Add a dive site / support email / Remember me

[shark.byte.usa]

#1: Tried adding a dive site and got an error message that I didn't specify a region, but all fields were filled in, I saw no region field, told me to email: support@insidescuba.com (see #2)

#2: mailing to: support@insidescuba.com failed, my server tries for several days.

#3: While traveling, I logged on from a pc other than mine, so I didn't check the "Remember me" box, on 2 different occassions, I typed up lengthy forum responses, after hitting submit, it asked me logon again(?), after I did so, my responses were lost, something about invalid thread. Very frustrating. So if it wasn't a quick little response, I had to check remember me and remember to logoff. Not really how it should work.

Told Headhunter about #1 & #2, when I went diving with him weekend before last, told me to contact TechAdmin, but figured I'd just post it here.

-Garrett

 

[Ted S]

#1: Tried adding a dive site and got an error message that I didn't specify a region, but all fields were filled in, I saw no region field, told me to email: support@insidescuba.com (see #2)

#2: mailing to: support@insidescuba.com failed, my server tries for several days.

I'll take a look and be sure that field isn't required... I assume this was a dive spot and not a shop?

#3: While traveling, I logged on from a pc other than mine, so I didn't check the "Remember me" box, on 2 different occassions, I typed up lengthy forum responses, after hitting submit, it asked me logon again(?), after I did so, my responses were lost, something about invalid thread. Very frustrating. So if it wasn't a quick little response, I had to check remember me and remember to logoff. Not really how it should work.

Actually that is how it should work. Webpages are not like computer applications and are extremely limited in their ability to remember you or track you. If you chose not to set a long term cookie our system has to assume that after 15 minutes of inactivity, you have left the site. If we didn't, there would be no point in having the option at all (i.e. if we waited 5 hours it wouldn't make sense). Either you can login with the time restraint and have to click a link every 15 minutes or you have to log off. Once you leave our site we don't have the ability to send you a follow up cookie to say "hey, you're logged out now", so either you're set in permanently or you aren't.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

I'll take a look and be sure that field isn't required... I assume this was a dive spot and not a shop?



Actually that is how it should work. Webpages are not like computer applications and are extremely limited in their ability to remember you or track you. If you chose not to set a long term cookie our system has to assume that after 15 minutes of inactivity, you have left the site. If we didn't, there would be no point in having the option at all (i.e. if we waited 5 hours it wouldn't make sense). Either you can login with the time restraint and have to click a link every 15 minutes or you have to log off. Once you leave our site we don't have the ability to send you a follow up cookie to say "hey, you're logged out now", so either you're set in permanently or you aren't.

Yes it was a dive spot.

Well just agree to disagree on the second point, I can login to yahoo, gmail, other forums and not say remember me as to not set a cookie on the pc I'm using without issue. I've never administered vBulletin (don't like paying for licensing), so I don't know how it works, but I'm a member of other vBulletin boards and haven't had the problem, perhaps their timeout is a bit higher or their using php sessions. But either way I know now. However should it totally lose my input when I login after inactivity and give me an error? I wouldn't think so.

 

[Ted S]

Well just agree to disagree on the second point, I can login to yahoo, gmail, other forums and not say remember me as to not set a cookie on the pc

Actually, they all set cookies and they all have timeouts. They just happen to use a 30 minute timeout or longer which doesn't suit our particular users and site.

The fact that you lose your input is a client side issue dealing with caching, our software can't force your browser to save the data if you submit it and happen to encounter an error. Yes it would be nice for the script to save it to a holding page but that functionality doesn't exist and is really not seen on many sites.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

...submit it and happen to encounter an error

My point is you shouldn't encounter an "invalid thread" error, regardless of weather you timed out or not, it's not some random error it happens each time in this circumstance. I'm sure you guys have some justification at least in your own minds for a 15 minute timeout. I'm just pointing out an annoyance, not to argue the point. When people spend the time to fill out a reply or dive spot entry or whatever, they want it to be submitted not splashed with some ugly error(s).

 

[Ted S]

Fair enough and I agree... there are better ways to handle errors but right now this is how our system works.