Forum hints & tips

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:04 pm

Can anyone explain the little icons that come up next to the (sub)forums and threads? I may be being thick but I can't see a legend anywhere. (It's particularly bugging me why some show a static icon of a some text, and some show an animated scrolling one. I can't figure out the difference!)

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:37 pm

The animated scrolling ones have new posts since you last visited. I agree that this could be clearer, but I have no facilities for editing animated GIFs. If anyone else can help then please let me know.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:09 pm

Well that was the first thing I assumed it might mean, but mine happily scroll away still even after I've looked at any new messages... yet some don't (after refresh etc etc). Weird.

Edit to add that some have stars on too, whereas others don't. Maybe it's just mine that's going a bit odd....

JimBentley · Post by **JimBentley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:02 pm

I think a red icon means that the thread has unread posts, a blue icon means that you've read them all and the scrolling ones have more than 15 replies. Something like that, anyway. Haven't a clue what the stars are for, though.

Conor · Post by **Conor** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:06 pm

Maybe it's a star if you've posted in it already?

JimBentley · Post by **JimBentley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:10 pm

Hahaha, you just beat me to it! At first, I thought the star appeared on this one just because I'd posted in it and obviously all other forum members would wish to be advised of this expediently, in order to read my words of wisdom, but then I realised I was being solipsistic and deluded and it's the same for everyone else, even though they're not as important as me.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:44 pm

I don't know what the little star means. The large star on some of the forums means it may contain spoilers. I reused one of the images as the icon for the recap forum, which may have been a mistake. Urp. Haven't really figured this all out yet.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:55 pm

No worries Soo, we can all learn together, and then post it in this thread.

Despite repeatedly checking the "log me in automatically" box as well, I keep finding that not only does it not log me in automatically, but also seems to randomly log me out mid-session from time to time....

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:13 am

Conor wrote:Maybe it's a star if you've posted in it already?

I think you are right, because out of these 4 topics there are only 2 I've posted in and for those 2 there is a star and the others don't have one.

How do you change your username Conor?

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:21 am

You ask a friendly neighbourhood mod like me.

Craig Beevers · Post by **Craig Beevers** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:29 pm

Corby wrote:No worries Soo, we can all learn together, and then post it in this thread.

Despite repeatedly checking the "log me in automatically" box as well, I keep finding that not only does it not log me in automatically, but also seems to randomly log me out mid-session from time to time....

Ouch.

I was getting logged out virtually each time I visited til I used the actual URL (http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~calr3/c4countdown/index.php) as the favourite link, instead of the masked URL.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:34 pm

Scaly_Piscine wrote:I was getting logged out virtually each time I visited til I used the actual URL (http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~calr3/c4countdown/index.php) as the favourite link, instead of the masked URL.

Cheers Craig, I'll try that instead and see what happens...

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:59 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:You ask a friendly neighbourhood mod like me.

Thank you for changing my username

.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:05 pm

No probs. Anyone else who wants a name change, let me know.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:00 pm

Like with the old C4C, would it be best to have a section for all the Polls posted and a section for any photos people may want to post in here (like the CO-Event albums)?

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:35 am

Corby wrote:No worries Soo, we can all learn together, and then post it in this thread.

Despite repeatedly checking the "log me in automatically" box as well, I keep finding that not only does it not log me in automatically, but also seems to randomly log me out mid-session from time to time....

Or just download mozilla firefox and use that browser instead of internet explorer and it automatically logs in with your username and password every time!

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:16 am

hatton02 wrote:Or just download mozilla firefox and use that browser instead of internet explorer and it automatically logs in with your username and password every time!

But that would upset Microsoft! Craig's fix of using the unmasked URL has worked like a charm anyway, otherwise I might have considered it...

Mary Grylls · Post by **Mary Grylls** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:12 pm

I am having trouble locating the recaps after 22/01. They don't seem to appear in the current recaps section, so where are they?

(As I am computer illiterate, please forgive my stupidity, these recaps must be somewhere, surely?) At least I've been brave enough to try this forum!

Mary

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:52 pm

mary grylls wrote:I am having trouble locating the recaps after 22/01. They don't seem to appear in the current recaps section, so where are they?

(As I am computer illiterate, please forgive my stupidity, these recaps must be somewhere, surely?) At least I've been brave enough to try this forum!

Mary

They haven't been posted yet I believe.

