E-mailed responses frequently not showing up.

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
Occasionally I will get an e-mail telling me that someone has posted a response to a thread I am subscribed to and when I follow the link no such post exists (and it doesn't seem to show up later). I've generally assumed that these were posts that the poster deleted for one reason or another.

But lately I seem to be getting a significant fraction of the e-mail notifications I receive falling into this category -- probably 10% or so.

Any idea what is going on?
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I don't use it either. I do get emails from people wanting private help, which I redirect and tell them to post publically.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I actually get less. I have not been as active on the forums as when I started, but now and again I get in the mood and as people see me the numbers go up.

Having only so much time (and wanting to get several personal projects done) when we have a wave of trolls it takes up way too much of my time here. Part of it is bending over to give them rope (or a second chance to understand the rules).

You probably notice I have been slightly more active lately, so the emails have picked up proportionally. It's good to see all of our membership (especially you) picking up the slack.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
I usually use the email system, but only as notification. After seeing that somebody posted (usually says the thread in the email subject line), I delete the email without reading it, and go straight to the site. From the main page I go to "Quick Links" and click "Subscribed Threads", where I can go through the threads with new posts in them. I have not had any problems with the email system so far. However, if someone posts just before I do in a thread, I may not get the email until after I submit my own post. I'll look at the thread here on the site and see my post is the most recent and not realize that I missed the post immediately preceding mine. This wouldn't make much sense though, if you follow the link from the email--those generally take you directly to the post.

An example would be helpful here, if you're able to provide one without divulging any personal information, such as your email address.

Regards,
Matt
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
An example would be helpful here, if you're able to provide one without divulging any personal information, such as your email address.
The problem with posting an example is that, to be useful, I would have to provide information about the poster and the content. But if the poster deleted the post for a reason, I don't want to go including it in the example.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
The problem with posting an example is that, to be useful, I would have to provide information about the poster and the content. But if the poster deleted the post for a reason, I don't want to go including it in the example.
I see your point, though it sounds like it's happened more than just a few times. Seems unlikely that people would completely remove their post that frequently in a short period of time. A lot of people here don't even realize they can completely delete their post.

Anyway, I received a couple of notifications in the past few hours and the links all work, so I expect it's not a site issue.

Regards,
Matt
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
I see your point, though it sounds like it's happened more than just a few times. Seems unlikely that people would completely remove their post that frequently in a short period of time. A lot of people here don't even realize they can completely delete their post.
I agree. But I can't know that the one post that I choose to use as an example isn't such a post.

Anyway, I received a couple of notifications in the past few hours and the links all work, so I expect it's not a site issue.
And the large majority of posts I receive all work. As I said, I'm talking about something around 10% or so, probably less. So the fact that you've received a couple that work says nothing, one way or the other.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
I agree. But I can't know that the one post that I choose to use as an example isn't such a post.

And the large majority of posts I receive all work. As I said, I'm talking about something around 10% or so, probably less. So the fact that you've received a couple that work says nothing, one way or the other.
Understood.
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
That was one of them and that is the one I would have looked for in trying to find an example because yours was the only poster's name I recalled specifically.
 

Georacer

Joined Nov 25, 2009
5,182
If you want, make a short list of links and send it to a moderator. We can tell you if the posts were deleted deliberately or were never there to begin with.
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
Sending the links won't do any good because the links in the e-mail notifications aren't to the specific post, but to "newpost" so that you are taken to the first unread post in that thread. But the next time it happens I will flag the e-mail and send some information about it, such as thread, poster, first few lines of hte reply, and date/time of the notification. Going back at this point and looking for examples is not practical because of the volume of such notifications I get.
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
If any of the posts were mine, chances are that I deleted them. I do that sometimes when I've been drinking.
I'm pretty sure some of them were yours. Maybe you've just been drinking more than usual, lately. :D

A long time ago I developed the iron-clad habit of never even typing anything into my computer, especially e-mail or a browser, that I wasn't willing to have printed on the front page of the NY Times right above my name. That doesn't mean that my discretion regarding what I should be willing to have printed has always been stellar.

A lot of people (and I used to be one of them) would type angry, nasty, or obscene things as a reply to an e-mail or a response to a post with absolutely no intention of actually sending or posting it - just to vent or just for grins. But, boy, all it takes is one tiny slip of the mouse and you've just sent it! I can't count how many times I've accidentally sent or posted something before I was ready to -- and once you hit send/post, it is a done deal.And I've seen several times when someone accidently did send a post they didn't mean to and cause a lot of hard feelings.
 
Top