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Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:04 pm
by Jon Corby
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!)

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:37 pm
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:09 pm
by Jon Corby
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....

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:02 pm
by JimBentley
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:06 pm
by Conor
Maybe it's a star if you've posted in it already?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:10 pm
by JimBentley
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:44 pm
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:55 pm
by Jon Corby
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....

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:13 am
by Joseph Bolas
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?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:21 am
by Charlie Reams
You ask a friendly neighbourhood mod like me.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:29 pm
by Craig Beevers
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:34 pm
by Jon Corby
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... :)

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:59 pm
by Joseph Bolas
Charlie Reams wrote:You ask a friendly neighbourhood mod like me.
Thank you for changing my username :D.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:05 pm
by Charlie Reams
No probs. Anyone else who wants a name change, let me know.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:00 pm
by Joseph Bolas
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)?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:35 am
by Kirk Bevins
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!

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:16 am
by Jon Corby
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...

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:12 pm
by Mary Grylls
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

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:52 pm
by Joseph Bolas
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?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:05 pm
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 3:42 pm
by Charlie Reams
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 :)

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:56 am
by Jon Corby
Nice one Soo, my initial anger at that old URL not working has now been replaced by joy.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:58 am
by Charlie Reams
:) 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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:04 am
by Jon Corby
...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)

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:14 am
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:34 am
by Stuart Earl
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...

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:19 pm
by Joseph Bolas
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 :lol:.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:58 pm
by Jon Corby
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...

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:53 pm
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:27 pm
by Joseph Bolas
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 :D, thank you :D. Not sure about others though.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:51 pm
by JimBentley
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:02 pm
by Joseph Bolas
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:16 pm
by Jon O'Neill
Fuck it, back to the mailing list. It's impossible to log out over there.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:52 am
by Joseph Bolas
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?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:52 am
by Charlie Reams
Probably Countdown - General.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:43 pm
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:36 pm
by Howard Somerset
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. :)

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:14 am
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:57 pm
by Joseph Bolas
Took a little while to find this :lol:. 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 :).

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:18 pm
by Michael Wallace
Joseph Bolas wrote:Took a little while to find this :lol:. 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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:31 pm
by Joseph Bolas
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:53 pm
by Damian E
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:19 pm
by Charlie Reams
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?).
:lol: 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?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:15 am
by Joseph Bolas
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 :oops:. I am trying my best not to irritate people, but it mustn't be working, sorry.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:09 am
by Damian E
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 :oops:. 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 :D

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:33 am
by Chris Corby
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? :x

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:36 am
by Joseph Bolas
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 :oops:. 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 :D
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:45 am
by Damian E
Damian, you are just miffed because no-one included you in their list. Grapes (sour) or what? :x
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. :lol:

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:55 am
by Damian E
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?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:23 am
by David O'Donnell
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! :(

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:33 am
by Damian E
Some might say not hard enough David :mrgreen:

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

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:38 am
by David O'Donnell
Damian E wrote:Some might say not hard enough David :mrgreen: .

> 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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:39 am
by Charlie Reams
Damian E wrote:Some might say not hard enough David :mrgreen:

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

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:42 am
by Damian E
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?

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:12 am
by Charlie Reams
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:53 am
by Joseph Bolas
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 :oops:.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:00 am
by Howard Somerset
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.

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:27 am
by Jon Corby
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? :shock:

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 Image

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:21 pm
by Damian E
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 Image

That's most disturbing Jon. :o

Re: Forum hints & tips

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:55 pm
by Martin Gardner
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