[Wikipedia-l] "Email this user" function

[Jimmy Wales]

lcrocker at nupedia.com wrote:
> One of the post-live features I'd like to implement is a link on User
> pages for "email this user", which will produce a form that can be
> used to send email to the user without actually revealing the email
> address, for those times when you want to talk to someone directly who
> may not be active on the list or follow the talk pages.  This will
> also help reduce the clutter on talk pages.

There are pros and cons to reducing the clutter on the talk pages, of course.
If someone comes along a month later and wonders why a page does or does not
mention X, then the talk page can be helpful in reviewing how and why the page is
the way it is.  So too much private talking about the page makes things less
transparent.

On the other hand, just having the ability to email people is great.  Maybe I
want to ask a question of one of the participants on the talk page, so I post
a note to the talk page, but no one from the discussion notices.  Sadness.  Better
to be able to contact them directly.

One thing I think is important -- double opt-in on the email addresses.  We don't
want anyone to use us as an annoying means of mailbombing someone.

--Jimbo