Problem: Can not see new posts

[Blue Bird]

Okay, this is a  new problem that started this last week for me.

For some reason I can't see the latest posts, or get to them, unless I hit reply. I have no idea why the latest posts are not coming up.
When I reply, I can suddenly see the last six posts. Weird.
I can't edit my replies at this point, so I had to correct a spelling error
by doing this.   (arghghgh- this is frustrating .)

I keep seeing the last post I posted, even though I can tell that someone else has posted, because they are in the topic as having been the last person who posted.

So, I see my last post and when I hit the reply button, I see this:

Warning - while you were reading 8 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

Anyone ever had this weird problem before? Does it make any sense?

Can you help a "sistah" out?    Thanks in advance.

[Nick]

Hi Blue Sky,

Unfortunately this problem is very well known and very well documented.

The blame lies very firmly on the door of America Online, Inc.

Because you use AOL unfortunately you do not get a 'true image' of the internet. You are being fed a cached snapshot of the forum from X hours ago instead of a 'true image' like the rest of us see.
If you visit a thread you are doing it using AOL's memory cache. Because the memory cache is not totally up to date you don't see all the posts. Your PC therefore thinks that you are actually seeing a thread with only 5 posts. But as soon as you attempt to ADD a post then AOL drops the memory cache image and lets you see the true image of the thread which may actually have 13 posts. The forum software then turns around and lets you know that there have been extra posts since the last time your PC recorded what it thinks it saw.

It's a horrible problem and AOL only do it to save themselves bandwidth. With many static sites it doesn't cause a problem, but for live changing sites like a forum you can be sure that the only was to see what we see is to disable proxies, caches and AOL.

If you are about to post and you want to be sure you are seeing the live image then open the thread and then hold down CTRL and press F5. That will refresh the page from scratch and give you a fresh image.

They don't call it AO Hell for nothing

I hope that helps


BTW - they rip you off when it comes to images too because the compress image files to save even more bandwidth. It's just a shame they don't pass on the savings to their customers.


AOL 

[bunnie]

Hi Nick I have Aol too, I don't seem to have that problem or do I??
I am due for renewal, can you recommend a really good extremely efficient broadband?
Bunnie

[BlistersOnMyFingers]

I'm guessing the caching problem only affects dial-up users.  If you have broadband, then you're actually depending on your ISP for connectivity and access to content.  AOL only comes in to play when checking your AOL email and AOL IM.

FYI, I just learned a month or two ago that if you have broadband, you have the option of paying $0.00 per month for AOL.  I don't know where, but I know it's doable, probably from the same place where you manage your account information.

On top of that, in most places where DSL is available, there is a low-end DSL option that is cheaper than dial-up.

Hope this helps.

[bunnie]

If you have broadband, then you're actually depending on your ISP for connectivity and access to content.

s'cuse my ignorance! but does that mean that everybody on Broadband no matter which,(which I am) depends on ISP connectivity, and is that a local area connectivity? Will I be missing out on content because I have AOL broadband ?

[BlistersOnMyFingers]

If you have broadband, then you're actually depending on your ISP for connectivity and access to content.

s'cuse my ignorance! but does that mean that everybody on Broadband no matter which,(which I am) depends on ISP connectivity, and is that a local area connectivity? Will I be missing out on content because I have AOL broadband ?

You shouldn't be.  I'm not an AOL'er, so I'm far from an expert.  But, as I understand it, as long as you login to their system with your screen name and password and using their browser, you still get everything.

What, I'm talking about is your physical connection to the internet.  Just having a broadband connection, you should have the same real-time access as the rest of us.  The AOL specific content is bonus.

Let me try to put it another way.  When you dial-in to AOL, AOL is acting as your ISP, your physical connection to the rest of the 'Net.  What you see is entirely dependent on what AOL's network allows you to see.

When you have a broadband connection, then whoever your broadband company is (Comcast, Verizon, OptiminumOnline, etc.) is acting as your ISP.  So, as long as they're not pulling the same delayed caching BS that AOL does, you should see everything in real-time.

Make sense?  Maybe someone can translate into something a little less geeky?

[Blue Bird]

 Thank you to the two computer genuis' on here, Nick and
BlistersOnMyFingers, I see I really royally screwed myself.
 
 First of all, I accidently deleted AOL's exec file, when I was
deleting some things. So, I no longer had AOL on my computer.
So, I had to use an old CD to download a version that didn't work with my  new computer's WIN Vista program.
 
 Secondly, we live in a rural area that does not have broadband out our way, yet. I know, I tried to get broadband when I got this new computer, but nooooooo......... the phone company told me it is not available way out here, not yet, they don't have the equipment out this way yet.
 
 So, I am still using dial up service. I must admit, I can do a lot with the new computer, but it still takes some time to download things and it's difficult to do things quickly. I imagine this new Gateway would be really awesome with broadband, because it works really good, normally with dial up. Just not as fast as broadband, obviously.

 BOMF> I understand that AOL IM service is free to anyone, even if you don't  have AOL. So, you can probably use AOL for free if you have any other service, so that would make sense.

 The reason I use AOL is because we have been getting it for real cheap since my husband works for GM and they had some type of deal where you sign up, as a GM employee and pay about $5.00 per month, not too bad, actually pretty cheap.

 
 Nick>

They don't call it AO Hell for nothing

 Yeah, thanks, Nick. I know everyone rags on AOL, so I didn't want anyone knowing I was using it, but since you "outted"  me, well, what the heck, yes, I use AO hell, and now it's out.
 
 I will change if the price goes up, probably to another provider, and I will certainly change if I can get broadband someday from somewhere
else, too.
 
 I seemed to have an easy time of reading this forum, though.
All the messages were right there. Let's see if it works in all the other forums, that will be the true test.

If you are about to post and you want to be sure you are seeing the live image then open the thread and then hold down CTRL and press F5. That will refresh the page from scratch and give you a fresh image.

 I'll keep trying that, thank you for that little trick, Nick. 

PS> I have to change this avatar, looking up at the sky is making me feel nauseous and dizzy for some reason.