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Possible Duplicates:
Any way to send a personal message to another user?
How do I contact a stack overflow user?

I can not find a single contact method on a user's profile

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    That would not be a core premise of this site. That's not something that anybody on this site really wants. Besides, if you'll comment under one of their questions or answers and inform them that you want assistance they'll get ahold of you in return. That'll notify them. – jcolebrand Jan 25 '11 at 23:38
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    Many people on this site are busy professionals with very little time. People contacting them about SO questions could be an annoyance to them, and keep them from participating in the site. Those who choose to be contactable privately, will leave an E-Mail address or a site address in the profile - I think they are in the majority. Those who don't, don't. It's exactly the way it's supposed to be IMO – Pekka Jan 25 '11 at 23:41
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Members who want to be contacted are free to leave contact information in the About Me section of their profile or provide the URL of their website. If a user does not leave contact information, I'd assume they do not want to be contacted.

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    I've never heard of a site focused on user interaction with no way of getting in touch with members, you would expect for someone to be open for discussion if their full name is their username yet, leaving contact information in profile is too personal but getting in touch through a site is less so, i'm really surprised there is no feature, even EE has it. – user156302 Jan 25 '11 at 23:33
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    SO is not focused on user interaction. It is focused on questions and answers. User interaction is a natural consequence of that focus (because humans are a great source of questions and answers), but not the focus itself. – Oswald Jan 25 '11 at 23:44
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    The site is focused on Q&A. If half of the discussion is somewhere else then the question will be much less valuable in the future. – Zoredache Jan 25 '11 at 23:45
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    Let's be realistic here (Chris ;), with your username, let alone your full name, it's not hard to find someone's information. With the full name you get linked in or facebook instantly and with usernames you trace it back to a website very often. So all your issues are sort of irrelevant, its really for convenience and organisation, the lack of this features just gives you extra work and making it awkward introductions offline. – user156302 Jan 26 '11 at 3:21
  • @user156302: I think you've provided a very valuable demonstration of why SO doesn't make such a mechanism available. – Michael Petrotta Jan 26 '11 at 5:23
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Your best bet would be to comment on one of their questions or answers and see if they respond.

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The focus is on community, versus the individual (in my opinion). That is why I feel that there isn't as much of an emphasis on individual interaction. I've provided my website, so people who want to get in touch with me do so through that.

I guess if you really wanted to get in touch with someone, you could comment on one of their answers or questions. Maybe offer to buy them beer :).

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  • true, I understand the focus but still, annoying :) – user156302 Jan 25 '11 at 23:39
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    @user156302, on the other hand being private messaged constantly because I contribute frequently to a site would also be annoying. If I want you to be able to contact me, I'll give you my contact info. It also prevents people from taking part of the discussion offline, and thus removing some of the important information from the Q&A system. – Zoredache Jan 25 '11 at 23:43
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    Yes, it keeps the vampires away :) – vivin Jan 25 '11 at 23:45

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