c4countdown

The official guide!

How to tell if Apterous is down
Try to log in.
If you cannot log in (for any reason), go to http://apterous.org/browsegames.php .
If there are no completed games in the last half hour, then in all probability the site is down.

Here is what to do when Apterous is down
If you have my number, please send me a text, specifying the time of the last game.
If you don't have my number, please contact someone who does. Ben, Jono or Howard are usually good places to start.
If you are unable/unwilling to text me, ask someone else to do it.
Please DO NOT under any circumstances send me an email or PM, and do not post it as a bug. It's completely pointless because if I'm at a computer I'll already be working to resolve the problem, and messaging me just serves to distract me from that.
Now sit back and relax. I'll soon be along to resolve the problem.

If Apterous is not down but you are unable to log in
Please email me (charlie@apterous.org) with at least the following details:
Operating system and Internet browser you're using;
Whether you have ever managed to log in successfully with your current computer and network setup;
What stage of the login process you manage to reach.
I'll help you out at the earliest opportunity.

Shouldn't this be a sticky?

Alec Rivers wrote:Shouldn't this be a sticky?

I think it is, Alec. Exclamation mark inside triangle indicates sticky.

Charlie Reams wrote:Ben, Jono or Howard are usually good places to start.

To get hold of me, text is by far the best, if you know the number. Otherwise, PM here at the forum, as it'll initiate an email to me.

Howard Somerset wrote:

Alec Rivers wrote:Shouldn't this be a sticky?

I think it is, Alec. Exclamation mark inside triangle indicates sticky.

I only wondered cos I saw it dropping down the Active Topics list.

Alec Rivers wrote:

Howard Somerset wrote:

Alec Rivers wrote:Shouldn't this be a sticky?

I think it is, Alec. Exclamation mark inside triangle indicates sticky.

I only wondered cos I saw it dropping down the Active Topics list.

There are six stickies in this Apterous forum, so it'll stay in the highest six.

Howard Somerset wrote:

Alec Rivers wrote:I only wondered cos I saw it dropping down the Active Topics list.

There are six stickies in this Apterous forum, so it'll stay in the highest six.

Don't know if the different skins treat stickies differently, but anyway in the prosilver skin stickies don't stay near the top of the View Active Topics list (unless they're, like, active).

Phil Reynolds wrote:Don't know if the different skins treat stickies differently, but anyway in the prosilver skin stickies don't stay near the top of the View Active Topics list (unless they're, like, active).

They don't on AeroGreen either, but if you prefer to read the forum subforum by subforum then it's fine.

1. Text Charlie
2. Look at dirty videos online

Jon Corby wrote: 2. Look at dirty videos online

I assume you mean like this.

Stickies do not have any special status in View Active Topics.

Ok, my reference to exclamation mark within yellow triangle only referred to the green skin (with other skins they're indicated differently). But now having looked at the Apterous forum using all three available skins, the six stickies in this forum are always listed as the top six items.

Howard Somerset wrote:having looked at the Apterous forum using all three available skins, the six stickies in this forum are always listed as the top six items.

Yes, but Alec's question wasn't about the Apterous forum view - it was about the (board-wide) active topics list.

Phil Reynolds wrote:

Howard Somerset wrote:having looked at the Apterous forum using all three available skins, the six stickies in this forum are always listed as the top six items.

Yes, but Alec's question wasn't about the Apterous forum view - it was about the (board-wide) active topics list.

This. But thanks, all, I now get it.

As some will have noticed, apterous is down. I've alerted Charlie, who is investigating.

Edit: While you're waiting, why not register for Co:Lon? Only a handful of places remaining. (fsvo 'handful')

Resurrect this thread.

bump

It's not down BTW, just people keep asking "what do we do?".

http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/www.apterous.org

Bugger.

Ian Volante wrote:http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/www.apterous.org

Bugger.

Was wondering if it was just me. Must bookmark that site.

Joseph Krol wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/www.apterous.org

Bugger.

Was wondering if it was just me. Must bookmark that site.

Bat signal sent.

