Posted on 04/07/2008 3:18:37 AM PDT by John Robinson
First up, made a change to the My Comments (aka Pings aka "New Comments to You") page. You can now clear your comments page by using the new "Clear Pings" link. This is the only way to remove the "New Comments to You" indicator. (You can still view all past comments to you via "View All")
Next up on the menu: I've been upgrading the system software on all our servers. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way the spell checker broke and the new version of that software depends on software that I haven't yet been able to upgrade (because that software depends on a kernel feature that isn't available using the ancient kernel I have installed.) What this all means is that I will be taking a drive up to San Jose in the very near future (Monday night) to perform delicate surgery with a very large hammer. Once that is done, the spell checker will work.
I'm also aware that the time zone preference is not working, and I believe that problem may also be fixed by the same large hammer that will fix the spell checker (it's a very big hammer.)
So in summary, clear your pings, don't make any spelling mistakes until Tuesday and kick back and enjoy the California sun.
I don't know what you mean by the above. MY HTML is also gone on my profile page. :-(
Check out #s 186, 194, 195, 198, or freepmail me for more info.
Just to be safe, I made a copy of it. If you need my copy, ask (post or freep mail, as you prefer.)
I think that's not a serious problem. They must still -have- the HTML on the FreeRepublic server, or else they could not even display your profile page to the rest of us. It's just that feature to let you edit the page is broken for the moment.
Hang in there; I trust that feature will be working again fairly soon.
WOOHOO !!! Got my profile page back! Your instructions worked! Thanks so much.
Hate to post again, but for Side Bar Topics, when you hit “More” on the bottom of the list, and then at the bottom of that list, you hit “Click to show more articles ...”, articles from 2003 show up.
I know it is rough doing a big change like this, but ....
[Mr] T
Glad you got it back.
Hey, I can now see the difference between breaking news I have read and not read. Thanks.
Tried editing my “preferences” and now I can’t see my Pings and my list of articles is all screwed up. Can’t seem to fix either of them and it is pissing me off.
I googled freerepublic.com Mama_Bear and did get my profile page, but when I clicked on the cached link, nothing came up. But, that search was sure a fun trip down memory lane. I also found a few posts from 2004 (for some reason) along with a reference to an FR post where my screen name was mentioned on some democrat message board. LOL.
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I have saved files for ages here.. it’s a hoot. It’s always wise to save as all those really great pics to make sure ya don’t lose them too..
I have a gut hunch all will be fine after the latest fine tuning is completed.. and profiles will return intact..
Same sun as we have in Seattle too, but drier.
I can't tell who's pinging me individually and who is pinging me as part of a group. It's very confusing. And as you said the New posts to you indicator stays lit until I click "clear pings". Why? What purpose does that serve?
If it's at all possible, can we please go back to the old format?
You both have great profile pages. Very nice.
Amen.
I agree.
This is fixing something that wasn't broken.
Damn fine job ! First time since I signed up in 98 that all my freepmail has been deleted too see the no mail messages.
And the clear all pings is a great feature as well......easy to check pings and then clear to not miss other freepers pings !
Awesome Job John !
THANKS AGAIN !!!
I had no complaints about the software we were running here, and I don’t see one thing that has changed that has been beneficial.
Absolutely right.
I don't get worked up about much here, at least not enough to gripe openly. But this really pisses me off.
I’m not a programmer, although I worked beside one for a little over a year building three new or improved systems for my company.
So, I’m not completely ignorant of how to make changes or test them.
The best way to make changes is to do it offline to a copy of the existing software on a different server, or at least on an offline partition of the current server. Test it, break it, fix it, and finally when you have it ready, migrate it over to where the users can see it.
It’s time-consuming, but it’s no more time-consuming than shoving a new change out to current users and having them go WTF???
There is no reason that I know of why all the current members have to be the guinea pigs for changes which may or may not work, may or may not be beneficial, and address a problem that nobody had raised.
I’m not opposed to upgrades at all. It would be silly to think that we couldn’t improve the software at this site. But making a change doesn’t mean it’s an upgrade. It’s a change. And in multiple examples here, it’s a downgrade.
I have no idea why it can’t be beta tested before being imposed. It’s not the way any corporation would do it.
When I couldn't afford plane tickets to get across the country, I rode Greyhound. When I couldn't afford the bus ticket either, I hitchhiked. It's not that I'm stupid and think that hitchhiking is better, or don't know about the wonders of modern air travel; I just do the best I can with what I got to get where I'm going.
Sure hope they straighten this out. And soon would be nice. ;^)
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