# The SDMB is switching to HTTPS **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 7, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808 "2017-12-07T18:07:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/61 "2017-12-19T16:35:06Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I shouldn’t browse SDMB when I’m at work, but… > > I get a ‘secure content’ warning every single page. Even after I click ‘Show all content’, I get the warning when I go back to the page. > > What a pain. What browser / OS are you using? I’m not seeing this on any of my systems. ETA: And are you using the old skin or the new mobile skin? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/62 "2017-12-19T17:30:40Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > What browser / OS are you using? I’m not seeing this on any of my systems. > > ETA: And are you using the old skin or the new mobile skin? My work computer is using IE 11 on Windows 7 Professional. I’m using the old skin because [the new skin doesn’t work](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=836429&styleid=16). ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/63 "2017-12-19T17:40:46Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > So if I don’t feel like changing my shortcuts is that going to be a problem for The Dope or can I just happily ignore this new development? It seems that for now, https is optional. I can’t speak for the TPTB’s technical roadmap, but my experiences is that no website goes HTTPS and then leaves HTTP available. Once the bugs are ironed out, they set up an automatic redirect that rewrites HTTP requests as HTTPS. Which may or may not work well, depending on content and browser. At some point, it may be cleaner and less hassle to fix bookmark and shortcuts. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/64 "2017-12-19T17:42:22Z")
And now, I’m not getting the warning. Instead of going to HTTPS, it’s going to HTTP. FTR, I haven’t changed any bookmarks or settings (other than switching to the Sultan skin to make sure it still wasn’t working, and back). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/65 "2017-12-19T18:19:03Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > My work computer is using IE 11 on Windows 7 Professional. It’s not just you. I get the same error on IE. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/66 "2017-12-20T15:36:47Z")
Using the old format of the forums, Firefox on Windows 10. Today was the first time I got an https link. When I read a new thread or open a thread and click on “View First Unread” it stays https but when I click on the check mark icon in the thread listings to go to the first unread post it reverts to http. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/67 "2017-12-21T19:38:14Z")
I am using the https links now. However, if I click the “go to first unread post” link before a thread title, I’m taken back to http. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/68 "2018-02-08T01:38:01Z")
I posted this above, but maybe nobody noticed - The links in search results and on the “new posts” page are all http, even if you got there via https. So if you want to use a secure connection, you have to manually change the URL of any link you get from a search. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/69 "2018-02-08T03:31:02Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > It seems that for now, https is optional. > > I can’t speak for the TPTB’s technical roadmap, but my experiences is that no website goes HTTPS and then leaves HTTP available. Once the bugs are ironed out, they set up an automatic redirect that rewrites HTTP requests as HTTPS. Which may or may not work well, depending on content and browser. This would be disastrous for me as it would stop all the casual SDMB browsing I do from my old tablet, which is supposed to support HTTPS but doesn’t work with many HTTPS sources, including SDMB. I suspect that this is because its root certificates are outdated. This is not an SDMB problem but I’m not sure I really see the downside of maintaining compatibility. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/70 "2018-02-08T03:52:52Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > This would be disastrous for me as it would stop all the casual SDMB browsing I do from my old tablet, which is supposed to support HTTPS but doesn’t work with many HTTPS sources, including SDMB. I suspect that this is because its root certificates are outdated. This is not an SDMB problem but I’m not sure I really see the downside of maintaining compatibility. Ditto for me. Any attempt I make to open any SDMB page with https:// gives me this message: [quote] **Secure Connection Failed** An error occurred during a connection to [boards.straightdope.com](http://boards.straightdope.com). Cannot communicate securely with peer: no common encryption algorithm(s). (Error code: ssl\_error\_no\_cypher\_overlap) [ul][li] The page you are trying to view can not be shown because the authenticity of the received data could not be verified.[/li] [li] Please contact the web site owners to inform them of this problem. Alternatively, use the command found in the help menu to report this broken site.[/ul][/li][/quote] This site works well enough for me, as long as I stick with http:// — many other sites don’t. So, **TPTB of the Dope** please leave bad enough alone and don’t fix anything even worse than it already it! ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/71 "2018-02-08T04:06:02Z")
