Forum Glitches? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Inziladun · 11-07-2009, 03:20 PM

It's possible (or probable) I've gone totally mad, but I'm almost certain my post count has dropped by about 20 posts today.
Not only that, but when I today reported two spam threads, which in my understanding is done by e-mail, I saw my post count rise by a corresponding number!
How very odd.

Morsul the Dark · 11-07-2009, 07:31 PM

You get a second chance to do your 2000th post.

Maybe a mod deleted an old thread which had your posts?

Inziladun · 11-07-2009, 08:33 PM

If reporting posts counts as a post for me, then those posts I reported were deleted, that would explain it, I guess.
I've never noticed the phenomenon before, though.

***Mister Underhill*** · 11-07-2009, 11:19 PM

Observant wights don't miss a trick!

In fact, since we set up the infraction system that lets us easily ban spammers, the forum has been set to automatically generate both Reported Post and Infraction Notification threads in the moderator's forum. It's been over two years, I think, so consequently we had a few hundred threads junking up the forum. In recent months, spammers have become such a nuisance that normal threads are quickly buried under these automatic threads.

When I realized yesterday that I had missed a couple of threads that could have used my attention because of this, I did indeed go and do a mass deletion. I did some rebuilding of stats, but I didn't realize that it would affect post counts. Sorry about the reduction, but consider it a badge of honor for being such a sharp-eyed spam-hunter.

Inziladun · 11-07-2009, 11:23 PM

Thanks for the clarification, Mister U. And spambot hunting is a fun pastime.

Inziladun · 02-24-2013, 07:35 PM

Has anyone else found the Calendar to be stuck on Dec. 2012? It simply won't advance from that for me.

Galadriel55 · 02-24-2013, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Has anyone else found the Calendar to be stuck on Dec. 2012? It simply won't advance from that for me.

It's been stuck like that since... well, I dunno. But I remember trying sometime in December to open the January calendar, and it didn't work, and hasn't been working ever since. So now I can't predict how many Downer birthdays there'll be the following week.

Morsul the Dark · 02-24-2013, 10:37 PM

I think it's proof the world did end in december we just aren't aware.

I've been watching twilight zone pretty much exclusively for the past two weeks...

Morthoron · 04-11-2013, 08:49 AM

For several days I've had repeating lines of error messages appearing at the top of the forum page (above The Barrow Downs logo). They read:

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/barrowwight/public_html/forum.barrow/includes/class_core.php on line 2381

The lines of error messages (about 10) do not interfere with options on the board or posting. It just looks messy. And I don't like to feel "deprecated".

P.S. In re options on the board working: I'll take that back. Everyone's avatars are missing.

Bêthberry · 04-11-2013, 10:31 AM

This current problem is being discussed here: Yikes! Deprecation!!.

Inziladun · 12-18-2013, 05:19 PM

I'm very interested to know if this has happened to anyone else.

Twice today (using two different computers) when clicking on links within the forum, I've been sent to, let's say, adult web pages.

I have no idea why this may be happening, but I wanted to make Admin aware.

Aganzir · 12-18-2013, 05:38 PM

It happened to me! One more reason not to visit the Downs at work (not that I didn't recently google Teleporno there to help out Lush on facebook).

In case the information is useful, the thread that took me to find an adult friend (none of them quite my type, thank you) was this, although I don't think it's a thread-specific problem.

Inziladun · 12-18-2013, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aganzir

It happened to me! One more reason not to visit the Downs at work (not that I didn't recently google Teleporno there to help out Lush on facebook).

In case the information is useful, the thread that took me to find an adult friend (none of them quite my type, thank you) was this, although I don't think it's a thread-specific problem.

I got the same page while clicking User CP, so it apparently has nothing to do with any particular thread or link. Bizarre.

Aganzir · 12-18-2013, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I got the same page while clicking User CP, so it apparently has nothing to do with any particular thread or link. Bizarre.

