Glad I stumbled across this. 

as one of the many "long time readers, first time writers"  I was trying to make a significant contribution to a forum,  but was instead forced to spend a few minutes searching for a reply button only to not find one.

The PM restriction is Dumb IMHO:  (wanted to send a PM to ask why I had no reply button.  Didn't think "for some reason,  I must have agreed not to post/PM people when I signed up BACK IN 2011")

The post limit,  on a 2+ year old account is a pain in the behind.    But such is life I guess.  Spam is spam!