Sometimes I wonder if F&S even cares if this web site makes a go of it. For months now every single video clip that has been at

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Sometimes I wonder if F&S; even cares if this web site makes a go of it. For months now every single video clip that has been attached to any of the blog threads has had a promotional ad attached at the beginning for F&S; magazine. Well, okay, I understand that. But as soon as the ad is over and the video starts the audio from the same ad that just finished is repeated OVER the video clip's audio! Same thing keeps happening over and over. I mean, does anyone at the head shed ever watch what they are throwing together? I have never seen a forum site so shot through with glitches. C'mon F&S;, give us a break here! We're trying harder than you are to keep this site afloat. Much harder!

[Online Editors_2]

Honker, we are paying attention and are as frustrated as you are over these glitches (at least the ones we know about). Our company's development team (which serves many more magazines than just F&S) has had a virtual moratorium in place on any back end work on our site for nearly three years. This is something that's a constant frustration for the editors of this site. There is light at the end of the tunnel, however. A new corporate management team has been putting more control of magazine sites back in the hands of editors. We've also been working hard on a redesign we hope will address many of the bugs. We still have a bunch of hoops to jump through before that design can go live, but we've finally gotten the green light to move beyond concepts and mockups, so you should see more improvements over the next six months.

Regarding specific bugs: nobody here has seen the problem you're describing above. I've asked one of our guys to shoot you an email for details on your system and setup to see if it's a broad problem or something unique to you.

Lastly: If you (or anyone else reading) has other bugs to report, please add them to this thread. We won't be able to address them all immediately (and may be forced to lump many of them into our site relaunch). But there will be others we can sneak into the corporate development queue.

[jhjimbo]

Sometimes multiple log on's (with correct info) are required - sometimes 4 or more, before it is recognized. jim

[habben97]

majority of the time a i cant watch videos on this site. they just wont work.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

That sounds encouraging! Thanks for responding.

I can't imagine why the video clip problem would be specific to my computer but I'm no techno guru. I don't have the same problem with other videos viewed on Youtube, etc. Since I'm the only one griping about it, you're probably correct in that it's some kind of issue with my hardware.

Of course, the double posting has been a long-standing issue. Looking forward to seeing that repaired.

Hopefully, there will be a private messaging option available in the new revised web site. I'm thinking that has gotta be costing some viewers. I know adding something like that is easier said than done with security concerns but I have seen it other places.

Adding photos from this end of the site is unnecessarily complicated. We are constantly having to give instructions to new (and sometimes old) contributors on how to do it. Also consider adding an option so that individuals can remove photos from their albums.

Speak up boys! I know there's other stuff people have complained about in the past.

[99explorer]

On the plus side, those spam filters have not been popping up so much lately.

[mspl8sdcntryboy]

Multiple posts seem to be a hindrance on this site as well, I don't know if it has to do with individual computers or the site, and I don't guess that it is THAT much of a problem, but rather an annoyance. On the bright side, however, it doesn't seem to be happening as much lately as in the past.
Thank you for the addressing of these issues, I realize the difficulty involved in moving past the corporate red tape necessary to improve web designs, but this thread can be used as a leverage tool, to lock down any support necessary for improvements to be made.

[chuckles]

So the new one for me is that every time I go to post it asks for my log in. Then when I click in the window to type I have to log in again. Then it often works.
The spam filter is kind of a pain. It seems to go in streaks, there has to be a way of designating registered users as good to go.
The pop up ads when you first start are SUPER annoying but not necessarily a glitch.
Thanks to the editors for keeping after the corporate overlords and for responding to feedback.

[jay]

I concur about the logon issues. The only way I can consistantly logon is by using the Login link at the top of the page under the "Welcome <users id>". If I have not authenticated yet, and clik in a textarea box, I am presented a screen requesting my credentials. I provide my credentials, the window closes but I'm not authenticated. Its like the session cookie never gets set (assuming your storing authenticated user info in a session cookie, never took the time to look).

Another issue is the initial load of the main page. It seems to take forever for the page to load and with IE it seems to freeze the page. It seems there are a ton of links that the browser has to resolve that are not coming from the F&S webserver. Probably not a whole lot you can do about it besides removing the links. Perhaps there is a way to cache this information on the web server.

For a future release, I think the users would like to be able to delete or edit a any content that they add.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Jay, that last suggestion has some good points and bad ones. I have been on a forum that allowed the user to go back and delete or edit their posts. Unfortunately, some malicious types posted filthy-mouthed rants towards other persons and then erased them shortly afterwards. Worst offender was one of the moderators. So, I guess if we can't change our posts we have to be careful about how we post them. At first I found it annoying that we couldn't edit our own comments but then remembered all the angst from the last forum and figured I could live with just posting an addendum to clarify or correct what I'd like to have edited in an earlier post.

Jay, I think the editors should be getting in touch with you instead of me. You seem to know a lot about the technical side of this stuff.

[nuclear_fisher]

I concur with Jay on the first issue " The only way I can consistantly logon is by using the Login link at the top of the page"

Maybe jimbo's issue is also related?

OHH, the double sound clip has only happened to me a time or two. I'm using chrome (mostly), what browser are you using?

[Greenhead]

I am very happy to see that the Online Editors are aware of the problems and addressing them. I don't have the problem with videos mention above, but complaints I do have are:

1. I am logged out everytime I leave the site. When I come back and try to comment or upvote a comment, I am asked to log in again, but it doesn't work. The box closes and the page reloads but I am not logged in. The only reliable way is for me to leave the question and click "Log In" at the top.

2. Every, LITERALLY every post I put up is flagged as spam and I have to enter the CAPTCHA. I often decide what I had to say was not worth the effort.

3. The search function is terrible. I have often searched for old posts, using an unusual phrase that I know appeared in the question but cannot find it in the results, and instead find many unrelated items.

4. Posting pictures, or at least the first one, is ridiculously hard. I am pretty tech savy, but on at least two occasions have given up on trying to post pictures because I can't figure out how to do it.

Again, I am glad to hear that you are trying. I think it would ease everyone's frustrations a lot if you give us occasional updates stating that you know the problems and are working on them.

*Yep, flagged as spam again.

[chuckles]

Starting to drop posts a lot. Hit submit nothing happens after the double log in. Navigate away and post is gone.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

nukefisher: I'm using Explorer.

I also have troubles with logging in but only when I'm trying to give someone a plus. Get taken to the log in box, fill it out, hit enter and back to the thread but not logged in. That happens 100% of the time now.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Sounds like the log in and spam filter issues should be at the top of the list right now. It seems to be a lot worse for some of you than me. That kinda stuff will run people off in a hurry.