The point is that links shouldn’t switch you between HTTP and HTTPS (unless there’s a reason). If I’m already browsing over HTTPS and I click a link in search results, it should stay HTTPS. If I’m on HTTP, it should stay that way. Right now it is forcing the HTTPS browsers back to HTTP. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/72 "2018-02-09T01:26:28Z")
Is this what is causing every frakking window I bring up here to have that gorram “Show secure content” button. Fuck that. ---
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/73 "2018-02-09T02:20:00Z")
Haven’t been online in over two weeks. Get home and fire up old bookmark. Everything is showing HTTPS. Firefox 58.01/ Win10. Nice work. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/74 "2018-02-09T02:44:32Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > I am using the https links now. However, if I click the “go to first unread post” link before a thread title, I’m taken back to http. As an update, today this has been fixed. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/75 "2018-02-09T03:03:32Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > As an update, today this has been fixed. Yeah, it was just “fixed” here a few hours ago. You know how I know it was “fixed”? As per my previous post (and the subsequent one by another user) I can no longer access the SDMB on my tablet. What a great “fix”! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/76 "2018-02-09T23:15:31Z")
Interestingly, on the same tablet I can access stuff on the SDMB front page ([like this one](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2620/could-a-human-swing-through-the-jungle-on-vines/), for instance) even though it’s also HTTPS, but not any of the forum content. FTR, I notice these differences between the two sources: The front page is secured by Let’s Encrypt Authority X3, and all content is pure HTTPS. The forums are secured by Network Solutions DV Server CA 2. Unrelated to the certificate, Firefox reports that it has blocked non-secure content on the page. I extracted the Network Solutions root certificate from my PC via Firefox and managed to update the tablet with it. Still won’t access the forums with HTTPS. I suspect that maybe the mixed content is the problem, as the tablet is notoriously hypersensitive about security. Everything was fine when HTTP was still supported. Just an FYI. The tablet was getting pretty slow and obsolete for web surfing in many other ways anyway, so I suspect I’ll just have to get a new one. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/77 "2018-02-10T00:29:19Z")
I have a pc with Windows 7 and use internet explorer. I’m completely borked trying to get to the message board, posts, reports of posts. Guess I’ll be working on sunday to solve a host of problems. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/78 "2018-02-10T01:21:16Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Interestingly, on the same tablet I can access stuff on the SDMB front page ([like this one](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2620/could-a-human-swing-through-the-jungle-on-vines/), for instance) even though it’s also HTTPS, but not any of the forum content. > > FTR, I notice these differences between the two sources: > > The front page is secured by Let’s Encrypt Authority X3, and all content is pure HTTPS. > > The forums are secured by Network Solutions DV Server CA 2. Unrelated to the certificate, Firefox reports that it has blocked non-secure content on the page. I’d be willing to bet extravagant sums of money that I don’t have that the non-secure content is advertising. So going HTTPS and refusing to load non-secure content is basically adblocking. As side effects go, it’s not bad. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/79 "2018-02-10T01:21:27Z")
I don’t have any issues with Windows 7. I typically use Firefox but I just tried to access the SDMB forums with the original version of IE that came with Win 7 SP1 and it sort of works, except that IE constantly reports an unsecured-content warning on the HTTPS pages, and also keeps popping “Stack overflow from webpage” messages. I don’t care since I never use it. But I’m really quite miffed that my tablet has now stopped working with the SDMB since the switch to mandatory HTTPS. \*\* Samclem\*\*, I have no idea what your problem might be but Firefox would definitely be worth a try. I also confirmed that the forums work with Firefox on Windows XP, so neither of our problems appear to be related to outdated root certificates. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808/80 "2018-02-10T01:32:45Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I’d be willing to bet extravagant sums of money that I don’t have that the non-secure content is advertising. So going HTTPS and refusing to load non-secure content is basically adblocking. As side effects go, it’s not bad. Very likely. Wouldn’t that mean that no one is seeing ads if mixed content is being blocked? If this forces the site to going back to allowing HTTP my tablet and I would be happy. 🙂 I don’t know if mixed content under HTTPS is the tablet’s issue, however – that was just my WAG. It doesn’t work with Javascript turned off, either, and the ads can’t load without JS. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-https/803808.md?page=5)