Attn Cox!
Cox needs to make 2 changes to the Forum
1. Remove the following option: Click-to-Join (Membership)
2. Make the following a default option for customer accounts: File Upload option under Insert Image/Video/File
The Click-to-Join banner is confusing, not explained and aggravating if you don't know its consequence.
Confusing: If I'm already signed in the Forum, why do I need to join a Group? I can already post a question in any Group, contribute to a question, like or dislike a reply and choose an answer to my post. Aside from the File Upload option, membership offers no additional rights.
Not explained: This is self-explanatory. Where is membership to a Group explained?
Aggravating: I've read complaints of contributors being spammed with notifications. They're getting notifications to post they've never read, never contributed or ever cared about. The contributors apparently selected Click-to-Join and didn't know of its hidden consequences: notification spam.
Notification Spam: Nobody needs this because the Home page of each Group already identifies unread Posts and unread updates to previously-read Posts
If you're already a Cox customer, the File Upload option should be automatically enabled by default on your Forum account. I want to distinguish between a Cox customer and a non-Cox customer. In accordance with the Forum Guidelines, anybody in the general public can create an account on the Forum; therefore, this default right should be exclusive to only Cox customers.
With these recommended changes, the red bubbles over Notifications icon (lightning bolt) would only indicate updates to Post I have contributed. I do not want to scroll through 17 updates inside a tiny window about stuff I don't care about. In addition, Cox customers wouldn't be confused about how to insert an image from their computers.
UPDATE: We've had previous Cox customers move to geographical areas without Cox service; however, they still contribute to the Forum. These previous customers have been...are still are...highly productive in the Forum. Therefore, in addition to Customer and non-customer accounts, Cox should create a third type of account for these valuable contributors. These valuable, non-customer accounts should have additional privileges, such as posting questions and uploading images from their PC. VIP account?
How to unsubscribe from a Forum group:
1. Click on one of the Forum selections at the top of the page.
2. Click the "More" button in the lower right of the page.
3. Click the "Manage subscriptions" button.
4. Click "Unsubscribe" for each of the listed Forum groups.
You will now only receive notifications in the unsubscribed Forum group for those threads in which you have participated. If you have joined the group, you will still be able to post images. Remember that when you join a Forum group, it subscribes you to that Forum group. So, be sure to join the group first, then unsubscribe from it.
Updated: An easier way to perform this process:
1. Click your profile icon in the upper right.
2. Click "Settings"
3. Click "Subscriptions"
4. Click "Unsubscribe" for each of the listed Forum groups.
