Login problem and lack of reply notifications - non-forum part of site

[mikecorbeil]

Lack of reply notification

Is there a way to enable notifications for replies to comments in the reviews part of the website? It'd be very useful to be able to be notified when people respond to user comments there. I'd definitely find it useful anyway.

Some web sites, like TopDocumentaryFilms.com, f.e., permit users to simply enable an option at the bottom of video pages to be notified by e-mail when people post more comments, and this also is sometimes useful.

Login problem

There's a faulty, flawed or incorrect dependency hook for logins in the forums and reviews parts of this website. And this seems to be related to the login "remember me" checkbox being enabled, which is what I either left or set it at yesterday.

The following scenario is what I actually did this afternoon.

Scenario:

I rebooted Windows and started up Firefox with all prior active (Web) logins eliminated upon the prior exit of Firefox. Then I opened a new tab and loaded the reviews page for "Best Free Office Suite", but it did not show me as logged in, so I went through the login process, which did not report any login problem. I then reloaded the review(s) page, but it showed the non-logged in status again. Then I tried to basically force-create a post using my replacing the username of "Anonymous" with my username here and specified the e-mail address registered in my account here, but the comment server rejected this. It said that there was already a user with my username here (me).

Then I tried reloading the review page again and the login status didn't change, so I opened a tab for the forums to check what the login status would be there and it showed that the login was active; as it should, due to the login "remember me" option. I went back to the review page and reloaded it to see if the login status might change and it didn't. It was still inactive. So I went back to the tab open to the forums, logged out there, then logged back in to the web site, after which I reloaded the reviews page. The reviews page now showed that my login status was active.

Reworded in list format:

*) User selects the login "remember me" option for logging in to or at the forums here; theoretically eliminating the need to go through the login process every time the user wants to post.

*) The user starts a new Firefox session and goes to the forums, where the user is automatically logged in.

*) But if instead of going to the forums, the user goes to another part of the web site, then the user's login status is not enabled or active, that is, the "remember me" login option doesn't carry over; it's restricted to the forums section.

*) To be able to login to the non-forums part of the web site, the user must first go to the forums section, where the user is automatically logged in, log out there, and then log back in to the web site. Then the user is recognized as logged in in both the forums and reviews sections of the web site.

This problem does not occur if a user does not enable the "remember me" login checkbox, but I don't see a security problem with enabling it for a web site like this one and it's convenient to have this login option enabled (in a very safe web site and if a user's system is kept clean of spywares, only). But it's a bit of a nuisance that this user login option does not carry over to the non-forums section of the web site.

I think user logins and their choices for automatic "remember me" login should apply and can be made to apply to the whole web site, all parts of it where users can post anyway.

An alternative might be totally separate logins for both parts of the web site, I guess; totally separate, without any "screwy" dependency hooks.

But I'd prefer to simply have the "remember me" login option simultaneously (say) recognized in both parts of the web site, because it's a safe web site and I use all parts of it. This would be my preference for this web site and other very safe ones as well, anyway.

I would not use "remember me" for e-mail account Web sites and plenty of other Web sites, but a site like this one should not be a problem; especially if a user keeps his or her system clean of spywares and mine is clean.

[Anupam]

Sorry, but there is no option to notify you about new comments, or replies to comments. You will have to check the comments manually.

As for the other part of your query, about login problems... the problems will be eliminated if you login on the main site first. If you login on the main site first, in addition to getting logged in on main site, you will be automatically logged on to the forum too.

This has been mentioned here too :

http://www.techsupportalert.com/free...read-this.html

There are some additional steps in the above thread, but these had to be taken before. Now, there will be no need of additional steps, just the 1st and 2nd will suffice.

The software for main site and the forum differ, and therefore its a little difficult to bind these two to make them work together. Because of this, you may come across such problems as you explained in your posts. But this can be avoided by following what I have suggested in this post. There is nothing faulty, or flawed here. The best has been done to make the two software work together.

[mikecorbeil]

Originally Posted by Anupam

Sorry, but there is no option to notify you about new comments, or replies to comments. You will have to check the comments manually.

Then it should be possible to provide a "Watch" or "Subscribe to page" link like at the bottom of review pages so that users who want to know when posts are added will be notified by e-mail. Like I said, there are Web sites that provide this very simple feature, so it's definitely possible.

As for the other part of your query, about login problems... the problems will be eliminated if you login on the main site first. If you login on the main site first, in addition to getting logged in on main site, you will be automatically logged on to the forum too.

... (snipped)

BETTER would be totally separate logins then.

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by mikecorbeil

Then it should be possible to provide a "Watch" or "Subscribe to page" link like at the bottom of review pages so that users who want to know when posts are added will be notified by e-mail. Like I said, there are Web sites that provide this very simple feature, so it's definitely possible.

This feature is not available on our site, sorry.

Originally Posted by mikecorbeil

BETTER would be totally separate logins then.

The present system works fine. Its better this way. Creating separate logins would be an additional trouble. With the present system, only a login to the main site first, is required. That takes care of login on both the site, and the forum.

Logging on to the main site first, is a very simple step. It should not be too difficult to perform.

[mikecorbeil]

Originally Posted by Anupam

... (snip)

The present system works fine. Its better this way. Creating separate logins would be an additional trouble. With the present system, only a login to the main site first, is required. That takes care of login on both the site, and the forum.

Logging on to the main site first, is a very simple step. It should not be too difficult to perform.

I know it's a very simple step, but nothing your post says eliminates the fact that the two servers are inappropriately coupled. That coupling should not exist since it does not work. It evidently works when logging in on the main part of the Web site, but not the other way around and there should be a way to eliminate this faulty reverse (say) coupling.

But I suppose there isn't a way to correct that in the server system software. And I suppose that that means it's faulty server system software; a little faulty.

Adding a "Watch" or "Subscribe" link at the bottom of review pages in the main part of the Web site, however, should be easy to do. Not MANY, but nevertheless enough Web sites have provided this link for plenty of years now.

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by mikecorbeil

I know it's a very simple step, but nothing your post says eliminates the fact that the two servers are inappropriately coupled. That coupling should not exist.

Please do not debate the matter unnecessarily, and extend this further, as this debate is of no use, and its not going to change our login procedure.

First of all, these are not two servers, but two software systems on which the main site, and forum is built. Coupling between the two is necessary, because both are part of one site. It eases thing for the members because they do not have to create two logins for the main site, and the forum. We won't change things because just one member is unsatisfied with it. This system has been employed keeping in mind the convenience of the members, and it has been working well. We do not intend to change it.

As I said, its a simple matter of logging on to the main site first. Please do not debate the mater, and make it more complex, than it is.

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by mikecorbeil

But I suppose there isn't a way to correct that in the server system software. And I suppose that that means it's faulty server system software; a little faulty.

Adding a "Watch" or "Subscribe" link at the bottom of review pages in the main part of the Web site, however, should be easy to do. Not MANY, but nevertheless enough Web sites have provided this link for plenty of years now.

mikecorbeil, please do not make this issue into an unnecessary debate of "I am right, and you are wrong". If you think the present system is faulty, so you are free to think that way. We certainly do not think of it that way. For us, this is a system which works, and is convenient for the members.

We are not concerned about other sites. If there is a way that the feature can be provided, then we will look into it.