# No time to respond **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 18, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075 "2010-07-18T01:16:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/1 "2010-07-18T01:16:51Z")
I nearly always save my substantive posts to MSWord as I compose them, but, silly me, I failed to do so today. The sad consequence was that I lost a pretty big post upon which I spent a great deal of time. This post, in my humble opinion, would have enlightened all readers and settled the hash of all opponents. Why, for Fuck’s sake, can I not spend more than a moment to compose my thoughts? Are you actively encouraging attention deficit disorder? I get dumped from the site as soon as I start to think of a response. I have to re-log every single time I return, and if I haven’t saved my post somewhere else, I’ve lost it. I even had to save this rant to MSWord to get it posted. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/2 "2010-07-18T01:22:29Z")
Probably a stupid question, but have you checked to make sure your browser is accepting cookies? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/3 "2010-07-18T03:15:27Z")
I have the same problem and I am set for cookies. It looks like if I go five minutes without making a reply to something I am logged out and have to log in again to post. Most times I can rescue my post by hitting “back”, copying and then pasting once I have logged in again. I also work around it by opening “reply” as a new window so I have that copy, so to speak, to fall back on should I time out. I’m running Firefox 3.0.7 ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/4 "2010-07-18T03:17:08Z")
I am also often kicked whilst composing a reply, which is certainly annoying, but I can usually sign in again without losing the contents of the reply box. I use Firefox: I am not sure if that makes a difference. I also have my username and password saved in the browser, so logging back on only takes a click. However, I have been encountering a _very_ annoying behavior recently. Sometimes, when I hit the POST button, after having been logged in earlier, I am asked to log in again, but then the re-login fails, apparently because the system thinks I already _am_ logged in. 😕 The only solution I have found to this is, first of all, to use the BACK button a few times to get me back to the reply box, which usually, thankfully, still contains what I have written, and then copy that to somewhere for safe keeping. I then need to close _all_ open tabs of the Dope website. If I then return to the site and find my way to the thread I was trying to leave a comment on, I can usually do so. I may or may not find I need to log on again. (Clearing cookies does not seem to help; I need to get right off the Dope web site.) Does anyone know what causes this behavior, and if there is a better way to handle it? Of course, echoing the OP’s complaint, I do not really understand why the system is set to log people out in a time less than it takes many of us to type a reply of any substance. Would it really hurt anything to give us a bit more typing time? It is annoying to keep getting logged out, even on those occasions when I can log back on again quite quickly. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/5 "2010-07-18T17:10:11Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Of course, echoing the OP’s complaint, I do not really understand why the system is set to log people out in a time less than it takes many of us to type a reply of any substance. Would it really hurt anything to give us a bit more typing time? It is annoying to keep getting logged out, even on those occasions when I can log back on again quite quickly. The system isn’t set up to do that. Something is amiss. I was having the same problem with Gmail once. Fixed it by actually logging out of Gmail, deleting the cookie, closing and restarting the browser, then logging back in with the Remember Me box checked. Maybe that’ll work for the Dope, too. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/6 "2010-07-18T18:28:55Z")
I’ve never had this problem. I spend quite a lot of time composing posts, and I can’t remember timing out. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/7 "2010-07-18T19:16:30Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > The system isn’t set up to do that. Something is amiss. > > I was having the same problem with Gmail once. Fixed it by actually logging out of Gmail, deleting the cookie, closing and restarting the browser, then logging back in with the Remember Me box checked. Maybe that’ll work for the Dope, too. I do have the Remember Me box checked and whenever I log out, as part of the process, it announces cookies have been cleared. But next time it happens I may try to restart the browser to see if that makes a difference. It’s not a big deal for me; I’ve learned to live with it and I tend to fire off fast short responses. I just chimed in to add what data I could to the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/8 "2010-07-18T19:19:05Z")
Perhaps until you’ve sorted the cookies issue, you could make a habit of selecting all\>copy before you hit the post button? At least the contents will be on your clipboard if you should be logged out. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/9 "2010-07-18T19:32:39Z")
I’ve never had this problem. Hope you can work things out. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/10 "2010-07-18T19:40:52Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > I’m running Firefox 3.0.7 You’ve been hacked or have other malware issues. There have been what, 15 critical security updates and and two major releases since then? ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/11 "2010-07-18T22:02:56Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > I do have the Remember Me box checked and whenever I log out, as part of the process, it announces cookies have been cleared. But next time it happens I may try to restart the browser to see if that makes a difference. > > It’s not a big deal for me; I’ve learned to live with it and I tend to fire off fast short responses. I just chimed in to add what data I could to the discussion. The cookie may have been cleared in the sense that your username and password were erased from it. It may not have actually removed the cookie. Next time you log out, check your cookies and see (I’d do it, but now I’m scared to log out 😛 .) If it’s still there, delete it so that the board will have to re-write the whole thing from scratch. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/12 "2010-07-18T23:59:33Z")
The Firefox plugin “Lazarus” is great for saving the contents of your forms automatically. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/13 "2010-07-19T01:03:59Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > You’ve been hacked or have other malware issues. > > There have been what, 15 critical security updates and and two major releases since then? I’m not saying its impossible but on a mac its unlikely. > [@SoulFrost](#): > > The cookie may have been cleared in the sense that your username and password were erased from it. It may not have actually removed the cookie. Next time you log out, check your cookies and see (I’d do it, but now I’m scared to log out 😛 .) If it’s still there, delete it so that the board will have to re-write the whole thing from scratch. I have a big-all-time-mother “clear cookies” choice when I shut the program off as part of the “clear the following stuff” list. I may check that and make sure cookies are one of the things I want to dump. (now if we can get the OP as squared away as me 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/14 "2010-07-19T05:31:26Z")
I have no idea what you are all talking about. I have never timed out or been logged off unless I’ve had a crash. I am logged in for what can be weeks at a time…I never log off, even when changing computers. I power down my laptops, but rarely the PC, and every time I start up one of the laptops I’m still logged into the Dope. Am I totally misunderstanding the OP, or doing something wrong? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/15 "2010-07-19T08:27:24Z")
Might it perhaps be more than a coincidence that many of us lowly **Guests** are experiencing these problems, whereas none of the exalted **Members** and **Charter Members** can believe such things could really happen? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/16 "2010-07-19T09:24:53Z")
It’s happened to me too, just as another Guest data point. Usually logging in and using the back arrow I can get back what I type, but not always. I’ve tried to develop the habit of doing ctrl-A ctrl-C before I click submit if I’ve put more than minimal effort into a post. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/17 "2010-07-19T13:26:50Z")
I’m a “guest”, and I’m not having any of the difficulties mentioned. I stay logged in on two or three different machines, remember me checked. I’m using Internet Explorer (horror of horrors). ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/18 "2010-07-19T15:08:28Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Might it perhaps be more than a coincidence that many of us lowly **Guests** are experiencing these problems, whereas none of the exalted **Members** and **Charter Members** can believe such things could really happen? Can’t say about the exalted part but I am a paid member. So that ain’t it. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/19 "2010-07-19T15:38:27Z")
Wow. No one has ever called me exalted before! I’m going to be giddy all day! And for what it’s worth I use Firefox on two computers and Internet Explorer on the other. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075/20 "2010-07-19T17:09:19Z")
Have you tried not deleting your cookies at the end of every session? I don’t do so, and I also don’t have this problem. The two facts may not correlate, but it’s worth testing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-time-to-respond/547075.md?page=2)