Charlie, this topic is helpful so thanks for telling us what to do when Apterous is down...but what do we do when c4countdown is down? It was down a few days ago and no one - or at least no one who was on Apterous at the time and saw me asking the question in the chat thing - knew what to do, so it'd be really helpful if you did a topic like this but for when c4c is down if possible.

Soph K wrote:but what do we do when c4countdown is down?

For obvious reasons it's not possible to have a thread for when c4c is down.

Here are my suggestions (in no particular order):
Go outside and get some fresh air and exercise
Play on apterous
Read the Online Children's Digital Library
Play an instrument
Make something creative / artistic
Engage with your friends
Research some of the terms you haven't understood on here
Help your parents with some chores
Visit an elderly relative or neighbour
Visit the library / local museum
Visit a local park
Learn a new language (to demonstrate your skills on apterous, if you like, or something like Back slang to use with your friends is always entertaining)
Design a (fictional) new layout for your bedroom, using stuff from catalogues
Cook something
Take an old item of clothing and give it an overhaul with buttons / accessories etc.
Read the stuff on your shelf you've neglected - you'd be surprised
Work out a dance routine to a favourite piece of music
Weed the garden
Practise your sports moves
Clean out your pets
Clean your room
Learn a new skill altogether like playing chess, knitting, or sign language
Go out exploring your local area on your bike and work out new routes to regular places
Find out which of your felt tips work, and chuck out the rest
Learn to do wheelies
Play with some of your toys and games
Try to identify all of the plants / bugs in your garden (if you discover a new species let us know)
Write a story / poem (you don't need to let us know that one)

This list is not exhaustive - there are lots of other things to do but that's the easiest 10-year-old stylie free stuff I can think of straight off the top of my head.

Lesley Hines wrote:

Soph K wrote:but what do we do when c4countdown is down?

For obvious reasons it's not possible to have a thread for when c4c is down.

Here are my suggestions (in no particular order):
<snip>

Wow, Lesley. Do you offer your services as a life coach?

Mike Brown wrote:

Lesley Hines wrote:

Soph K wrote:but what do we do when c4countdown is down?

For obvious reasons it's not possible to have a thread for when c4c is down.

Here are my suggestions (in no particular order):
<snip>

Wow, Lesley. Do you offer your services as a life coach?

Meh, I remember being 10 without the internet

To Lesley's excellent list I'd just add Guy Garvey's achingly nostalgic words: build a rocket, boys!

Lesley Hines wrote: Meh, I remember being 10 without the internet

I remember being 10 without a telephone. And, no, I don't mean that I didn't have a mobile of my own when I was 10, I mean that we, as a family, did not even have a landline phone.

Excellent list Lesley. The only thing I'd change is that I'd put the cleaning out of the pets a bit higher up (because I bet that job is left to mum most of the time).

Haha cheers. I grew up in a house where the words "I'm bored" would guarantee you having a polishing cloth / broom / mop etc. placed quickly in your hands, so it was much easier to find yourself something useful to do. Why Don't You? Annual FTW!

Ditto!

In fact, we had an allotment and when we weren't working on that, we would be shelling peas, slicing beans or, worst of all, peeling shallots! That seems to be how we spent our summer holidays. Of course, we were 'home alone'. Nothing wrong with me being looked after by my elder brothers (although the oldest worked wild-oat roguing during the holidays from the age of about 14 or 15) in those days.

Oh, and we weren't allowed to watch TV. But we did and luckily had a dog who could recognise the sound of dad's car (he worked unpredictable hours) so we could turn it off before he came in. But we had friends whose dad used to check the back of the TV to see if it was warm so they couldn't risk watching it at all!

(Am aware that I am now starting to sound somewhat Python-esque!)

Karen Pearson wrote:Nothing wrong with me being looked after by my elder brothers ... in those days.

Is there something wrong with being looked after by one's older brothers in these days?

Michael Wallace wrote:

Karen Pearson wrote:Nothing wrong with me being looked after by my elder brothers ... in those days.

Is there something wrong with being looked after by one's older brothers in these days?

Well, didn't some woman get a police caution for leaving one child in the care of a 14 year old recently? My middle brother was probably between 11 and 14 at the time I'm thinking of.