Ah maybe the forum is developing artificial intelligence and thinks you need more friends.

Inziladun · 12-18-2013, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aganzir

Ah maybe the forum is developing artificial intelligence and thinks you need more friends.

It must have a similar opinion of you, in that case.

Aganzir · 12-18-2013, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

It must have a similar opinion of you, in that case.

I interpret it the way that it thinks Adult Friend Finder is another name for the Desolation of Smaug (while in your case it was your User CP

). I must admit though that the dwarves are not very good at making friends anywhere...

Inziladun · 12-18-2013, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aganzir

I must admit though that the dwarves are not very good at making friends anywhere...

Which leads us here. Despite the sometime sordidness of the 'net, all roads lead to Tolkien.

Aganzir · 12-18-2013, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Which leads us here. Despite the sometime sordidness of the 'net, all roads lead to Tolkien.

I'm not sure if we should be proud or ashamed for finding a connection between a nekkid people site and Tolkien this quickly. Either way, I'm amused.

Kuruharan · 12-18-2013, 08:24 PM

I just had something similar happen to me when I tried to log in.

I blame Nerwen! This has to be somehow related to the spambot werewolf game she is running!

Inziladun · 12-18-2013, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aganzir

I'm not sure if we should be proud or ashamed for finding a connection between a nekkid people site and Tolkien this quickly. Either way, I'm amused.

And in a situation like that, amusement is a good reaction. Some things you just have to laugh at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

I blame Nerwen! This has to be somehow related to the spambot werewolf game she is running!

It is a funny coincidence, now you mention it.

Perhaps, Kuru, you should take it as a sign you should join in the WW madness.

Mithalwen · 12-19-2013, 12:28 PM

I got sent to a filter on grounds of pornography yesterday and was a little surprised but wondered if it was oversensitive to a description of the film on the desolation thread.

Inziladun · 12-19-2013, 04:36 PM

I haven't had it happen today. Hopefully it was just a fluke.

Oddwen · 12-19-2013, 10:52 PM

Funny, I thought this was a dating site.

I was redirected to a different page when I tried to see the new posts for the day, but as I recall it had something to do with buses. It was a couple of days ago and hasn't happened since.

***Mister Underhill*** · 12-20-2013, 01:36 PM

Blimey!

I haven't experienced this particular peculiarity. Continue to post as much detailed information as possible if there are more occurrences. What links were you clicking when you were redirected? Is this happening to you with sites other than the Downs? Were you using a Windows product, an Apple, a phone, something else?

To be on the safe side, I'd suggest that anyone who's experienced a redirect should run virus and/or spam scans -- there's a chance that the problem is on your computer rather than the site.

Right now the best thing is simply to gather as much information as possible.

Inziladun · 12-20-2013, 02:31 PM

Mister U, I had it happen on two different desktop computers, both using Google Chrome. The first time I was clicking User CP. I don't remember what I clicked the second time, but I think it was a thread in The Books.

I haven't experienced it since those two occurrences, and it hasn't happened on any other site.

Aganzir · 12-20-2013, 02:57 PM

It just happened to me again, and it was the same site. This time I was trying to access the Desolation thread, and it has happened twice with the Downs but with no other site. I use Firefox on Ubuntu Linux.

Although the fact that only Inzil and I seem to have been redirected there supports Pitchwife's theory that we are really the same person.

Inziladun · 12-20-2013, 03:06 PM

Just happened again, on User CP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aganzir

Although the fact that only Inzil and I seem to have been redirected there supports Pitchwife's theory that we are really the same person.

If I was going to have an alter ego, I think that would be spot on.

Galadriel55 · 12-20-2013, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

If I was going to have an alter ego, I think that would be spot on.

Two different computers, did you say? *scribbles in notebook*

I don't know what's going on; I check the Downs daily from my HP (Windows, Explorer), and nothing extraordinary ever happened.

