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Pow
Galactic Ambassador
Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3682
Location: New York
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 Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:16 pm Post subject: Comments |
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Bud, is anyone else having issues with leaving comments on ALL SCI~FI?
I never used to but I am finding it to be hit and miss these days.
As I'm writing the letters will stop. Then my sentences will freeze up totally not letting me continue at all. Finally I just exit out of frustration. |
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Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17558
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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Pow, thanks for reporting this! I'll let our tech guy, Raj Patel, know about it right away. How long have you been having this problem?
I haven't had any problems like you described, and I've been posting frequently every day. However, I have noticed in the last few days that when I look at a new post which is flagged with a orange "bell" icon on the left side, the bell remains orange after I've seen the post, instead of turning white again as it's always done in the past.
I've reported this to Raj also.
Also, my email has been getting notifications of new posts, even though I've always had my profile set NOT to notify me of replies to my posts. I've told Raj about this too.
In view of these glitches, Raj might have to reinstall the PHPbb software. But since I make backups of the database every night before going to bed, no data will be lost if he does this. In fact, Raj can make a backup himself right before reinstalling the software, so there is no danger of All Sci-Fi losing data.
There might be period of down time when Raj does this. I'll post a message here before it happens if he says I need to.
As for your own problem with adding replies, if none of the other members report having that problem (and since I've not seen it myself), it might be caused by something specific to your internet service provider.
Keep an eye on this thread for further reports.
Bud
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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Pow
Galactic Ambassador
Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3682
Location: New York
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:33 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Bud. I'd say this glitching has been going on for me for a couple of months.
Sometimes the writing goes smoothly like now,other times it does that annoying stuff & after trying a few times and getting the same results I'll just give up. |
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Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17558
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:20 am Post subject: |
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Good lord, Pow, I hate to think how many interesting comments from you we've missed because of this problem! 
This part of your description —
| Pow wrote: | | As I'm writing the letters will stop. |
— sounds like what used to happen to me on the Facebook chats with Bulldogtrekker, but it's never happened on All Sci-Fi. The characters would appear several seconds after I typed them. It was maddening!
Let's be "real logical like" about this and diagnose the problem. If it's been going on for a couple of months, that puts the beginning all the way back into December.
We've been on the Dreamhost server since November 12th, and the board has been running much smoother than it did on that horrible Servage.net server. I've experienced no problems at all, with the exception of an occasional error message when I submitted a post. The posts always went through a few seconds later. I asked Raj Patel about it and he told me the error message just meant there was a momentary delay in the server at Dreamhost.
As much time as I spend every day posting things on All Sci-Fi you'd think I would have seen the problem you're having at least once in the last three months since we switched to the new web host and a fresh installation of the PHPbb software.
Just to be sure that no one else is having the problem, I'll send an email to everyone, asking them to tell me if they have experienced any glitches. I'd hate to thing that things have been slow around here because people are having problems like the one you described! 
Meanwhile, let's consider the possibility that it's caused by something specific to your system. I can assume, of course, that you've had no problem like this on any other sites, otherwise you wouldn't think it might be All Sci-Fi causing it.
I'm curious about what browser you use. And do you use a Mac or a PC? Which operating system do you use? If it's a PC, do you use Windows 7 (like me) or Windows 10?
If it's Vista or Windows 8, support for both of them ended about three years ago, so you OS might have developed a glitch. Oddly enough, support for Windows 7 will continue until January 14th, 2020. I still get updates that load when I first boot up sometimes.
How old is your computer? Mine is old (from 2011), but I get Geek Squad to tune it up about every six months, which they can do remotely while I watch the cursor zoom around the display all by itself, and it makes the computer do weird things I don't understand (while I sit on the sofa and giggle, making jokes about how my laptop is possessed!) 
How about your keyboard? Over the years I've had keyboards develop problems and need replacing. Keys will stick or stop working, etc. However, if your keyboard had problems you'd see it anytime you typed, even if you were just using Microsoft Word, so I doubt that the keyboard would be culprit.
Then again, if is a wireless keyboard and the batteries are low . . . hmmm. 
I just talked to Raj Patel and I read him your message, along with the things I mentioned above in this message. He said the problem is most likely something specific to your internet service provider, your browser, or your operating system, but he can't be sure what it specifically is.
I'm sorry I can't be more help. However, do you have another computer you could use for a period of time, just long enough to find out if the problem occurs on that second computer?
Meanwhile try this. Compose your post on Microsoft Word (or whatever you have) and then paste the finished text to the All Sci-Fi's composition window. That would reduce your frustration level by avoiding the freezing problem — and we wouldn't be denied those much-appreciated comments from you! 
Bud
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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Pow
Galactic Ambassador
Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3682
Location: New York
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for responding so quickly, Bud.
Yep,the old pc is an old pc & operating on Windows Vista 7.
So yeah, I did consider those factors to be the possible source of my problems.
Investigating purchasing a brand new desktop pc & newest version of Windows. |
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Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17558
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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If you buy a new PC, Windows 10 will already be installed. However, if you took your PC to the Geek Squad and asked them to check it out, they might tell you that all it needs is a re-installed OS.
You can get Windows 10 for $139, which is cheaper than a new computer. Give the Geek Squad a call and ask them what they think you should do. Describe the problems you've had, and then let me know if they think a new OS installation would fix it.
By the way, a service agreement with the Geek Squad is worth the money. Not only does it cover most of the things you'll have to take it in for, you can activate the at-home service and they'll check things like this without you even having to leave the couch. 
