The forum is BROKEN - Page 2

Istvan diVega · 10-02-2013, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anywho

If you're saying that they make you loose your entry on purpose then I think we live on different levels of expectations of what's a bug and what's a feature.

What I'm saying is simply that if you don't click the "Keep me logged in" button, most forum platforms will log you out automatically after a certain time of perceived inactivity. That inactivity often includes time spent writing posts because no links are clicked or pages refreshed, as the forum software does not necessarily register the typing that takes place in the text box.

If you are logged out for that reason you will often lose the text you were working on.

HarryT · 10-02-2013, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

There are a few sites where this happens more often than others, but it's never happened here at MobileRead for me. But if you use Firefox, try the addon Lazarus. Even if your browser crashes, you can recover all your text you typed but didn't submit through a right click menu with Lazarus. It's great, I've been using it for years.

I don't think there's anything wrong with any forum software. Some sites just log you out more often for safety reasons.

It does happen at MR, but you need to leave it a REALLY long time (several hours) between clicking the "Reply" button and subsequently clicking "Post". If you find that you've inadvertently left that masterpiece unposted, just do a Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C to select and copy your post, and then re-post it when you get the error.

There's nothing we (the admin team) can do about it - it's simply the way the forum software works. The best solution is "don't do it".

anywho · 10-02-2013, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It does happen at MR, but you need to leave it a REALLY long time (several hours) between clicking the "Reply" button and subsequently clicking "Post".

I went to sleep. I never clicked reply however. I just scrolled down, *then* clicked reply, and typed my post.

Considering that the software behaves as if it should be possible to repost, I'm saying it's a bug. Their intention is clear. Maybe an upgrade will solve the issue. I read that you're working on one?

Istvan diVega · 10-02-2013, 05:22 PM

Saying it's a bug doesn't actually make it one. If that was how things worked, I'd be a billionaire living on my privately owned island in the vicinity of Tonga.

anywho · 10-02-2013, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Istvan diVega

Saying it's a bug doesn't actually make it one.

Would you stop already? If there's documented behavior saying the software is supposed to behave a certain way, and there's expected behavior that it's supposed to behave a certain way, and the software doesn't behave that way, it's a bug. OK?

"A software bug is an error, flaw, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways." -- wikipedia

afv011 · 10-02-2013, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anywho

... makes you loose the post.

You lose as you have a loose grasp on the use of loose

Sorry about your lost post.

jgaiser · 10-02-2013, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anywho

"A software bug is an error, flaw, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways." -- wikipedia

And it's very possible that the software is working as it was intended. Calling something a bug because of extreme examples doesn't make it one.

I spent 15 years as a software evaluator. I got real good at crashing programs. I also learned that pushing 15 keys at the same time causing a crash wasn't a bug.

anywho · 10-02-2013, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

And it's very possible that the software is working as it was intended. Calling something a bug because of extreme examples doesn't make it one.

I spent 15 years as a software evaluator. I got real good at crashing programs. I also learned that pushing 15 keys at the same time causing a crash wasn't a bug.

The message said, hit the back button, and repost. There was nothing to repost.

I URGE you to reproduce it for yourself, and then tell me it's not a bug.

jgaiser · 10-02-2013, 08:32 PM

Sorry. Not willing to display the page for 8 hours. Extreme example. Software engineer says "Not A Bug". "Doctor it hurts when I do this." "Don't do that."

anywho · 10-02-2013, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Sorry. Not willing to display the page for 8 hours. Extreme example. Software engineer says "Not A Bug". "Doctor it hurts when I do this." "Don't do that."

Not saying you sit there and actually display the page. Put the computer to sleep. You can resume as if you hadn't left, the browser won't refresh. You'd know this if you worked with computers I'd think.

jgaiser · 10-02-2013, 09:15 PM

Shrugs... My suggestion is that you get a hold of the folks at vBulletin (the software providers) and give them your concerns. In the meantime, don't wait 8 hours to post a reply.

Jellby · 10-03-2013, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anywho

Considering that the software behaves as if it should be possible to repost, I'm saying it's a bug.

Let's call it a usability issue. In some relatively likely situation the user is presented with an interface that does not work as "advertised" (the quick reply box). One possible "fix" would be to have some timeout for the reply box that's not longer than the "log out" timeout. But that's not a robust solution, and I doubt one can be found, since it's a matter of server and client doing the same thing without communication...

Quote:

Originally Posted by anywho

The message said, hit the back button, and repost. There was nothing to repost.

In this context, "repost" implies "rewrite".

Piper_ · 10-03-2013, 04:21 AM

It's been awhile, but fwiw, when our members avoided the use of the quick reply form, going back usually displayed their drafts OK, even if they got logged off or had any problems submitting.

I still avoid quick reply except for short, offhand comments.

GrannyGrump · 10-03-2013, 10:30 PM

I've had the frequent experience of typing a post, and *immediately* thereafter I click "submit" and the LogIn dialog comes up telling me that I'm not logged in. When I log in at that dialog, sometimes my post is lost, sometimes it isn't. Now I always "select all, copy" before I submit. I've had to paste my post back in many times.

Meh, it's a minor thing, and easy to get the habit of copying the post. (of course, attachments have to be uploaded again, which is a bit of a pain.)

HarryT · 10-06-2013, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grannyGrumpy

I've had the frequent experience of typing a post, and *immediately* thereafter I click "submit" and the LogIn dialog comes up telling me that I'm not logged in. When I log in at that dialog, sometimes my post is lost, sometimes it isn't. Now I always "select all, copy" before I submit. I've had to paste my post back in many times.

Meh, it's a minor thing, and easy to get the habit of copying the post. (of course, attachments have to be uploaded again, which is a bit of a pain.)

Check the "Remember Me" box at login. That will stop this from happening.

10-02-2013, 05:22 PM	#19
Istvan diVega Inharmonious Posts: 416 Karma: 2157616 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Sony PRS-950, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1	Saying it's a bug doesn't actually make it one. If that was how things worked, I'd be a billionaire living on my privately owned island in the vicinity of Tonga. Last edited by Istvan diVega; 10-02-2013 at 05:25 PM.

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10-02-2013, 08:32 PM	#24
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Sorry. Not willing to display the page for 8 hours. Extreme example. Software engineer says "Not A Bug". "Doctor it hurts when I do this." "Don't do that."

10-02-2013, 09:15 PM	#26
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Shrugs... My suggestion is that you get a hold of the folks at vBulletin (the software providers) and give them your concerns. In the meantime, don't wait 8 hours to post a reply.

10-03-2013, 04:21 AM	#28
Piper_ ~~~~~ Posts: 761 Karma: 1278391 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle 3, Sony 350	It's been awhile, but fwiw, when our members avoided the use of the quick reply form, going back usually displayed their drafts OK, even if they got logged off or had any problems submitting. I still avoid quick reply except for short, offhand comments.

10-03-2013, 10:30 PM	#29
GrannyGrump Obsessively Dedicated... Posts: 3,200 Karma: 34977896 Join Date: May 2011 Location: JAPAN (US expatriate) Device: Sony PRS-T2, ADE on PC	I've had the frequent experience of typing a post, and immediately thereafter I click "submit" and the LogIn dialog comes up telling me that I'm not logged in. When I log in at that dialog, sometimes my post is lost, sometimes it isn't. Now I always "select all, copy" before I submit. I've had to paste my post back in many times. Meh, it's a minor thing, and easy to get the habit of copying the post. (of course, attachments have to be uploaded again, which is a bit of a pain.)