Apterous: not so much fun one way

[Matt Morrison]

As far as I can see from searching the forum no one has had this problem before. But I'm hoping someone has, and can solve it.

Signed up to apterous today, I can probably only manage to log in (to the main java applet, website is fine) once in every 40-50 attempts, but I'm far more concerned about the behaviour once I DO get in:
I seem to be able to RECEIVE games fine. Soon as I got in the first time I played the duel that was waiting for me, and then Charlie challenged me first to a practice and then a proper game. No problems.

However, it all kicks off when I try to START a game, with the following effects:

• The game appears in the 'my challenges' box but never changes from "pending your opponent's response". I have not yet been able to ascertain if the user in question even receives my invite.
• I cannot retract the challenge. The retract button does nothing.
• Clicking on someone's name in the list no longer brings up their user panel (the tab title changes to the name I have clicked, but no details are given, and practise/rated/custom buttons are all greyed out) - see this image for a screenshot explanation
• According to a couple of people I asked in the chat box (which itself has never worked on any of my successful login attempts until this one) my name is removed from the user list.

As far as Java-based evidence, the error list is full of java.net.SocketException, either the Socket closed or the Socket write error flavours.

What a frustrating day, hope someone can help.

[Charlie Reams]

You may have just been playing at some time when the server was acting up anyway. Give it another go later.

[Matt Morrison]

As chat has started working, figured now would be a good time to try starting a game, but it's had the same effect Charlie

If it helps, the error tracker is absolutely jam packed with
KeepaliveThread [Could not send keepalive]: java.net.SocketException: Socket closed

and at about the time I sent the request to A. Caesar:
ClientReceiveThread []: java.net.SocketException: Connection reset
and a few:
KeepaliveThread [Could not send keepalive]: java.net.SocketException: Connection reset by peer: socket write error
(though these are, as above, mixed in between lots of keepalive send errors)

I didn't want to bother anyone with the problem, only posted this thread as a result of trying to get it to work for 2 or 3 hours solid.

[Charlie Reams]

If you get a keepalive error then you've essentially been disconnected from the server, so pretty much nothing will work (except maybe chat.) You need to restart the applet. Yes, this can be pretty annoying if it's taken you 50 attempts to log in.

[Matt Morrison]

...and apparently my name has disappeared from the user list again because of trying to start a game.

This all makes a small part of me wish I hadn't given up on my CompSci BSc solely because of hating Java.
The rest of me sees it as a precise reminder of why I changed course

[Matt Morrison]

Thanks Charlie... that does suck.
BUT I have a funny feeling that I've been getting keepalive errors from the moment I sign in, and I can still play games when someone challenges me.

I'll have to test this later as need a break, off for a walk by the sea.

[Jon Corby]

I'll have to test this later as need a break, off for a walk by the sea.

That sounds kinda ominous. Has Matt been seen since?

[Matt Morrison]

I'll have to test this later as need a break, off for a walk by the sea.

That sounds kinda ominous. Has Matt been seen since?

Luckily I bumped into one of those people that hang around on top of cliffs and persuade you not to commit suicide, so I'm back now.

Unfortunately logged into Apterous and not good.
First thing I did go straight to error tracker, there was already one keepalive error sat there:
KeepaliveThread [Could not send keepalive]: java.net.SocketException: Socket closed

Nevertheless, tried instantly to start a game with a bot but it's the same story, locking the applet up as described visually in my screenshot from before.

Sounds like no one else has suffered this bug/nastiness which doesn't bode well at all.
Having already tried Firefox and IE, I'm more than a little scared.

[Matt Morrison]

Interestingly, in IE, although I still can't start a game (and doing so still locks the whole thing up), there are a couple of differences:

• error tracker is empty
• Retract game does cause the failed game to disappear from the list, but as I say, still can't get into user panels

Not good

[Charlie Reams]

What version of Java are you running? The Java Updater likes to insist that v6 is up to date, but the current version is actually v12 so make sure that's the one you're actually running.

[D Eadie]

I'll have to test this later as need a break, off for a walk by the sea.

That sounds kinda ominous. Has Matt been seen since?

Avoid beachy head at all costs - there's nothing worse than getting sand in your teeth.

[Matt Morrison]

What version of Java are you running? The Java Updater likes to insist that v6 is up to date, but the current version is actually v12 so make sure that's the one you're actually running.

That was the first port of call Charlie, upgraded from 6.10 to 6.12 as soon as I had the initial problems.