Usually it's me that gets the random glitches.

Mithalwen · 12-21-2013, 05:43 AM

I think I was using my Samsung Tab...

Mithalwen · 12-21-2013, 06:32 AM

OK I typed www.barrowdowns.com into the address bar of library computer and got this:

There is a problem with this website's security certificate.

The security certificate presented by this website was issued for a different website's address.

Security certificate problems may indicate an attempt to fool you or intercept any data you send to the server.
We recommend that you close this webpage and do not continue to this website.
Click here to close this webpage.
Continue to this website (not recommended).
More information

I did continue since it wasn't my computer (bad Mith) and got taken to a different site. Highspeedweb.com though still showing barrowdowns on address bar until I clicked internal links.
I got in by googling Mithalwen...

and following that link.

Mithalwen · 12-21-2013, 09:39 AM

Filter on the cloud picked
Upand barred the friend finder when I tried to log on fom the tablet.

Oddwen · 12-21-2013, 12:31 PM

I was just redirected to:

http://96h4xfchcbf6iklvmlly3mp51654e...com/index2.php

From clicking on "Active Topics" from my usercp. Firefox 26.0 running on Windows 7.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 12-21-2013, 02:20 PM

Okay, it just happened to me as well (been on the 'Downs couple of times since this was reported here, but had no idea what it was about until today). It happened after I tried to go to the Books subforum from the main forum page. With this variety among people to whom this has happened, I sincerely doubt it has anything to do with our own computers. I was using Google Chrome on Windows Vista, for that matter.

***Mister Underhill*** · 12-21-2013, 04:22 PM

Thanks for the info, guys. I agree with Legate that whatever's going on seems to be happening on our side. The Barrow-wight is the Master of the Server, so he'll have to be summoned/roused before we can resolve the issue.

Kuruharan · 12-21-2013, 08:17 PM

Just to give more info: I was redirected to some site that seemed to purport to be selling german shepherds...I say seemed because McAfee stopped my browser from going there.

This happened when I logged in.

I am using Firefox with Windows 7.

Nerwen · 12-22-2013, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

And in a situation like that, amusement is a good reaction. Some things you just have to laugh at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuruhuran

I just had something similar happen to me when I tried to log in.

I blame Nerwen! This has to be somehow related to the spambot werewolf game she is running!

It is a funny coincidence, now you mention it.

Perhaps, Kuru, you should take it as a sign you should join in the WW madness.

I’m still recruiting, you know...

satansaloser2005 · 12-23-2013, 10:44 AM

Well then. It's just happened to me again. At least I know it's not my computer, which is a comfort. Blasted technology, right?

I use Chrome on both of my Windows 7 machines, and both times I was redirected, it was from clicking on a different topic (Paper Telephone and something in the Announcements section).

Inziladun · 12-24-2013, 09:13 AM

It just happened to me again, User CP.

Morsul the Dark · 12-24-2013, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I'm very interested to know if this has happened to anyone else.

Twice today (using two different computers) when clicking on links within the forum, I've been sent to, let's say, adult web pages.

I have no idea why this may be happening, but I wanted to make Admin aware.

Was about to report this... happened in front of my wife, thank god you posted this because it wasn't easy explaining I was looking for Tolkien stuff...

Inziladun · 12-25-2013, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morsul the Dark

Was about to report this... happened in front of my wife, thank god you posted this because it wasn't easy explaining I was looking for Tolkien stuff...

Heh, that's even worse than having to tell the IT guy at work! I've been more worried about viruses than browsing history woes, but so far, so good.

