We are testing a new (optional) feature on DU [View all]

[EarlG]

This discussion thread was locked by EarlG (a host of the Announcements group).

Last edited Wed Jan 11, 2023, 03:52 PM - Edit history (1)

For those who are interested, we are testing a new system which will allow you to opt in to receive desktop and phone notifications from DU.


WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

If important news breaks, you can be notified even if you're not on DU. And a few times a day, we'll send out notifications about threads of interest. These notifications will be delivered direct to your device, whether it be desktop PC, Mac, or phone. (Caveat: this system is not yet compatible with Apple mobile devices -- Android only at the moment.)

The system is completely optional and if you decide to allow notifications, you can disallow them again at any time in the future.

To begin with the system is going to be pretty basic, and we will be experimenting with it and likely making changes as we test it out, but if all goes according to plan we hope that we can eventually use it to notify you about new replies, subscriptions, DU Mail messages, or other items.


HOW DO I OPT IN?

When visiting any DU page, you should see a small browser notification request popup that looks something like this (it will look different depending on your device/browser):



If you hit "Allow" then you're subscribed and you'll receive notifications. If you hit "Block" then you're not subscribed, and you won't see the message again.


WHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND AND DON'T WANT THIS?

Whether you choose to allow or block notifications, you can easily change your mind later. On a desktop browser, visit any DU page and click the little padlock to the left of the address bar:



You'll see something like this (again, it will look different depending on your device/browser):



If you initially clicked "Allow" and you now want to unsubscribe, just move the notifications slider to the left. If you initially clicked "Block" and you now want to subscribe, move the slider to the right.

Alternatively, clicking the "Reset permission" button will cause the notification request popup to appear again when you reload the page.

To enable or disable notifications on an Android device, see this link.


TROUBLESHOOTING

If you do not see the notification request popup, or if you do not receive notifications after you click "Allow", you may need to tweak your current browser or OS settings. If that's the case, there are a few things you can try -- here are some useful links:

• Manage notification settings in Windows

• Manage notification settings on Mac

• Manage notification settings in all browsers


So there you have it -- once again, this is completely optional, but we hope you give it a try to see if it's something that works for you.

Thanks for reading

EarlG