As far as I know, Adam Porter does Wednesdays and Stuart Earl does Thursdays? I don't know though if they have registered in here. If they haven't we may need some new forum recappers?

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:05 pm

Yes, perfectly legitimate question Mary. I think the answer is that Wednesday's recap has not yet been posted (Adam usually posts it at the weekend) and Thursday's has not yet been posted here, but Stuart may do that later today.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 3:42 pm

I've reconfigured it. The full URL (c4countdown.co.uk) is now the one to use and cookies should behave correctly. No other URLs will work, so if you're reading this, you probably figured that out already

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:56 am

Nice one Soo, my initial anger at that old URL not working has now been replaced by joy.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:58 am

Originally c4countdown.co.uk was just a nasty frame wrapper around the ugly URL. This inept system was, I barely need say, organised by one J. Stitcher.

The new setup uses DNS as God intended, so it should work.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:04 am

...although it still doesn't log me in automatically each time I visit. (I haven't had it turf me out mid-session yet though)

Should I clear cookies? Might something still be hanging around that shouldn't be?

(I have no idea how any of this stuff works)

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:14 am

Humm, you can try clearing them, but that's unlikely to be the issue. More likely Internet Explorer has decided that you are too stupid to know which cookies you want to keep, and deletes the "Log me back in" cookie each time you close the browser. If you keep experiencing problems, I'd follow Kirk's suggestion and use a browser that doesn't treat you like a child, rather than trying to work around its shortcomings. Opera also saves usernames and passwords and is a bit more lightweight than Firefox, if that's your thing.

Stuart Earl · Post by **Stuart Earl** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:34 am

I thought Soo was going to post my review of Thursday's game - I did it on his recap writer, but there didn't appear to be a link to the forum so I just left it on the old mailing list site as usual. Can you help, Soo?

Cheers,

Stuart

PS As I compose this message, an array of possible smileys appears on the right - I thought of adding one that looks like me - the closest is possibly the sixth one along - but it bears an even more uncanny resemblance to Stewart Holden...

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:19 pm

Corby wrote:Despite repeatedly checking the "log me in automatically" box as well, I keep finding that not only does it not log me in automatically, but also seems to randomly log me out mid-session from time to time....

I didn't have this problem when the forum was first set up, but now I have to check the "log me in automatically" box with each visit

.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:58 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:I'd follow Kirk's suggestion and use a browser that doesn't treat you like a child

If you think IE "treats me like a child" by supplying me with all the scat porn I can eat, remind me never to ask you to babysit my children...

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:53 pm

People have still been reporting cookie issues, and I've now experienced them myself. I think (hope!) that this is now fixed once and for all, as I've changed some stuff. But do let me know if it's still not fixed.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:27 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:People have still been reporting cookie issues, and I've now experienced them myself. I think (hope!) that this is now fixed once and for all, as I've changed some stuff. But do let me know if it's still not fixed.

I deleted all me board cookies and then signed in again. I then saved this to my favourites and closed the page. I then open up the forum in my favourites and I didn't have to check the automatic log-in box, so for me this has worked

, thank you

. Not sure about others though.

JimBentley · Post by **JimBentley** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:51 pm

I still have to log in manually each visit (have tried the "keep me logged in" checkbox, and deleting cookies and all that shit but it's not making any difference). I use Firefox (version 2.0.0.11, if that helps). Funnily enough, I would always be automatically logged in when the forum was first set up and everyone else was complaining of having to manually log in each time!

Still, it's no big deal really.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:02 pm

jimbentley wrote:I still have to log in manually each visit (have tried the "keep me logged in" checkbox, and deleting cookies and all that shit but it's not making any difference). I use Firefox (version 2.0.0.11, if that helps). Funnily enough, I would always be automatically logged in when the forum was first set up and everyone else was complaining of having to manually log in each time!

Still, it's no big deal really.

I was going to suggest the cookie method I used, because like you, I didn't originally have this problem and I have solved it by deleting cookies. I can only assume then it must be a Firefox thing as I use IE.

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:16 pm

Fuck it, back to the mailing list. It's impossible to log out over there.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:52 am

Say I was to post practice games or Dinos was to do some more Conundrum Challenges etc, where would be the best place to post them?

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:52 am

Probably Countdown - General.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:43 pm

Excellent news - the "Keep me logged in" bug is now fixed! That's several hours of my life I won't get back.