I'm down to no options really other than hoping that someday you can have a proper think when you get the chance. That or set up a Remote Assistance request so you can see the behaviour first hand.
I can obviously send data in general (choosing numbers and letters, declaring words, chatting) but sending data to initiate a game breaks everything.
I just have to sit around waiting for people to play me that I have no choice in, and can't play the bots.
And obviously when chat isn't working like now, I can't even request that people challenge me. Sigh.

[Matt Morrison]

Can't even finish a game. I've been bailed out of so many against my own will (in both winning and losing positions).
Have had to reconnect to current game with RB three times (one round the letters didn't even appear, I just got told the word he had declared at the end) and now fourth time trying to reconnect I can't get back in.
It's not fair for me to play anyone if I can't even finish a game. Looks like the end for me

[Jon Corby]

Looks like the end for me

Back to the beach eh?

Nice knowing you.

[Paul Howe]

Matt, sometimes when I log in I have very similar problems to you, yet other times it's fine. Bit of a mystery to me as to what's causing it as it doesn't seem to depend on how many people are online or what computer I use, but if you try sometime else you may have better luck.

[Matt Morrison]

Looks like the end for me

Back to the beach eh?

Nice knowing you.

You don't mean that.
(the 'nice knowing you' bit)

[Matt Morrison]

Matt, sometimes when I log in I have very similar problems to you, yet other times it's fine. Bit of a mystery to me as to what's causing it as it doesn't seem to depend on how many people are online or what computer I use, but if you try sometime else you may have better luck.

Thanks for the sympathetic post Paul! Nice-ish to know that someone has a similar problem occasionally - unfortunately it seems to be permanent for me
Glutton for punishment though so off to try again and see if anything's changed...

[Matt Morrison]

Charlie, if it helps... just learnt from Ben that when I request a game the other user doesn't see anything at all.
So must be down to some call in the request procedure that fucks my Java engine up.

[Jimmy Gough]

I thought I may as well post my apterous problem here. It's kind of strange but I can't load apterous, not even the homepage at all using internet explorer and can only get on to it on Firefox. Anyway, it's been running really slow for me the last couple of days and today it keeps freezing on me and I can't play at all, twice I tried the Daily Duel and had to close it as it had frozen. It seems to be working fine for everybody else and I haven't had any problems with apterous before. Does anybody have any advice?

[Ben Hunter]

It's not working for me either. I can log in and can start a game, but as soon as it comes to declaring words the game stops.

[Adam Dexter]

Mine's pretty much f*cked atm also. I can log in, occasionally, and even start a game if I'm lucky, but when the game starts, my laptop crashes, and takes a while to calm down. Can't get anywhere atm. ARGH

[Matt Morrison]

stop hijacking my thread you shits
this is just a home to be sympathetic to me!

nah, i'm sure you're all just experiencing temporary server problems... whereas mine remain sadly permanent
will give it a few more days of trying then after that i can't really justify playing anymore as the demoralisation and frustration don't lead to playing well

[Chris Davies]

ARGHH! I was playing a Speedgoat and got three consecutives nines with the first numbers game still to come, and I was still on the max of 78 points, and the site's gone down, and I just know that when it goes back up the game will have disappeared

[Charlie Reams]

ARGHH! I was playing a Speedgoat and got three consecutives nines with the first numbers game still to come, and I was still on the max of 78 points, and the site's gone down, and I just know that when it goes back up the game will have disappeared

It may not have done, I'm trying to figure out whether there's a power cut (bad news) or just an Internet failure (good news) at Apterous Towers. Unfortunately my technical support engineer (also known as my mom) isn't answering the phone.

[Chris Davies]

ARGHH! I was playing a Speedgoat and got three consecutives nines with the first numbers game still to come, and I was still on the max of 78 points, and the site's gone down, and I just know that when it goes back up the game will have disappeared

It may not have done, I'm trying to figure out whether there's a power cut (bad news) or just an Internet failure (good news) at Apterous Towers. Unfortunately my technical support engineer (also known as my mom) isn't answering the phone.

The game was fine in the end.

[Jon Corby]

ARGHH! I was playing a Speedgoat and got three consecutives nines with the first numbers game still to come, and I was still on the max of 78 points, and the site's gone down, and I just know that when it goes back up the game will have disappeared

It may not have done, I'm trying to figure out whether there's a power cut (bad news) or just an Internet failure (good news) at Apterous Towers. Unfortunately my technical support engineer (also known as my mom) isn't answering the phone.

The game was fine in the end.

My game disappeared though, where I had a complete run of darren 9s and tricky 6 small solutions in a 3 second goat against Rex. I'd just buzzed in to solve the conundrum to claim victory too