Karen Pearson wrote:

Michael Wallace wrote:

Karen Pearson wrote:Nothing wrong with me being looked after by my elder brothers ... in those days.

Is there something wrong with being looked after by one's older brothers in these days?

Well, didn't some woman get a police caution for leaving one child in the care of a 14 year old recently? My middle brother was probably between 11 and 14 at the time I'm thinking of.

O rite. Although from poking the Internet it was a 14 year old in care of a 3 year old, which seems a little bit iffy to me (but then again, I am not a parent, so maybe that's fine? How dangerous are three year olds?).

Karen Pearson wrote:

Lesley Hines wrote: Meh, I remember being 10 without the internet

I remember being 10 without a telephone. And, no, I don't mean that I didn't have a mobile of my own when I was 10, I mean that we, as a family, did not even have a landline phone.

Haha, thought that was just our family!

Michael Wallace wrote:O rite. Although from poking the Internet it was a 14 year old in care of a 3 year old, which seems a little bit iffy to me (but then again, I am not a parent, so maybe that's fine? How dangerous are three year olds?).

I had a job babysitting a 3yo when I was 14. He was a monster.

Lesley Hines wrote:

Soph K wrote:but what do we do when c4countdown is down?

For obvious reasons it's not possible to have a thread for when c4c is down.

Yeah but if there was one, then it'd probably be reasonably simple therefore you could look at what to do beforehand then you'll know what to do when c4c is down - you wouldnt really have to look on here to find out what to do (unless if you hadnt already read what to do when c4c is down), would you? basically, if there was one, you'd read it and itd be reasonably simple so you could memorise it, then you find c4c may be down so you do what you remember it said on that thread. if you know what i mean.

Lesley Hines wrote:He was a monster.

what sort of things would he do?

Soph K wrote:

Lesley Hines wrote:

Soph K wrote:but what do we do when c4countdown is down?

For obvious reasons it's not possible to have a thread for when c4c is down.

Yeah but if there was one, then it'd probably be reasonably simple therefore you could look at what to do beforehand then you'll know what to do when c4c is down - you wouldnt really have to look on here to find out what to do (unless if you hadnt already read what to do when c4c is down), would you? basically, if there was one, you'd read it and itd be reasonably simple so you could memorise it, then you find c4c may be down so you do what you remember it said on that thread. if you know what i mean.

This would be my starting point. Please substitute "c4countdown" for "apterous".

Just to point out the obvious, the forum's free and Charlie (and others, but mainly Charlie) puts an enormous amount of work into it out of the goodness of his (their) heart(s). There are plenty of adults onto the situation, so IIWY I'd do as advised, sit back, relax, and contemplate the excellent facility, rather than be upset about the miniscule amount of time it's not available. If you really, really want to do something I've given you 29 starters and will be happy to suggest more if you exhaust all those possibilities.

Lesley Hines wrote:This would be my starting point. Please substitute "c4countdown" for "apterous".Just to point out the obvious, the forum's free and Charlie (and others, but mainly Charlie) puts an enormous amount of work into it out of the goodness of his (their) heart(s). There are plenty of adults onto the situation, so IIWY I'd do as advised, sit back, relax, and contemplate the excellent facility, rather than be upset about the miniscule amount of time it's not available. If you really, really want to do something I've given you 29 starters and will be happy to suggest more if you exhaust all those possibilities.

hm, ok.

Michael Wallace wrote: O rite. Although from poking the Internet it was a 14 year old in care of a 3 year old, which seems a little bit iffy to me (but then again, I am not a parent, so maybe that's fine? How dangerous are three year olds?).

They can be very dangerous!!

That is surely an isolated stupid case though, there must have been a lot of events rather than simply "they left a 3 year old with a 14 year old, we must punish them". We regularly have a 15 year old (although she was 14 when she did it last year too) babysitter for my girlfriend's little boy of 4, and she is twenty times more responsible than most people I know who are my age or older! It's surely parental right to decide who is trustworthy and whether your child will be safe in the hands of that person!

A police caution just means that the police considered it to be a crime and the person cautioned just went long with it. You can tell them to fuck off with their caution, which probably would have been the right thing to do in that case. What would the CPS do with it? I don't know much about how it works, but I can't see it going to court.