So yeah, you should now be able to click the "keep me logged in" box and stay logged in permanently (or at least for a good few weeks.) Which is good.

Howard Somerset · Post by **Howard Somerset** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:36 pm

At last I've got the "keep logged in" problem sorted on my machine.
In spite of using Firefox, and making sure the "keep logged in " box was ticked, I was still getting logged out if i moved to another tab, even for only five minutes. However, clearing all cookies relating to the c4countdown site, which immediately logged me out, seems to have done the trick. After logging back in and then going out for an hour or so, I came back and was still logged in.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:14 am

Yes, it might well be an idea to clear all your cookies if you're still having problems. Google for instructions if you're not sure how to do that, it's very simple.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:57 pm

Took a little while to find this

. Maybe this should be locked on the first page like with the "Welcome! - Post here first" thread.

Could I still suggest that a separate mini section be created for the practice games and conundrum challenges. It will tidy up the General thread a bit

and make these practice games and conundrums easier to find

.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:18 pm

Joseph Bolas wrote:Took a little while to find this . Maybe this should be locked on the first page like with the "Welcome! - Post here first" thread.

Could I still suggest that a separate mini section be created for the practice games and conundrum challenges. It will tidy up the General thread a bit and make these practice games and conundrums easier to find .

Seconded.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:31 pm

I definitely think the General Thread could do with a tidy up, but it would probably just get messed up again.

EDIT: Also like Dan V suggested, do a separate section for Des Chifres et Des Letres, the ONLY foreign version of Countdown.

Damian E · Post by **Damian E** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:53 pm

I think the whole place could be tidied up easily, just by banning Martin Gardner (will he ever post anything original?) Joseph Bolas (irritating in the extreme), and Jason Larsen (is English your first language?).

There, that's my piece added.Some new subject matter for you. Anything has to better than the 53495th thread on Who is the best Countdowner ever. If i read that one more time i'll spontaneously combust at a petrol station near you.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:19 pm

Damian E wrote:I think the whole place could be tidied up easily, just by banning Martin Gardner (will he ever post anything original?) Joseph Bolas (irritating in the extreme), and Jason Larsen (is English your first language?).

You might find the Friends and Foes feature useful - just click the name of the offending user and click "Add Foe". Then you won't have to read their posts. Maybe we could have a prize at the end of the year for the most-foed user?

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:15 am

Damian E wrote:Joseph Bolas (irritating in the extreme).

To be fair though you probably already thought of me as irritating before this forum was even started

. I am trying my best not to irritate people, but it mustn't be working, sorry.

Damian E · Post by **Damian E** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:09 am

Joseph Bolas wrote:
Damian E wrote:Joseph Bolas (irritating in the extreme).
To be fair though you probably already thought of me as irritating before this forum was even started . I am trying my best not to irritate people, but it mustn't be working, sorry.

I was trying to be sarcastically humorous Joseph. Please don't take it literally. I've leave it to Corby from now on i think

Chris Corby · Post by **Chris Corby** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:33 am

Damian E wrote:
Anything has to better than the 53495th thread on Who is the best Countdowner ever. If i read that one more time i'll spontaneously combust at a petrol station near you.

Damian, you are just miffed because no-one included you in their list. Grapes (sour) or what?

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:36 am

Damian E wrote:
Joseph Bolas wrote:
Damian E wrote:Joseph Bolas (irritating in the extreme).
To be fair though you probably already thought of me as irritating before this forum was even started . I am trying my best not to irritate people, but it mustn't be working, sorry.

I was trying to be sarcastically humorous Joseph. Please don't take it literally. I've leave it to Corby from now on i think

My bad Damian, sorry.

I genuinely thought though that you found me irritating because of my determination to get back on Countdown so I could redeem myself and for the arguments I started, when I found out that others had been successful.

Damian E · Post by **Damian E** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:45 am

Damian, you are just miffed because no-one included you in their list. Grapes (sour) or what?

Haha - very good. I wouldn't be in the Top 40 based on my performances in 1994 or whenever it was, so please don't think this is the case.

However, if the list was compiled based on good-looks, charm, taste and overall sex-appeal, i'd expect to be top otherwise i WOULD be furious.

Mind you, it wouldn't be that hard to acheive, given that the likes of Jono, Corby, Wills and O'Donnell have faces that only a mother could love.

