Privacy notice + downtime on Tuesday 11th April

[Dave]

I hope you are well and having a good Easter! This is a quick note with two updates:

• GDPR and CPRA requirements now ask that we require consent for third-party cookies, which we do use to serve the advertisements that support the upkeep of the site. You will therefore be presented with a confirmation box if you live in the EU, UK or California so that we are compliant with this legislation.
• There will be some downtime for the site on Tuesday 11th April starting from around 9am UK time (presently GMT+1), and lasting for approximately 2-3 hours. This is to facilitate some much-needed software and hardware updates.

Please do let me know if in this thread if you're having any issues with the cookie notifications or have any other queries.

[Moontanman]

  On 4/8/2023 at 9:32 AM, Dave said:

I hope you are well and having a good Easter! This is a quick note with two updates:

• GDPR and CPRA requirements now ask that we require consent for third-party cookies, which we do use to serve the advertisements that support the upkeep of the site. You will therefore be presented with a confirmation box if you live in the EU, UK or California so that we are compliant with this legislation.
• There will be some downtime for the site on Tuesday 11th April starting from around 9am UK time (presently GMT+1), and lasting for approximately 2-3 hours. This is to facilitate some much-needed software and hardware updates.

Please do let me know if in this thread if you're having any issues with the cookie notifications or have any other queries.

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Thank you for making the use of this forum safer and easier for us all! 

[TheVat]

  On 4/8/2023 at 9:32 AM, Dave said:

This is to facilitate some much-needed software and hardware updates.

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Many thanks.  Will these updates help suppress spammers?  The airfare spammers seem to be back in force, the past couple hours.  

[TheVat]

@Dave

 

 

Whatever the update did (would have been 2am-5am here), alas did SFA to stop spam.   Absolute blitz, had to scroll past about a hundred to get to an actual post just now.  This was quite a variety, not just cheap airfare kamikazes.  Maybe, as was suggested in another thread, have a keyword filter that drops newbie posts into a queue for mod inspection?  Also filters posts crammed with emojis and atypical characters, maybe?  Seem to be another telltale of spam.

[Dave]

The update was successful in that we were able to install some new hardware! (Which might result in a slightly snappier site.) I will need to do a bit more work this afternoon to get the forum software updated, which might have more impact in terms of the spam.

[studiot]

Hi Dave.

New hardware ?

I know it's like new tyres on your car.

Only car mechanics notice the difference but absolutely essential nevertheless.

But how about one of those James Bond Super Anti Spammer Lomg Range Lasers ? (JB-SAS-LRL)s.

 

On another tack you initially mentioned a privacy/cookie change and I am now seeing a

"Privacy and Cookie settings

Mangaged by Google"

 

Would you care to tell us anything useful about this ?

 

  On 4/11/2023 at 1:31 PM, TheVat said:

Maybe, as was suggested in another thread, have a keyword filter that drops newbie posts into a queue for mod inspection? 

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As I see it there are two fronts of attack.

1.) Checkout the members as they first join. I wonder if several are made at a time from the same IP and if this could be used to suppress some ?

2.) My proposal to suppress actual posts via mod programmable keywords.

Anyway thanks for keeping things going. +1

Edited April 11, 2023 by studiot

[exchemist]

  On 4/11/2023 at 1:39 PM, Dave said:

The update was successful in that we were able to install some new hardware! (Which might result in a slightly snappier site.) I will need to do a bit more work this afternoon to get the forum software updated, which might have more impact in terms of the spam.

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Some teething troubles. Screen scroll can freeze and cursor can disappear when responding using Quote button. This happens on Apple Mac running Safari on Monterey 12.6.4. However I seem able to use the site from my new iPad. Very odd.

[Dave]

  On 4/11/2023 at 3:08 PM, studiot said:

Hi Dave.

New hardware? I know it's like new tyres on your car. Only car mechanics notice the difference but absolutely essential nevertheless.

On another tack you initially mentioned a privacy/cookie change and I am now seeing a "Privacy and Cookie settings Mangaged by Google" Would you care to tell us anything useful about this ?

As I see it there are two fronts of attack.