Arse biscuits, bloody wind meant I didn't get in from work until an hour ago, and now this! I'm doing really well in the duel this month too. Boo! Can't aptomail people as I can't get to the site.

Ian Volante wrote:bloody wind meant I didn't get in from work until an hour ago

I think getting home late should be the least of your concerns

Michael Wallace wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:bloody wind meant I didn't get in from work until an hour ago

I think getting home late should be the least of your concerns

Ha ha

And yay it's working!

Hmm! I'm not sure it is working properly.

I haven't managed to get on Apterous from my PC all morning. I got as far as the home page when I switched from IE to Chrome but then couldn't get any further. I can, however, log in (but not play) via my i-Phone using Safari and it appears very few games have been played today.

This means I am having to work without Apterous breaks which I'm sure would breach my contract of employment if I had one!

Karen Pearson wrote:Hmm! I'm not sure it is working properly.

I haven't managed to get on Apterous from my PC all morning. I got as far as the home page when I switched from IE to Chrome but then couldn't get any further. I can, however, log in (but not play) via my i-Phone using Safari and it appears very few games have been played today.

This means I am having to work without Apterous breaks which I'm sure would breach my contract of employment if I had one!

Aye, looks buggered here again too.

Yes, not been able to get on since yesterday aternoon; just hangs, doesn't even come to an error message. Must be the effects of the ash cloud.

I can get into the room but there's no chat box and the duel wont start. It says Charlie is in there though along with a few other people. Is it working for some and not others?

It's like it was last night for me, taking ages to load anything. Well, at the moment, it's not loading at all.

Look on the bright side - now you all have plenty of time to try weed for the first time. IT'S A SIGN.

Can't get on

Thomas Carey wrote:Can't get on

Can now,, but it is very slow

If we all keep posting the same thing then maybe Jesus will intervene and fix it.

Charlie Reams wrote:If we all keep posting the same thing then maybe Jesus will intervene and fix it.

I like angry Charlie.

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:If we all keep posting the same thing then maybe Jesus will intervene and fix it.

I like angry Charlie.

No you don't, likes are broken. We should keep mentioning that too.

hey Charlie Apterous isn't working I don't know if anyone has told you that but I'm freaking out man

TOTALLY FREAKING OUT

Steve Balog wrote:hey Charlie Apterous isn't working I don't know if anyone has told you that but I'm freaking out man

TOTALLY FREAKING OUT

Haha. You know if people post funny stuff about apterous being down then there's really no incentive for me to fix it? (Which by the way I can't anyway, it's a problem with the ISP.)

I think I can help a bit -- I'm American and I was the only person actually playing when the ISP went down -- the timestamp on the post I made in the Frustration thread is probably very accurate as to when it went down, as when I went back to try to get that damn 200 was when the slowdown started.

Charlie Reams wrote:Haha. You know if people post funny stuff about apterous being down then there's really no incentive for me to fix it? (Which by the way I can't anyway, it's a problem with the ISP.)

Well if it's not in your hands, there no incentive not to post things that only people who spend as long on the internet as I do will get.

HEY CHARRRLIE WAKE UP CHARRRLIE
YEA CHARRRRRRIE APTEROUS IS DOWN CHARRRLIE
YEA APTEROUS IS DOWN CHARRRRLIE
I CAN'T PLAY CHARRRRLIE
CHARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRLIE
SINCE WE CAN'T PLAY YOU WANT TO GO TO CANDY MOUNTAIN CHARRRRRLIE?

I don't know what you're talking about Steve (Charlie will, he loves memes) but I still fucking love you.

Matt Morrison wrote:I don't know what you're talking about Steve (Charlie will, he loves memes) but I still fucking love you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5im0Ssyyus -- it's something you can watch while Apterous is down

Just installed IE9 and it shows an error when you press te play button. Three weren't any ames in the last half hour so I think it is down.

Thomas Carey wrote:Just installed IE9 and it shows an error when you press te play button. Three weren't any ames in the last half hour so I think it is down.

I'd blame it on the browser, IE must have broken it for everyone.