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Free Republic Update: My Comments (Pings), System Upgrade and Spelling and Time Zone Breakage

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.

Update

Added "Pings Indicator" option to your preferences in case you'd prefer the old automatic clearing of the ping light.

Update #2

Was able to work around the spell checker dependency issue, you can now misspell words to your heart's content.


TOPICS: Free Republic
KEYWORDS: faq; forumchanges; freerepublic
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To: John Robinson

Appreciate all you hard work, John...but I’m seeing a jumbled mess, too. The old way cleared your new pings automatically. Perhaps I’m just an old fashioned gal...but am I missing why this new system is better? By the way, I just hit the “back” button and got this “BAD SYSTEM ERROR” message.


61 posted on 04/07/2008 5:27:15 AM PDT by Miss Didi ("Good heavens, woman, this is a war not a garden party!" Dr. Meade, Gone with the Wind)
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To: John Robinson

Question: Why is the “ New posts to you “ indicator still red after I looked at all my new pings? It doesn’t go back to *Pings* after I’ve checked ever ping.


62 posted on 04/07/2008 5:33:26 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: Fresh Wind; John Robinson
This might help to alleviate widespread panic and prevent mass suicide.

Not to mention the DTs.

63 posted on 04/07/2008 5:37:18 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: John Robinson
With the old behavior my indicator clears when I view the ping

Isn't/wasn't that the purpose of the indicator light?

So, the NEW version stays on, forcing one to respond to each/every ping/post?
64 posted on 04/07/2008 5:37:30 AM PDT by TomGuy
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To: trussell

There was a bug in the code. Fixed it now. Need to update the servers still.


65 posted on 04/07/2008 5:37:58 AM PDT by John Robinson
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To: snarks_when_bored; John Robinson

So have we lost this sort of line, John?

On News/Activism ^ 01/20/2007 12:25:07 PM CST · 89 of 347 ^

If so, I’m sorry about that. It feels somehow useful to know the numerical position of one’s comment with respect to an entire thread.

***********************************************************
I liked that line, too. It was very useful in letting you know if a thread was still active.


66 posted on 04/07/2008 5:39:13 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: TomGuy

Nah, just click “Clear Pings” to make the indicator light go away. And “View All” to get back what was cleared.


67 posted on 04/07/2008 5:39:19 AM PDT by John Robinson
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To: John Robinson

The new behavior is not useful. Once I have viewed a response, I need the indicator cleared whether or not I intend to respond. I can’t possibly respond to every post.


68 posted on 04/07/2008 5:39:24 AM PDT by palmer
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To: John Robinson

Thanks for the hard work.

When I click on a ping, it opens up in the same window and not in my slave window.


69 posted on 04/07/2008 5:40:25 AM PDT by SoothingDave
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To: John Robinson
just click "Clear Pings" to make the indicator light go away

I see, but an extra "click" is not as simple when using lynx. Before I got a twofer, view also did a clear.

70 posted on 04/07/2008 5:41:55 AM PDT by palmer
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To: John Robinson

I just figured that out.I need more coffee for this:)


71 posted on 04/07/2008 5:45:21 AM PDT by fatima
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To: John Robinson
You're the best!

bearhug

72 posted on 04/07/2008 5:45:51 AM PDT by trussell (I carry because...When seconds count between life and death, the police are only minutes away)
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To: John Robinson

It’s now two extra clicks. I have to “click” (which in lynx means scroll and enter, wait for refresh), then when I want to view comments without a new ping I have to “click” view all, then wait for refresh, then click on pings. Again, each of those clicks means scrolling down to the item and hitting enter, not as simple as moving the mouse over.


73 posted on 04/07/2008 5:46:05 AM PDT by palmer
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To: trussell

No tongue!


74 posted on 04/07/2008 5:47:40 AM PDT by savedbygrace (SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST (I'M YELLING ON PURPOSE))
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To: John Robinson

Sun? What’s that?


75 posted on 04/07/2008 5:49:51 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: John Robinson
Another small problem, when I view my responses, e.g.:

* The Assault on Free Markets
#20 posted 04/07/2008 5:33:28 AM PDT by palmer

I see I posted #20, but I would like to know that it is (currently) number 20 out of 21. So instead I would like to see:

* The Assault on Free Markets
#20/21 posted 04/07/2008 5:33:28 AM PDT by palmer

or something like that.

76 posted on 04/07/2008 5:49:53 AM PDT by palmer
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To: palmer; John Robinson

I can’t imagine going back through years worth of posts to clear them all out so the *New Posts to You* indicator turns black again. Now I can’t tell if I have new, new posts or old new posts.

BTW, John, I know how it can feel to work so hard on something and have people critique it. Don’t think for a minute that we don’t appreciate all the massive amount of work you do. FR is by far the easiest forum on the internet to use and get around on, especially for less computer literate people like me. It’s a fantastic resource and I’ve learned things and found out information I never would have without it.

Maybe it’s just a matter of getting used to some of the new changes. Sometimes I like being stuck in a rut. You can work on autopilot much more easily and FReep while you’re still half asleep.


77 posted on 04/07/2008 5:50:49 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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Comment #78 Removed by Moderator

To: metmom; palmer

just click “Clear Pings” to make the indicator light go away. And “View All” to get back what was cleared.


79 posted on 04/07/2008 5:52:58 AM PDT by trussell (I carry because...When seconds count between life and death, the police are only minutes away)
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To: palmer; John Robinson

Perhaps moving the name next to the ping number and putting the date and time after it instead of between it would help a lot.


80 posted on 04/07/2008 5:52:58 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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