Cookies? History bug?

[Prairiehammer]

When I visit the site and look at the forums, but not the threads, the forum gods think I have viewed each thread and so when I return later in the day and ask to see the NEW POSTS, I am offered only those that have been started since my last visit. The threads that were ongoing when I last visited are now marked as "read", even though I did not read them. I have to wade through all the threads to make sure I haven't missed anything.

Is it a Firefox setting I can adjust?

[Freebird]

Here are the options for how the threads are marked read. I have it set to the first option. I did change it once, long ago, and people didn't seem to like the way it worked. The session timeout is set at 1800 minutes. So, if you are logged into the forum for more than 1800 minutes before leaving, all posts will be marked as read when you leave.

 

 

1. Inactivity/Cookie Based - once a user has been inactive for a certain amount of time (the value of the session timeout option) all threads and forums are considered read. Individual threads are marked as read within a session via cookies.
    
   This option is how all versions of vBulletin before 3.5 functioned.
   
2. Database (no automatic forum marking) - this option uses the database to store thread and forum read times. This allows accurate read markers to be kept indefinitely. However, in order for a forum to be marked read when all threads are read, the user must view the list of threads for that forum.
    
   This option is more space and processor intensive than inactivity-based marking.
   
3. Database (automatic forum marking) - this option is the same as a previous option, but forums are automatically marked as read when the last new thread is read.
    
   This is the most usable option for end users, but most processor intensive.
   

[Prairiehammer]

Thanks, Don, though I am not sure I understand everything you said.

There was a related (?) issue last night. Even though I had made a post just a few minutes prior, the site said I made that post "yesterday". In fact, all the posts of December 3 were labeled "yesterday" as in December 2, but of course I had made the posts on December 3.

If the database thinks I make today's posts "yesterday", or 1800 minutes ago, then I see why the threads are marked read, it has timed out. But, why would it think I was posting "yesterday" when I had posted just a few minutes previously?

[Condor]

Don, On the first option is there any way to lengthen the time that a user is inactive before programing changes everything to read and starts from scratch. I get sidetracked real easy... old age ya know.... and if I leave the site and then return within 10-15 minutes it's scratch time.... I avoid following a link from a 'new post' email notice in the AM because if I do follow it, and then come back a few minutes later, the only new posts are those that are new since my last mini visit. I sometimes get around this by going to each forum and seeing if there are any new posts....

[Freebird]

I can adjust that time but I wouldn't want to go any longer because there are other things affected by it also. 10 - 15 minutes shouldn't be an issue for anybody. It is already set at 1800 minutes.

[SilvrT]

When folks "leave the site" .... are they logging out? I never log out ... maybe that's why ya'll think I LIVE IN HERE all the time!!