1.) Checkout the members as they first join. I wonder if several are made at a time from the same IP and if this could be used to suppress some ?

2.) My proposal to suppress actual posts via mod programmable keywords.

Anyway thanks for keeping things going. +1

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• Yep we have some new hardware to replace an ailing hard drive with solid state drives, which are much more database-friendly and should improve access speeds.
• The privacy/cookie change is to give the option to opt into personalised advertisements. This is a change pretty much all sites are making owing to new legislation inside the EU/UK/USA.
• Indeed we are trying a bunch of things to reduce the spam!

  On 4/11/2023 at 8:31 PM, exchemist said:

Some teething troubles. Screen scroll can freeze and cursor can disappear when responding using Quote button. This happens on Apple Mac running Safari on Monterey 12.6.4. However I seem able to use the site from my new iPad. Very odd.

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Sorry to hear you're having issues! I'm also on Safari (macOS Ventura here, though). Might be worth you trying to clear your cache, since we have just updated the forum software.

[exchemist]

  On 4/11/2023 at 8:43 PM, Dave said:

• Yep we have some new hardware to replace an ailing hard drive with solid state drives, which are much more database-friendly and should improve access speeds.
• The privacy/cookie change is to give the option to opt into personalised advertisements. This is a change pretty much all sites are making owing to new legislation inside the EU/UK/USA.
• Indeed we are trying a bunch of things to reduce the spam!

Sorry to hear you're having issues! I'm also on Safari (macOS Ventura here, though). Might be worth you trying to clear your cache, since we have just updated the forum software.

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Nope still happening. Could be connected with a new advert tab that comes up from the bottom of the screen on the Mac, but not on the iPad. Seems the screen freezes if I scroll down far enough to touch it.

Use from iPad seems OK however.

[Dave]

Seems like Google took matters into its own hands with the ads, so I'll see what I can do that reign that in.

[exchemist]

  On 4/11/2023 at 9:02 PM, Dave said:

Seems like Google took matters into its own hands with the ads, so I'll see what I can do that reign that in.

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Now I can reply on the Mac, apparently. Have you done something? (The ad tab is no longer appearing.)

Edited April 11, 2023 by exchemist

[Dave]

I tweaked a couple of the ad settings, not sure that would have done anything directly but if it fixed things that's good!

[exchemist]

  On 4/11/2023 at 9:06 PM, Dave said:

I tweaked a couple of the ad settings, not sure that would have done anything directly but if it fixed things that's good!

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Yup the ad tab is gone and so is the problem, apparently. Well done! 

[Sensei]

  On 4/11/2023 at 8:59 PM, exchemist said:

Nope still happening. Could be connected with a new advert tab that comes up from the bottom of the screen on the Mac, but not on the iPad. Seems the screen freezes if I scroll down far enough to touch it.

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Such problems can happen if there is an invisible layer at the top of the page that prevents you from clicking on the right area (captures events)..

 

  On 4/11/2023 at 9:07 PM, exchemist said:

Yup the ad tab is gone and so is the problem, apparently. Well done! 

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On my Linux, these ads were at the top. If I hovered over a profile, the profile popup was below the ads. CSS should let you choose the priority of the element.

https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/pr_pos_z-index.php

[exchemist]

  On 4/11/2023 at 9:33 PM, Sensei said:

Such problems can happen if there is an invisible layer at the top of the page that prevents you from clicking on the right area (captures events)..

 

On my Linux, these ads were at the top. If I hovered over a profile, the profile popup was below the ads. CSS should let you choose the priority of the element.

https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/pr_pos_z-index.php

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I can't really follow all this but in any case Dave has fixed it.

And the malicious-looking spam has gone, too, al hamdulillah!  

[swansont]

  On 4/11/2023 at 9:45 PM, exchemist said:

And the malicious-looking spam has gone, too

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Not all of it, but it’s still being worked on.

[exchemist]

  On 4/11/2023 at 9:53 PM, swansont said:

Not all of it, but it’s still being worked on.

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Ah, so I now see. All power to your (collective) elbow, then. 

[Sensei]

  On 4/11/2023 at 9:53 PM, swansont said:

Not all of it, but it’s still being worked on.

