Couple of things ATS management might want to fix.

First. Thank you very much new owners for finally putting an SSL cert on the site after all these years.

But that kind of brings me to the first tech issues I think need addressing on the site.

1st, is the SSL doesn't seem to be installed correctly. Sometimes the 'lock' on the address bar displays the SSL cert correctly and shows things are secure. Then on another page or if the page you're on is refreshed or revisited the 'lock' on the address bar will say the SSL is not working and the site is unsecure like there is no cert installed. Seems to be completely random.

Like on this page it's saying 'unsecured' right now, yet I could come back 2 minutes from now to reply to a comment and it'll be 'secure'.

Bit like having a safe made of cardboard with a steel door while it is like this. Currently on Firefox and have tried other browsers, Opera, Edge, Chrome and more and it's happening with them also.

2nd thing is the 'star' system. It's been broken and open to abuse for years.
When you give a post a star, you should only be able to do it once. This is generally how it is done on most sites with 'voting' mechanics. However refresh the page and you can give another star, and another and another.
I'm sure I am not the only one who has noticed this over the years, and I'd be massively surprised if there was absolutely no one on the site that was abusing it.
Kind of thought this was long overdue to be brought up. I'm just assuming stars have an impact on a thread making the front page and being more visible.
Be interesting to see how the front page might change if this was fixed and locked to one person one vote if stars do affect such things.
Should be a very very easy fix that one for any half decent webmaster.

Any way, that's all. Thanks for keeping the site going regardless.

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Just wanted to comment on the star system.

I've noticed that if I give more than one star, when I refresh that star disappears.

Not sure if you can actually give multiple stars that way, but at least I can't.

They just disappear when I refresh, like it's only valid locally.

I've had no SSL issues, but I'm OCD about clearing out and updating my cache, cookies, etc. Maybe I just didn't notice too. I'll keep an eye on it now though. Lol.

I'm pretty sure that regardless of how many stars you give a post it only ever actually registers the one star.



a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Others mentioned the star thing, as for the SSL clear your browser's cache. It might be loading locally cached pages from before the SSL certs.

originally posted by: MykeNukem
Just wanted to comment on the star system.

I've noticed that if I give more than one star, when I refresh that star disappears.

Not sure if you can actually give multiple stars that way, but at least I can't.

They just disappear when I refresh, like it's only valid locally.

Same here.

a reply to: MykeNukem

Maybe it is user specific. But I am able to give more than one stars and when I revisit the page they will still be there.

Oh well maybe tech support can take a look and confirm or debunk whether the issue exists.

I could be wrong, I've been awake for a bit over 24 hours lol. I guess I could double check it later.

Okay just checked and the stars are not 'sticking' although I could swear I have seen them do so before. Maybe it's random like the SSL thing but I'll admit I maybe am actually wrong on that one. (or maybe someone else has voted during the refresh, I dunno anymore)

But I know the SSL issue indeed exists.

Oh well, good time to go have a nap I'd say. Take care folks and have a great day/night.

originally posted by: dug88
a reply to: AtomicKangaroo
as for the SSL clear your browser's cache. It might be loading locally cached pages from before the SSL certs.

Been there, done that. Problem persists so I am seeing a doctor.

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Well... I Never!

originally posted by: AtomicKangaroo

originally posted by: dug88
a reply to: AtomicKangaroo
as for the SSL clear your browser's cache. It might be loading locally cached pages from before the SSL certs.

Been there, done that. Problem persists so I am seeing a doctor.

Lmao.

Like Sheldon say's "I'm not psychologically unstable, my Mom had me tested"

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Ssl is probably an ad sometimes exposing plain http content. You could see this in debug mode in the sources. No modern browser likes mixed content. If its an ad then its outside of their control.

Dont waste your time pounding the star button. One per user no matter how many times you pound it.

originally posted by: AtomicKangaroo
a reply to: MykeNukem
Oh well maybe tech support can take a look and confirm or debunk whether the issue exists.

BWAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YES! And if tech support cannot get to the bottom of it then maybe the management will engage crowdstrike!!!

...wonders when the old Member vs member debate will come up again.

The star issue is a known exploit, but not really. Originally the star system was that you could give 1-5 stars for a post. The gave a specific post a star average and those averages impacted your star average. This had two effects. 1) Those that didn’t receive stars often could have an abnormally high average (mine was like 4.7 because few cared enough to star). 2) Trolls could grief by handing out 1 stars rather than 0 stars because a “One Star Bandit” could change your bling.

Those posts made during that time retained all the Five stars that people gave them. So where a post today may have 20-30 stars, those posts end up with 100-150 stars. That is the star total exploit.

As for the ability to multi-star a new post, you shouldn’t be able to do that. I wonder if that could be corrected with a Writer, Fighter or Scholar tag then a quick post ban and restore? Like you might have had a little boost like a FSME kick...which is odd because they ended all their old powers with the 2010 or 5-3 version of ATS.

originally posted by: Ahabstar
As for the ability to multi-star a new post, you shouldn’t be able to do that. I wonder if that could be corrected with a Writer, Fighter or Scholar tag then a quick post ban and restore? Like you might have had a little boost like a FSME kick...which is odd because they ended all their old powers with the 2010 or 5-3 version of ATS.

Ok, my head hurts now.

Can you decode this?

So, you can't give multiple stars from the same account, correct?

At least according to my highly scientific research project, undertaken just now.

originally posted by: MykeNukem
a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Just wanted to comment on the star system.

I've noticed that if I give more than one star, when I refresh that star disappears.

Not sure if you can actually give multiple stars that way, but at least I can't.

They just disappear when I refresh, like it's only valid locally.

I've had no SSL issues, but I'm OCD about clearing out and updating my cache, cookies, etc. Maybe I just didn't notice too. I'll keep an eye on it now though. Lol.

No, no way to give more than one star or flag .

a reply to: MykeNukem

Correct. You should not be able to star a post more than once that takes.

Edit to add: I could decode that, but it might be even more confusing. Certain settings allow certain things to happen...usually limited to thread permissions. A member can’t post in the Debate Forum without Fighter status for example. FSME’s could give Applause in their forum just like a Moderator could as another example.

Now that I think of it though, there is a legit complaint about the stars. You can't unstar. You can unflag, but not unstar if there's a later edit or something.

a reply to: dug88

Shhh...that’s how I get stars.

originally posted by: Ahabstar
a reply to: MykeNukem

Correct. You should not be able to star a post more than once that takes.

Edit to add: I could decode that, but it might be even more confusing. Certain settings allow certain things to happen...usually limited to thread permissions. A member can’t post in the Debate Forum without Fighter status for example. FSME’s could give Applause in their forum just like a Moderator could as another example.

Yup, that's all I was interested in.

Please DON'T decode the rest. Lol.

Might look into a fix for that "million stars" glitch affecting a few hundred Members 😎

a reply to: xuenchen

Im actually a little surprised you only have 387k stars for 68k posts. I would have figured you averaged higher than that. Maybe support can launch an investigation into that while they are at it.

ETA: i guess i forgot that some forums you cannot star. Now it makes sense. Cancel that sev-1 support ticket.