11-07-2009, 03:20 PM	#1
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	Forum Glitches? It's possible (or probable) I've gone totally mad, but I'm almost certain my post count has dropped by about 20 posts today. Not only that, but when I today reported two spam threads, which in my understanding is done by e-mail, I saw my post count rise by a corresponding number! How very odd. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-07-2009, 07:31 PM	#2
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	You get a second chance to do your 2000th post. Maybe a mod deleted an old thread which had your posts? __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

11-07-2009, 08:33 PM	#3
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	If reporting posts counts as a post for me, then those posts I reported were deleted, that would explain it, I guess. I've never noticed the phenomenon before, though. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-07-2009, 11:23 PM	#5
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	Thanks for the clarification, Mister U. And spambot hunting is a fun pastime. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

02-24-2013, 07:35 PM	#6
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	Has anyone else found the Calendar to be stuck on Dec. 2012? It simply won't advance from that for me. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-07-2009, 11:19 PM	#4
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,743	Observant wights don't miss a trick! In fact, since we set up the infraction system that lets us easily ban spammers, the forum has been set to automatically generate both Reported Post and Infraction Notification threads in the moderator's forum. It's been over two years, I think, so consequently we had a few hundred threads junking up the forum. In recent months, spammers have become such a nuisance that normal threads are quickly buried under these automatic threads. When I realized yesterday that I had missed a couple of threads that could have used my attention because of this, I did indeed go and do a mass deletion. I did some rebuilding of stats, but I didn't realize that it would affect post counts. Sorry about the reduction, but consider it a badge of honor for being such a sharp-eyed spam-hunter.

02-24-2013, 10:37 PM	#8
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	I think it's proof the world did end in december we just aren't aware. I've been watching twilight zone pretty much exclusively for the past two weeks... __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

04-11-2013, 08:49 AM	#9
Morthoron Curmudgeonly Wordwraith Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ensconced in curmudgeonly pursuits Posts: 2,508	For several days I've had repeating lines of error messages appearing at the top of the forum page (above The Barrow Downs logo). They read: Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/barrowwight/public_html/forum.barrow/includes/class_core.php on line 2381 The lines of error messages (about 10) do not interfere with options on the board or posting. It just looks messy. And I don't like to feel "deprecated". P.S. In re options on the board working: I'll take that back. Everyone's avatars are missing. __________________ And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision.

04-11-2013, 10:31 AM	#10
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,996	This current problem is being discussed here: Yikes! Deprecation!!. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

12-18-2013, 05:19 PM	#11
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	I'm very interested to know if this has happened to anyone else. Twice today (using two different computers) when clicking on links within the forum, I've been sent to, let's say, adult web pages. I have no idea why this may be happening, but I wanted to make Admin aware. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

12-18-2013, 05:38 PM	#12
Aganzir Woman of Secret Shadow Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: in hollow halls beneath the fells Posts: 4,511	It happened to me! One more reason not to visit the Downs at work (not that I didn't recently google Teleporno there to help out Lush on facebook). In case the information is useful, the thread that took me to find an adult friend (none of them quite my type, thank you) was this, although I don't think it's a thread-specific problem. __________________ He bit me, and I was not gentle.

12-18-2013, 08:24 PM	#19
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,589	I just had something similar happen to me when I tried to log in. I blame Nerwen! This has to be somehow related to the spambot werewolf game she is running! __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

12-19-2013, 12:28 PM	#21
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,455	I got sent to a filter on grounds of pornography yesterday and was a little surprised but wondered if it was oversensitive to a description of the film on the desolation thread. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

12-19-2013, 04:36 PM	#22
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	I haven't had it happen today. Hopefully it was just a fluke. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

12-19-2013, 10:52 PM	#23
Oddwen Drummer in the Deep Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Next Sunday A.D. Posts: 2,145	Funny, I thought this was a dating site. I was redirected to a different page when I tried to see the new posts for the day, but as I recall it had something to do with buses. It was a couple of days ago and hasn't happened since. __________________ But all the while I sit and think of times there were before I listen for returning feet and voices at the door

12-20-2013, 01:36 PM	#24
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,743	Blimey! I haven't experienced this particular peculiarity. Continue to post as much detailed information as possible if there are more occurrences. What links were you clicking when you were redirected? Is this happening to you with sites other than the Downs? Were you using a Windows product, an Apple, a phone, something else? To be on the safe side, I'd suggest that anyone who's experienced a redirect should run virus and/or spam scans -- there's a chance that the problem is on your computer rather than the site. Right now the best thing is simply to gather as much information as possible.