Damian E · Post by **Damian E** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:55 am

I genuinely thought though that you found me irritating because of my determination to get back on Countdown so I could redeem myself and for the arguments I started, when I found out that others had been successful.

Noooo Joseph. Virtually everyone has asked to get back on at some point. It's really not a problem here. We get asked it all the time. There's nothing irritating about this place. Its a great little set-up.

What you have to understand is, myself or Kate or whoever cannot really comment on some of the more critical views about the show, so we read them and either laugh, frown or tut-tut to ourselves. We don't have 100% liberty and freedom to say the things that the rest of you can say - so to balance it out, we always have the option of giving you some stick instead. What could be fairer than that?

David O'Donnell · Post by **David O'Donnell** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:23 am

Damian Eadie wrote:Mind you, it wouldn't be that hard to acheive, given that the likes of Jono, Corby, Wills and O'Donnell have faces that only a mother could love.

Well it was her fault, she was the one who dropped me!

Damian E · Post by **Damian E** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:33 am

Some might say not hard enough David

We'll be seeing you in a few weeks time sir.

David O'Donnell · Post by **David O'Donnell** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:38 am

Damian E wrote:Some might say not hard enough David .

> some

Damian E wrote:We'll be seeing you in a few weeks time sir

Yes, am really looking forward to it.
Yes, am really not looking forward to it.

.... if you know what I mean.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:39 am

Damian E wrote:Some might say not hard enough David

We'll be seeing you in a few weeks time sir.

Spoiler!!!!!!

Damian E · Post by **Damian E** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:42 am

David is an Octo with 880 points - so guaranteed a place in the QF's - which we record in a few weeks time - that's all i meant.

Not sure what i've given away?

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:12 am

Damian E wrote:David is an Octo with 880 points - so guaranteed a place in the QF's - which we record in a few weeks time - that's all i meant.

Not sure what i've given away?

You've disclosed that there are no more than 7 other people with scores of over 880 in this series! Hardly worth watching now.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:53 am

Damian E wrote:
I genuinely thought though that you found me irritating because of my determination to get back on Countdown so I could redeem myself and for the arguments I started, when I found out that others had been successful.
Noooo Joseph. Virtually everyone has asked to get back on at some point. It's really not a problem here. We get asked it all the time. There's nothing irritating about this place. Its a great little set-up.

What you have to understand is, myself or Kate or whoever cannot really comment on some of the more critical views about the show, so we read them and either laugh, frown or tut-tut to ourselves. We don't have 100% liberty and freedom to say the things that the rest of you can say - so to balance it out, we always have the option of giving you some stick instead. What could be fairer than that?

I still can't help but think I went over the top with my rant etc. I don't think anyone else who has tried to get back on Countdown before, has lashed out on one person who was able to get back on, as much as I had. I think I understand now though why you give me a bit of stick.

I just have learn not to take things way too seriously and also learn when someone is joking or being sarcastic etc

.

Howard Somerset · Post by **Howard Somerset** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:00 am

Charlie Reams wrote:
Damian E wrote:David is an Octo with 880 points - so guaranteed a place in the QF's - which we record in a few weeks time - that's all i meant.

Not sure what i've given away?
You've disclosed that there are no more than 7 other people with scores of over 880 in this series! Hardly worth watching now.

Definitely nothing given away by Damien. In fact he could've gone further and said that Michael's also guaranteed a place. Tim has to wait a bit until he's certain of his place.

Counting David Sandbach's first game, I think there are 51 preliminaries still to go (even less if cricket or racing gets in the way), so the greatest number of octochamps still to be found is 6.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:27 am

David O'Donnell wrote:Yes, am really looking forward to it.
Yes, am really not looking forward to it.

.... if you know what I mean.

Damian has spoilt nothing, but this is kinda cryptic. Does this mean DD has been usurped as #1 seed?

By the way Damian, if we were to compile a list that was compiled based on good-looks, charm, taste and overall sex-appeal, then I would definitely have you top

Damian E · Post by **Damian E** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:21 pm

By the way Damian, if we were to compile a list that was compiled based on good-looks, charm, taste and overall sex-appeal, then I would definitely have you top

That's most disturbing Jon.

Martin Gardner · Post by **Martin Gardner** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:55 pm

I have a question, when you're doing an external link like http://www.google.com I know how to do that, but what if I want the name on the screen to appear as something else like just "google" rather than the http before it, etc.

Martin