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In the thread "Anti spam suggestion", I made suggestion, which was ignored: use JavaScript in the code.. Bots won't be able to bypass it, unless somebody will rewrite them..

https://www.w3schools.com/jsref/prop_win_localstorage.asp

LocalStorage is a client-side supercookie, not sent from the browser to the server like regular cookies.

It would be a nightmare/impossible to write workaround for bots written in wget/curl or equivalent code.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Sensei

[studiot]

Sadly I have to report that SF no longer works completely on my Dell desktop windows XP.

I can login and read posts OK

The system allows me to add rep points.

 

But it does not allow me to enter text into the input editor either to add new posting to existing threads or pms or start new ones.

I can enter titles into the title box though.

Attempting to use the quote function simply returns me to the top of the page, without adding a quote into the editor.

 

In order type type this in I have had to borrow a windows 10 laptop, not a long term proposition.

 

 

[StringJunky]

  On 4/12/2023 at 11:33 AM, studiot said:

Sadly I have to report that SF no longer works completely on my Dell desktop windows XP.

I can login and read posts OK

The system allows me to add rep points.

 

But it does not allow me to enter text into the input editor either to add new posting to existing threads or pms or start new ones.

I can enter titles into the title box though.

Attempting to use the quote function simply returns me to the top of the page, without adding a quote into the editor.

 

In order type type this in I have had to borrow a windows 10 laptop, not a long term proposition.

 

 

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Time to get your card out. How many OS versions since xp? You cannot reasonably expect backward compatibility for this long, given the rate of change..

Edited April 12, 2023 by StringJunky

[studiot]

  On 4/12/2023 at 11:51 AM, StringJunky said:

Time to get your card out. How many OS versions since xp? You cannot reasonably expect backward compatibility for this long.

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Why not ?

I would actually expect enhanced functionality, not reduced as has happened.

What I actually see now is a big Google "Privacy and Security"  notice overlaying just where i am trying desperately to type.

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by studiot

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

  On 4/12/2023 at 6:28 AM, Sensei said:

In the thread "Anti spam suggestion", I made suggestion, which was ignored: use JavaScript in the code.. Bots won't be able to bypass it, unless somebody will rewrite them..

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I've reviewed the access logs for some spambot registrations, and they make requests that were initiated by JavaScript. (For example, the registration form uses JavaScript to ask the server if your username is available.) I suspect these are human-assisted spambots, where someone is paid a few cents per registration to complete the CAPTCHA and sign up.

  On 4/12/2023 at 11:33 AM, studiot said:

Sadly I have to report that SF no longer works completely on my Dell desktop windows XP.

I can login and read posts OK

The system allows me to add rep points.

 

But it does not allow me to enter text into the input editor either to add new posting to existing threads or pms or start new ones.

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What browser are you using on Windows XP? Microsoft discontinued support and updates nine years ago, Firefox stopped providing updates for XP in 2017, and Chrome did so in 2016 or earlier. Are you just using IE, or something else?

[studiot]

  On 4/12/2023 at 11:55 AM, Cap'n Refsmmat said:

I've reviewed the access logs for some spambot registrations, and they make requests that were initiated by JavaScript. (For example, the registration form uses JavaScript to ask the server if your username is available.) I suspect these are human-assisted spambots, where someone is paid a few cents per registration to complete the CAPTCHA and sign up.

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Which is why I am suggesting also addressing the (first) posts of those that slip through the net.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

  On 4/12/2023 at 11:58 AM, studiot said:

Which is why I am suggesting also addressing the (first) posts of those that slip through the net.

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Unfortunately the forum software doesn't have a way to set up keyword filters, though possibly someone has written a plugin that can do that.

What's frustrating is that the software does have a built-in anti-spam service, which sends spam reports to the makers. If someone has spammed on a different site using the same software, they'd be blocked on registration here. But apparently that system is not keeping up with the flood either.

[iNow]

  On 4/12/2023 at 11:54 AM, studiot said:

Why not ?

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It's unreasonable. Similar to why they no longer put 8-track players into cars being manufactured today.