Whenever I click on a link to a Straight Dope thread [the link being contained in a post] it opens up a new window and takes me to the opening page of the SDMB where are listed the different forums. Why doesn’t it link me to the thread intended?
Just a query. Any answer will be appreciated.
Eh, I’ve never heard of this happening, so I’d suspect something in your browser, maybe having to do with Log On/Log Off? It would help us answer your question if we knew what kind of computer you have and what kind of software you’re using (Windows, Netscape, what?) Also, how many times has it done this? My other guess would be that it was just that you happened to click on an embedded link that didn’t “make” properly. Tell us which link(s) it was, in which thread(s)?
Does it only do this with links to SDMB threads, or to other websites, too?
Does it only do this with http: links, where it says “threadid=” etc., or does it do this with embedded links, where you see words in blue, like “This thread…”?
I guess a high post count doesn’t mean you’ve looked around much.
Many of Cecil’s threads contain them, so a fan will run into them a lot.
There are hundreds of these links, all on the fabled “pre-conversion” threads.
like this one http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=14264
I’ve seen this, too, and it’s due to a mistake on the part of the person making the link. If you leave off the http:// at the beginning of a link, say “www.snopes.com”, it’ll think that you mean “http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/www.snopes.com”. Of course, there isn’t a file called www.snopes.com in the sdmb directory of boards.straightdope.com, so the server fudges it and just shows you the default page. This’ll happen regardless of whether the page in question is an SDMB thread or not.
That too.
Also, there are broken links that don’t take you to the menu page.
Usually they are links that are too long and get broken by word wrap.
Also, there’s a bug where the link is good but it’s not activated - you can’t click it, but cut & paste works.
wolfstu, if the problem you are experiencing are indeed in the preconversion threads like the one lazy linked to, it’s because the linked address no longer exists. Those links worked back when the MB was using UBB software, but all the thread addresses were changed when the MB was converted to vB software.
The first post in lazy’s linked thread links to the address http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/006962.html
Compare that to the URL for this thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=59505
Oh. Thanks. I have since found a few new, presumably ‘post-conversion’ links that did work.
Thank you for your help.