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Error I sometimes get accessing the Forum

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 10:08 PM

At one place I was at we kept having queer problems.  IT says no problem there.  Finally high paid trouble shooter came in and found out it was a problem with the internal clock being off several nano seconds.  What I said no way!  Well techie was right.

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Posted by seppburgh2 on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 8:10 PM

Bounching the server normally clears these up.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 2:25 PM

Considering Charlie Hebdo's malware comment...

When I sign on to Kalmbach's sites I get a little note up on the top bar that says "Not secure."  As a matter of fact looking at the Kalmbach Internet address I see...

http://trn.trains.com

But no little "s", as in "https" indicating it's a secure site.

Now this computer of mine is strictly a recreational item, I don't do anything serious that might be compromised with it, but I think it's a little risky for a business in this day and age to not go one step more and make their site secure, and hang the expense to do so.

You never know, do you?

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Posted by rdamon on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 1:46 PM

Yes ..  ;)

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 1:44 PM

rdamon
The error in the OP is a internal Database error.  Probably fixed by a reboot Stick out tongue

A reboot by Kalmbach - not the OP!

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Posted by rdamon on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 12:18 PM

The error in the OP is a internal Database error.  Probably fixed by a reboot Stick out tongue

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 11:46 AM

Flintlock76

I had the same thing happen earlier today, both with "Trains" and "Classic Trains."

When something like that happens I try other websites I visit to see the results, and if they work fine, I know somethings funky on Kalmbachs end.  

The "Big K" needs to have a serious  talk with their IT people, or whoever's providing the service.

 

No problems when I accessed the site.  That sort of message looks like malware.

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Posted by Euclid on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 10:40 AM

Semper Vaporo
it might very well be that the Trains dot com forum software didn't change at all 14 months ago.

What changed 14 months ago was a sudden onset of technical problems.  I have no idea what caused that change.  But I think the change itself is a major and obvious clue.  So it makes sense to look at what happened 14 months ago.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 10:31 AM

Considering how fluid the specifications for how the internet and computers work and how often the different browser's change and how often the underlying operating systems change, it might very well be that the Trains dot com forum software didn't change at all 14 months ago. 

Considering all the things that have to work together, from hardware (and not just from one manufacturer, even in the same commerecial store-bought "computer" sitting in front of you), to operating systems, to libraries, to browsers, to the HTTP software, and the number of software programmers that each have their own understanding (or misunderstanding) of the operation of all those disparate pieces, it is a wonder that anything works at all, or will work tomorrow when someone has a "better idea".

 

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Euclid on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:06 AM

rdamon
14 months is considered ancient history in the software world. Whatever changed then has probably changed a dozen times since then, not to mention all the dependencies.
 
One of the major cloud providers was having some issues yesterday that may or may not have been related.
 

14 months may be ancient history, but point is the abrupt onset of problems at that time mark of 14 months ago; and this abrupt onset occurring after 12 years with no such problems. 

So the point is not the age of 14 months.  The point is 14 months of near daily problems suddenly beginning after 144 months of no problems. 

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Posted by rdamon on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 7:59 AM
14 months is considered ancient history in the software world. Whatever changed then has probably changed a dozen times since then, not to mention all the dependencies.
 
One of the major cloud providers was having some issues yesterday that may or may not have been related.
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Posted by Euclid on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 7:27 AM

Yesterday, I received the same response page that Balt posted at the start of this thread.  Generally, what I encounter most is the site failing to open for a few hours at a time.  This happens on average, about once every 2-3 days.  This pattern has been consistent for the last 14 months, and never prior to that, going back to around 2006 when I first registered.

Once recently, the cite would require a login, which it accepted, but then failed to acknowledge when trying to post.  Aside from that, the cite requires me to log in about once every two days on aveage.  It requires manual entry of username and password for all logins.  So that is about 200-250 logins in 14 months. 

I know that many here report having no issues at all.  But I have to wonder how many people have left or did not register as new members because they encountered variations of these glitches.  We have no way of knowing because they are not here to tell us.

If it were my problem, I would be looking at what changed 14 months ago. 

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Posted by Erik_Mag on Monday, February 18, 2019 10:52 PM

My experience was that some sort of hiccup happened about 12 noon Pacific Standard Time. I was browsing the forums, clicked on a couple of threads to open up in a new tab and       nothing.

FWIW, there are other websites with glitches - an example is a long thread on twitter about paywalled sites (e.g. NYT, WSJ) that have serous problems with subscriber logins, to the point where many subscribers are cancelling subscriptions.

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, February 18, 2019 10:40 PM

BaltACD
I participate in a number of other forums on a range of topics.  None of those forums seem to have the troubles that the Kalmbach forums have, either transient or continuing.

Try watching the Virtual Railfan YouTube cams at Deshler.  Seems like they assign a new URL almost daily...  And while you're watching...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, February 18, 2019 10:06 PM

tree68
Whatever K's problem was, it was transient, or we wouldn't be here having this discussion.

I participate in a number of other forums on a range of topics.  None of those forums seem to have the troubles that the Kalmbach forums have, either transient or continuing.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by seppburgh2 on Monday, February 18, 2019 8:06 PM

Thanks for the update!  Some bugs are easy, some aren't.

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, February 18, 2019 7:59 PM

Glitches happen.  A cable gets moved, a configuration gets altered, any number of things.  

Yes, I did IT.  Over 4,000 subscribers in nearly 150 buildings on the campus, on two different networks, using fiber and DSL.

Sometimes it simply can't be explained.

Case in point:  The International Space Station was going to broadcast slow scan TV images over the weekend of February 8-10.  For some reason, the signal was week and few were able to capture the images.  During the week, the crew did some troubleshooting, and in the process, changed something - perhaps just reseated a cable - and everything was fine.  They repeated the transmissions the next weekend and lots of people were able to get the signal.

Whatever K's problem was, it was transient, or we wouldn't be here having this discussion.

LarryWhistling
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Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Brian Schmidt on Monday, February 18, 2019 7:57 PM

We are aware of the problem, but at this time do not have an answer for a long-term fix.

Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine

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Posted by seppburgh2 on Monday, February 18, 2019 7:40 PM

I've been in the IT business for 37 years and have many days n nights dealing with these connectivity issues.  In the business, this is known as a "boboo", now go grab the Developer and fix it or call the help desk and cut a service ticket. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, February 18, 2019 7:10 PM

Flintlock76
It IS annoying.  I mean, what are we retirees with too much time on our hands supposed to do for laughs?   Whistling

And as far as IT people are concerned, with the very few exceptions I've met in my travels excepted, it's never  their network that's to blame.  Never-ever.

Having spent 10 years in railroad IT I resemble that remark!Geeked

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, February 18, 2019 6:48 PM

It IS annoying.  I mean, what are we retirees with too much time on our hands supposed to do for laughs?   Whistling

And as far as IT people are concerned, with the very few exceptions I've met in my travels excepted, it's never  their network that's to blame.  Never-ever.

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, February 18, 2019 5:57 PM

Primary reason I posted the screen shot - I have the feeling 'Big K' and their IT people don't believe what happens to us lowly users unless we can demonstrate 'verifyable proof' of the happening.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, February 18, 2019 4:40 PM

I had the same thing happen earlier today, both with "Trains" and "Classic Trains."

When something like that happens I try other websites I visit to see the results, and if they work fine, I know somethings funky on Kalmbachs end.  

The "Big K" needs to have a serious  talk with their IT people, or whoever's providing the service.

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Error I sometimes get accessing the Forum
Posted by BaltACD on Monday, February 18, 2019 4:30 PM

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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