12-20-2013, 02:31 PM	#25
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	Mister U, I had it happen on two different desktop computers, both using Google Chrome. The first time I was clicking User CP. I don't remember what I clicked the second time, but I think it was a thread in The Books. I haven't experienced it since those two occurrences, and it hasn't happened on any other site. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

12-20-2013, 02:57 PM	#26
Aganzir Woman of Secret Shadow Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: in hollow halls beneath the fells Posts: 4,511	It just happened to me again, and it was the same site. This time I was trying to access the Desolation thread, and it has happened twice with the Downs but with no other site. I use Firefox on Ubuntu Linux. Although the fact that only Inzil and I seem to have been redirected there supports Pitchwife's theory that we are really the same person. __________________ He bit me, and I was not gentle.

12-21-2013, 05:43 AM	#29
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,455	I think I was using my Samsung Tab... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

12-21-2013, 06:32 AM	#30
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,455	OK I typed www.barrowdowns.com into the address bar of library computer and got this: There is a problem with this website's security certificate. The security certificate presented by this website was issued for a different website's address. Security certificate problems may indicate an attempt to fool you or intercept any data you send to the server. We recommend that you close this webpage and do not continue to this website. Click here to close this webpage. Continue to this website (not recommended). More information I did continue since it wasn't my computer (bad Mith) and got taken to a different site. Highspeedweb.com though still showing barrowdowns on address bar until I clicked internal links. I got in by googling Mithalwen... and following that link. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace Last edited by Mithalwen; 12-21-2013 at 06:36 AM.

12-21-2013, 09:39 AM	#31
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,455	Filter on the cloud picked Upand barred the friend finder when I tried to log on fom the tablet. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

12-21-2013, 12:31 PM	#32
Oddwen Drummer in the Deep Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Next Sunday A.D. Posts: 2,145	I was just redirected to: http://96h4xfchcbf6iklvmlly3mp51654e...com/index2.php From clicking on "Active Topics" from my usercp. Firefox 26.0 running on Windows 7. __________________ But all the while I sit and think of times there were before I listen for returning feet and voices at the door

12-21-2013, 02:20 PM	#33
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	Okay, it just happened to me as well (been on the 'Downs couple of times since this was reported here, but had no idea what it was about until today). It happened after I tried to go to the Books subforum from the main forum page. With this variety among people to whom this has happened, I sincerely doubt it has anything to do with our own computers. I was using Google Chrome on Windows Vista, for that matter. __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories

12-21-2013, 04:22 PM	#34
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,743	Thanks for the info, guys. I agree with Legate that whatever's going on seems to be happening on our side. The Barrow-wight is the Master of the Server, so he'll have to be summoned/roused before we can resolve the issue.

12-21-2013, 08:17 PM	#35
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,589	Just to give more info: I was redirected to some site that seemed to purport to be selling german shepherds...I say seemed because McAfee stopped my browser from going there. This happened when I logged in. I am using Firefox with Windows 7. __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

12-23-2013, 10:44 AM	#37
satansaloser2005 The Sweetest Spoiler Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: from beneath you it giggles incessantly Posts: 5,789	Well then. It's just happened to me again. At least I know it's not my computer, which is a comfort. Blasted technology, right? I use Chrome on both of my Windows 7 machines, and both times I was redirected, it was from clicking on a different topic (Paper Telephone and something in the Announcements section). __________________ "My heart always cowers behind the defense of my wit." Friendship is two pals munching on a well-cooked face together. Fenris bookworm.

12-24-2013, 09:13 AM	#38
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	It just happened to me again, User CP. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.