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View Full Version : What can you say in 500 characters?


KISS
Feb 5, 2009, 12:39 PM
President Obama has this nice little contact form which has a limit of 500 characters

Contact Us (http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/)

Are they really telling you, we don't want to hear your voice?

Should you revert to snail mail?

NeedKarma
Feb 5, 2009, 12:43 PM
Nah, its quite standard in the web development world. It's too easy to start long winded rants and copy/paste tons of stuff that makes it difficult to read (no formatting, plain text only). I've set up many Contact Us forms with the same stipulations - if the there is no limit people *will* abuse it.

spitvenom
Feb 5, 2009, 12:44 PM
From Verizon to the white house all these type of contact us pages on web sites always have a limit to the number of characters. I don't know if it is a space thing on the server it gets sent to or they really just don't want to read a long drawn out message.

George_1950
Feb 5, 2009, 12:47 PM
Obama is saying, repeatedly: "I reject these theories, and so did the American people when they went to the polls in November and voted resoundingly for change." Or, in another venue, "I won".

By the way, before Bush left office, I called all day and got a busy signal. I believe they quit answering the phone altogether.

It's all about 'pay to play', now; even with Obama.

NeedKarma
Feb 5, 2009, 12:48 PM
George,
What has this to do with the OP's question?

Nestorian
Feb 5, 2009, 12:56 PM
Na, just walk on up toe the Big house and say, "Yo, 'Bama what up dawg. Lets kick it old school all up in dis place and talk the walk." Haha, kidding kidding.

I have a question, are you just over analizing the fact that they limit the number of characters? If you have something to say, then say it short sweet and simple. Like "Joe the Plumber."

Peace and kindness.

George_1950
Feb 5, 2009, 01:15 PM
George,
What has this to do with the OP's question?

If you read the question, and I quote: "Are they really telling you, we don't want to hear your voice?"

Obama has said several times, he ain't interested.

And when you submit your email address to this crowd, won't you be inundated with requests for cash?

adam_89
Feb 5, 2009, 01:20 PM
President Obama has this nice little contact form which has a limit of 500 words

Contact Us (http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/)

Are they really telling you, we don't want to hear your voice?

Should you revert to snail mail?

Just letting you know that it is only 500 characters, not even words.

ZoeMarie
Feb 5, 2009, 01:25 PM
Can you imagine how lengthy messages might be if there wasn't a limit? Do you have any idea how many people will use that website? I'm sure it will take forever as it is to read and/or respond to messages sent.

KISS
Feb 5, 2009, 01:55 PM
I made an edit. The website has a limit of 500 characters, not words, so that's like less than 50 words.

spitvenom
Feb 5, 2009, 01:58 PM
I made an edit. The website has a limit of 500 characters, not words, so that's like less than 50 words.

Don't forget that includes the spaces between the words! (that sentence was 55 characters!)

TexasParent
Feb 5, 2009, 02:11 PM
I made an edit. The website has a limit of 500 characters, not words, so that's like less than 50 words.

Right up your KISS philosophy :D Perhaps Democrats know how to précis their paragraph better than Republican's ;)

tomder55
Feb 5, 2009, 02:44 PM
Sir your stimulus bill was hijacked by the Congressional Democrat back benchers. Take it back and rewrite it with what you think should be included in an economic recovery act. You don't want to own what is being passed .It will tarnish your Presidency.

excon
Feb 6, 2009, 06:33 AM
Sir your stimulus bill was hijacked by the Congressional Democrat back benchers. Take it back and rewrite it with what you think should be included in an economic recovery act. You don't want to own what is being passed .It will tarnish your Presidency.Hello tom:

Tooooo many characters. Here, I'll fix it for you: "Dude, yer bill is right on".

excon

NeedKarma
Feb 6, 2009, 06:55 AM
Don't forget that includes the spaces between the words! (that sentence was 55 characters!)What was the limit during the Bush administration?

spitvenom
Feb 6, 2009, 07:34 AM
What was the limit during the Bush administration?

You could only send comments via snail mail. And the comments had to written in invisible ink.

NeedKarma
Feb 6, 2009, 07:49 AM
You could only send comments via snail mail. And the comments had to written in invisible ink.
Do you have a serious answer?

spitvenom
Feb 6, 2009, 08:35 AM
Oh I didn't think that was a serious question NK :p I have no idea if whitehouse.gov had that section during the Bush admin. But if they did I would assume it was probably the same limit of 500 characters. Have you ever seen any contact us page for any company or politician that had an unlimited number of characters? I don't think I have.

NeedKarma
Feb 6, 2009, 09:11 AM
I agree with you. It's basically a non-issue.

spitvenom
Feb 6, 2009, 09:14 AM
It is a non issue but of course since it is Obama there has to be nitpicking.

tomder55
Feb 6, 2009, 09:18 AM
There is plenty of space provided for me to say what I want to say . Maybe this goes direct to his Blackberry and space is a premium .

NeedKarma
Feb 6, 2009, 09:24 AM
Maybe this goes direct to his Blackberry ...I doubt that. Usually the post through that web form are heavily moderated.

ZoeMarie
Feb 6, 2009, 10:45 AM
It is a non issue but of course since it is Obama there has to be nitpicking.

Exactly my thoughts