I'm not going back to re-read every thread on the topic of the abolished Mail feature. But I don't recall a single post that said they prefer the new Message only way to communicate. Many profiles we read specifically said they didn't want to be contacted by IM. And (just an observation from memory), it seemed to us that as we scrolled through profiles on line, many more had the IM feature off than had it on. So right from the start, people obviously preferred not to use it. With no specific statistics to point to, it's safe to assume that the majority of members of SLS didn't like or use this feature. And I think much of the anger posted in these threads stems from the fact that we have all been forced into using a feature that most of us didn't like. We admit that we always kept our IM on, because we liked the spontaneity of an instant message (both receiving and sending). We liked when the doorbell sounded as a reminder if I was working in another program or had stepped away from the laptop. We had many good exchanges with couples on IM. But we still preferred to communicate using Mail because you could be more eloquent, conversant, and thoughtful. We could be ourselves, and we felt like we got a better sense of who the people were that we were talking to. So yes, we miss the old Mail system, and it's clear from these Forums that most people miss it as well. Despite all the vocal complaining, nothing has changed. Forum posts have been made and Support Tickets have been submitted. Our usage patters and opinions were not considered when SLS decided to eliminate the Mail, and our complaints since the change was implemented has not resulted in any change back to the old way.
Lifetime members have already paid, and judging by the number of new profiles we see, Paid Members have not dropped off. We don't have an ability to express our opinions in the most capitalist of ways, which is to use our wallets. The are other swinger web sites out there, many of them that have certain features and advantages that are so much better than SLS. But not one of them, as a whole, is as good as what I get from SLS. Yes, this site suffers from performance issues. It feels archaic. It lacks features that could make the user experience a hundred times better. The approval process for Hot Dates and profile changes is cumbersome and untimely. The banishment of references to outside forms of communication comes across as paranoid. And it's disappointing as hell that the owners/operators don't consider the opinions of their customers. But SLS still offers the best combination of features for us:
Nationwide and international members. Especially in the northeast where we are. No other swinger site covers or area as well, and we have access to more people in areas we travel to. The active forums are and under-rated feature. Looking beyond the complaint threads, there are some great discussions on sex, fantasies, experiences, tips, hints, etc, etc, etc. There are people here willing to help others improve their profiles, offer advice when we encounter problems, offer suggestions on travel & clubs. Not to mention very active participants for games, word play, even long running discussions for trivial discussions like "What's for breakfast". The community here and its willingness to help & share is awesome. We've come to accept that the Mail system isn't coming back. We'll use the Message system because it's then only method of communicating with other members on this web site. Then if we choose to have further conversations, there are other off site methods we can move to. In a perfect world, SLS would listen to its customers and give them what they want. But for us, this site still offers the best combination of what we're looking for, and we're choosing to focus less on the negativity. We're here for positive adult fun. We accept that Mail isn't coming back, and we'll make the best of what we have.