Windows 10 Home (Download)
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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Pow
Galactic Ambassador
Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3682
Location: New York
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for the recommendations, Bud.
I will certainly check it all out as it could save me some $$$. |
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Brent Gair
Mission Specialist
Joined: 21 Nov 2014
Posts: 467
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Testing, testing, testing 1,2,3.
Here's a hint for anybody who thinks they may have a PC issue.
Try a Chromebook. That's what I'm using. They are great for working on the net. Fast, reliable, they don't need antivirus software, they update automatically and can be had for as little as $200.00 (I'm using a cheap Acer Chromebook 11).
They don't run PC software (they use the Chrome operating system). These aren't high-powered machines and, if you are processing and editing video, they may not be for you. But they are optimized for use on the net.
No problem posting this  |
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Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17558
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Pow, you also gave me an excuse to send everybody an email urging them to the get off their backsides and posts on All Sci-Fi.
We get 20+ guests every day, all day long (it says so right at the bottom of the main index, and I check the numbers pretty often), but we don't have many members signing in and posting things to enjoy.
Until I realized there were so many people coming here to enjoy the threads on All Sci-Fi I was discouraged about the lack of members who posted, but when I realized that we had a loyal-but-silent audience, I realized the board wasn't really inactive, it just wasn't as inter-active as I would like it to be.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Brent Gair
Mission Specialist
Joined: 21 Nov 2014
Posts: 467
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Bud Brewster wrote: | | Until I realized there were so many people coming here to enjoy the threads on All Sci-Fi I was discouraged about the lack of members who posted, but when I realized that we had a loyal-but-silent audience... |
Speaking for myself, Bud, the fundamental problem is that, as a fan of OLD sci-fi, there comes a point when I run out of things to say . After all, they aren't making any new OLD sci-fi! |
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Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17558
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Brent Gair wrote: | | Speaking for myself, Bud, the fundamental problem is that, as a fan of OLD sci-fi, there comes a point when I run out of things to say . After all, they aren't making any new OLD sci-fi! |
I know what you mean, sir. It does get more and more difficult to find new facts, new trivia, and new revelations about the movies we've watched and loved and pondered for hundreds of hours for the last few decades!
But I would have to disagree with this statement.
" . . . there comes a point when I run out of things to say."
Some folks may reach the point when they aren't interested in finding new things to say, but other folks enjoy the effort required to uncover the undiscovered info, the overlooked details, and the newly discovered relationships.
Our youngest member, Eadie, is a prime example of such a person — despite being a lovely 18-years-old girl and a busy high school student with much better things to do than to show a bunch of old men how to use their brains to have fun!
I love the way Eadie delights in surprising us with small details we've never noticed, or new questions we've never asked!
She and I (any our other most active members) share that enthusiasm. We're like paleontologists who spend months digging in the ground in hopes of finding a T-Rex tooth!
As for me, when I can't find something new to say about a movie like, for example, The Land Unknown, I poke around through the science news websites until I find new discoveries that suggest there really IS a hidden valley in Antarctica that might have dinosaurs!
That's what I did when I wrote the thread that has this picture, which I created with Paint.net to show an ice layer over a hidden Antarctic valley!
Brent, I never get tired of talking about the good old movies because they're the ones with the great ideas! And great ideas don't get old . . . they just inspire more great ideas!
For example, we can start out talking about Destination Moon and let it lead us into a discussion about how the lunar south pole would be great place for a colony that looked like this!
Or we can talk about The Day the Earth Stood Still and debate Gort's design, wondering why he looked like the picture on the the left, when he could have looked buff, cut, and sexy like the one on the right — with his belt lower and his waist slimmer.
And if anyone doesn't agree with my blasphemous alteration of this beloved robot, they can pontificate to their hearts content, because the last thing we want here at All Sci-Fi is for everybody to say, "Hey, your right, Bud! I agree with everything you said!"
I mean, sure, that's okay from time to time — but even I get tired of being constantly told I'm brilliant, and I appreciate a good debate I can either win hands down or loose spectacularly and learn some valuable new information, along with a character-building lesson in humility! 
So, Brent, I guess we'll just have to "agree to disagree" on whether or not old movies can inspire new discussions.
The way I look at it, the challenge of coming up with new ideas based on old movies to post about on All Sci-Fi is like going to the gym to get a good workout. Those damn weights are just heavy every time I lift 'em!
But my muscles need the challenge, and when I'm finished, I'm better off than when I started.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17558
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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What a great day this was for All Sci-Fi!
Apparently my email recently encouraged several members to grace the board with wonderful comments, and I spent most of the day just adding replies!
I guess the members of All Sci-Fi aren't quite done yet discussing those OLD sci-fi movies . . . and the newer ones, too.
Thanks to all you guys who made the board so busy today!
Bud _ 
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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Eadie
Galactic Ambassador
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 1670
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| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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Old movies DO inspire new discussions or we wouldn't have so many about Forbidden Planet, original 1956 and the many re-make attempts!
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Art Should Comfort the Disturbed and Disturb the Comfortable. |
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Gord Green
Galactic Ambassador
Joined: 06 Oct 2014
Posts: 2985
Location: Buffalo, NY
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| Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2019 1:00 am Post subject: |
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Eadie said:
| Quote: | | ...or we wouldn't have so many about Forbidden Planet, original 1956 and the many re-make attempts! |
Indeed.....Those pages of posts could make up a BOOK!
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child. |
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