Currently, my partner uses a translator. We usually talk in the nearby chat because it's easier for her. Sometimes I am tabbed out, and she is typing to me. I do not see her messages. Sometimes she stays logged in while showering, cleaning, or cooking food. She might be gone for five minutes or five hours. I have no idea. Usually, when she is gone, I am tabbed out or in the other room. If she comes back and starts typing in the nearby chat, I wouldn't know. I would constantly have to check Second Life to see if she sent messages.
The Nearby Chat Notifier solves this problem. In the settings, you can add names to the list. Each time someone in the list sends a message in the nearby chat, you will get a sound alert. If you're tabbed out, doing something else, you will hear a sound alert when they send a message. There is also an alarm mode. When you click the HUD, the bell can change from white to red. When the bell is red, you're in alarm mode. Alarm mode will play an alarm sound repeatedly. The only way to stop the alarm sound is to click on the hud again. Clicking on the HUD will stop the alarm sound. You will still be in alarm mode. You have to click on the HUD again to make the bell white. That will put you back into normal mode.
Settings
Add someone to the alert list.
Remove someone from the alert list.
View alert list.
Clear alert list.
Turn on the RLV lock. (so when you change outfits the hud won't come off.)