Do not do it.
The messenger has a 180-character limit.
You can post links in the messengers.
Clicking on a user's profile icon in the chat log will take you to their channel.
Chat logs stay open even if you switch to another page on Minds.
You cannot tag someone from your messenger (it will create a hyperlink to that person's channel though).
The translation function is not present for the messenger.
I feel like that should cover it! Was there anything I missed? Many users do not actually use the messenger out of a desire for it to be improved but I would recommend you to use the messenger when you want to have a conversation with someone who has nothing to do with their posts. There is nothing against making off topic comments in a post but its good manners to avoid derailing or hijacking a post subject. If they do not answer their chat log posts though then you might have to do so anyways!
