If I want to shutdown my PC for hardware system upgrade, currently, I just powered off the PC so many online members may suddenly cannot connect to the vB.
So I have an ideas but I don't whether is can work thru web

add a section in the admin control panel say
Send broadcast message

so that administrator can enter a message said " The system will be shutdown in 15 mins", click send

then all vB online members will received this message by a pop-up windows

do php, html, dhtml or some others can do such things ?

i hope that we can do this by PM. I am sure that it will be possible to do a message to everyone by PM but doing one to just online users is a good idea i think.

Not all members wish to recieve PMs and have it turned off.

Just put a message in your header - that's what I do on VB-World.

John

I want this to be able to be over ridden by moderators and admins, if you don't want to do it this way a message in your header is by far the best way.

I agree with PeF.
even members turn on PM however some memebers are rare to read their Pm and while they reading forum they will not notice that a new PM received

If if a pop-up window will be displayed is a very good feature

In your profile you may choose if you want a popup window when a new PM is recieved or not in vB 2.0. Just give it a try here. ;)

I cannot found such option "popup a window when received a new PM"

vB 2.0 only:
Profile -> Edit Options -> Pop up a box when you receive a Private Message?

is there a hack on 1.1.x ?