I access the Straight Dope by starting with the home page, then selecting “Message Boards”, then “New Posts”, then proceeding from page 1 through to the last “New Posts” page looking for interesting things to read.
Each time I do this, the first page is just what I expect it to be, with the “You Last Visited” entry being the time since I last stopped by. Most of the time this continues to be the case as I wander through the relevant pages.
On occasion, though, when I go from page 1 to page 2 (and it’s always when I go from page 1 to page 2, never when I go to any other page) I get a bolded message “The threads below have not been updated since your last visit but still contain unread posts” at the top of the page, subsequent message threads are displayed in a lighter font, and when I open them none of those message threads has the “View First Unread” option. Also (and I confess to just noticing this), the “You Last Visited” entry on all of the message pages has magically changed to the current time.
Am I doing something wrong? Is this something I can fix? I’m using the current version of Firefox if that’s of any import.
I’ve had similar things to happen. I just assumed there’s a “timeout” feature to a login and as long as that timeout hasn’t happened, even if you go away from SDMB for a little while and then come back, the “new posts” calculation is based on the earlier logon.
To fix it, you can log all the way out. That clears the cookies, including the “login timeout” (if that’s what it is) and the “new posts” are indeed new.
I do that logout periodically when there are too many pages to wade through for things I already saw, and didn’t choose to read.
I’m a dedicated “new posts” reader so I don’t get all sweaty when things get moved to other fora. It’s all one big place to me. Of course, I tend to avoid certain fora, once I see that’s where the thread is located, but that’s just because of the tendency of that particular place to be unpleasant for me to participate in.
My totally unscientific attempts to find a “fix” have led me to believe (probably incorrectly) that if I stay on the first “New Posts” page for a minute or so (instead of madly rushing to click on the “>” option to get to page 2) I don’t seem to run into the problem.
Recalling what you had said here about it being a Page 2 issue, I thought what just happened to me might be of interest to anyone trying to decide what to do about it.
I hope these data make sense:
Welcome, Zeldar.
You last visited: Today at 04:50 PM
Kitchen Roosters – Can Anyone Explain?
In Winnipeg Today 04:52 PM
by alice_in_wonderland 3 64 In My Humble Opinion
First thread! Will Repubs retake the House? Senate? ( 1 2)
Fenris Today 04:51 PM
by Sinisterniik 80 2,661 2010 U.S. Election
The threads below have not been updated since your last visit but still contain unread posts.
How best to negotiate with AT&T for a cheaper BlackBerry?
KneadToKnow Today 04:50 PM
by Arnold Winkelried 14 267 Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
Showing results 51 to 59 of 59
Page 3 of 3 < 1 2 3