MGOBLOG 3.0 sticky for bugs

Submitted by Seth on

We are using this thread to collect all the (fixable) feedback for the new site in one spot, and if you're seeing it on the main page it means I've updated the OP content.

If you've noticed any bugs in the site post them here and if you have constructive criticism we very much appreciate it. The developers are also going to be in this thread. Even if we can't always respond, you're being heard.

UPDATE 8/23/2018:

We met at HUEL HQ today and worked through a lot of things.

THINGS THAT GOT FIXED

1. You are now able to edit your account info (and your avatar) by clicking on your account name while logged in. Eventually your history and more (see below) will be tabbed from a single user page but this was the quick fix for now.

2. The points issue is still the top priority that they're working on. We're one step further and testing a possible fix in a test environment right now.

3. Next week or so we'll have the ability to vote on Diaries and Board posts (the OPs) themselves. Could have launched today but we wanted to move it from where they were appearing but it works on the dev environment.

THINGS WE ARE FIXING

Please note that while this is a priority tree it's not necessarily the order things will get fixed. We have multiple developers who have their different skills and as each comes free from a project they grab the next highest one they can handle.

1. Points problems

The issue seems to be in the module we wrote for counting points:

Voting module.PNG

Now that they've narrowed it down we have high hopes of getting to the root of the situation.

Lastly IF YOUR POINTS WERE RESET TO ZERO please post in here and let us know 1) A little bit about your points history, 2) When you lost them (was it during the transition), and anything else that can help us track down whatever behavior is creating this. We can't fix this because we don't know why or to what class it's happening to.

(new) 2. User permission issues.

So right now at 100 points you should be able to vote and post new threads, and at 500 points you should be able to post diaries and edit wikis.

THIS IS NOT WORKING because of an issue with the core module. We are trying a fix that might make everything work right away.

It's a permissions issue. What's supposed to happen is once you hit a points threshold you are automatically bumped up to the next user level. It's not doing the bumping because of the "Actions" module, which comes with Drupal. Now that we've identified where the problem is we're working on a patch.

2. Embedding youtubes and tweets automatically by posting a link

So because of site security we have to use Oembeds. There is a module for Drupal 8 for this but it's a paid service, which with our volume is cost-prohibitive (like they want tens of thousands of dollars per month so screw those guys).

So we're going to develop something. We would prefer to have a system that automatically turns a link you post into an image or youtube or twitter embed. That's a better long-term solution and putting something in place in the meantime would cost us time and resources we'd rather put toward more permanent changes. It's a high priority so we just ask for patience now to be paid off with a better final product than the old site had.

For now you can still post these with regular html tags and most sites will give you the source code if you can't remember how to write <img> tags in html language. We had the option to change the post-a-picture box in the comment editor with the ability to post a link instead of upload an image to our site, but we didn't want to lose that ability to post to our site since it's a feature we really wanted for the new site.

3. Side rail becoming unglued. 

I've seen it and several users have as well but we haven't had a developer get into it yet because it doesn't happen too often.

4. "Continue Reading" links on front page will jump to the break tag, not the top of the article.

Another thing on the list for a dev to get to.

5. Comments bubble should link to comments

Right now it goes to the top of the article in article view.

6. Voting shows totals not aggregate

We have to rewrite the module ourselves.

7. (new) Latest post timestamp behavior

Haven't looked into it yet but it's a known issue that the latest post says there's something from a few minutes ago and there isn't. It may be bots causing this behavior.

8. (new) Clicking on a comment in a readers' post history should take you to that post.

Moderators need this.

9. (new) Some content is breaking containers

Design issue. When designer gets back from maternity leave we'll get an estimate.

10. (new) We are developing a "User Page" that will be tabbed thusly:

  • Change your user info (name, email, avatar, password)
  • See your recent post history
  • See replies to your posts
  • Your points history

Most excited about the second-to-last one, which is one of many new properties we plan to add that the old site missed.

Things Over the Horizon

1. Showing New comments in a thread as "New"

We got an estimate of big money to rent a specialist in order to build out this module. This is the next big project after we get the points figured out. Personally I wanted to address it sooner but more people complained about points so that got moved ahead. Be mad at the people who complained about points because it's all their fault.

2. Changing Scroll Behavior

We had a specialist look at this and what's happening is a problem with the order things are loaded. When you post a new comment the page DOES take you to your just-posted comment, but then it loads other comments and that pushes your screen down. If you use the up or down arrows it should take you right back to your comment. This is a problem buried deep and got another big expensive estimate to fix. So we have to wait.

(updated) 3. Apps

The process has begun. We might have a couple of light ones first then more developed ones later. FYI the problem with the old apps is they were not built to play nice with the site. If they worked great on your phone that was because they were downloading the whole site before you went to read it, and that was placing a huge drain on our resources and causing the site crashes. We will have apps and I hope to have a timeline in a few weeks. The latest is there's a drupal module we're going to try. Maybe it'll work the first time with no kinks.

(updated) 4. Saving User Preferences

We want comment settings to stick permanently for each user. Right now it resets when you post a comment. This is a BIG fix so it comes after we get other things done.

 

Also they're working on a bunch of functions we need internally, like the process for creating breaks, windows live writer issues, and lightbox for UFRs.

chatster

July 25th, 2018 at 2:42 PM ^

You're most welcome.  I'm happy to help.

As frustrating as it has been to live through the Glitch Switch to MGoBlog 3.0, finally I've discovered through trial and error how to insert images and embed videos.  Unfortunately, I don't think that it should have been left to an old guy like me who was born during the Truman administration, is far from being technologically proficient and is posting mainly from a desktop PC to provide those instructions.

redwhiteandMGOBLUE

July 25th, 2018 at 3:25 PM ^

BINGO!!!

As I've said many times in this thread and several others, the staff of MGoBlog should've posted some type of "cheat sheet" for embedding, hyperlinking, blockquoting, and the like.  The fact that we were blessed with this broken website with little to no communication is a pretty sad indication of what the proprietors think of their consumers.

3.0 wasn't, isn't and who knows when will be, ready for public, bug-free use.  As far as I can tell, the only major flaw in 2.0 that we the users saw was site crashing on HEAVY usage days. And that seemed to be mostly mitigated with the server upgrade in the last couple of years.  I would gladly go back to 2.0 and run the risk of an occasional site crash vs what 3.0 delivered to us.

chatster

July 25th, 2018 at 2:49 PM ^

At this stage of the Glitch Switch to MGoBlog 3.0, what's the point of complaining? Is it safe to say that, for purposes of MGoBlog 3,0, points have become pointless, except for those who unfortunately are suffering through the inability to vote on comments or the inability to post new comments?

Now back to more music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE01FXwWo98

chatster

July 25th, 2018 at 4:04 PM ^

I was asking that question of myself because I'm among those who've complained many times about the Glitch Switch to MGoBlog 3.0, mostly to no avail.  I should've been clearer.

Despite Seth's latest update and his mention of weekly phone calls with the staff at Human Element and payment for adding two new Human Element staff members to the MGoBlog account, I don't see a clear path towards making MGoBlog great again.  I'm wondering whether that payment to Human Element will be like throwing good money after bad.

redwhiteandMGOBLUE

July 25th, 2018 at 6:26 PM ^

Couldn't agree more.

I just can't believe this is what HE delivered and was signed off on by MGB staff to as ready to go live.  Brian's desire to stay on the Drupal platform and give a local shop his business is really not working out very well thus far.  I'm shocked he hasn't contracted another firm to come in and clean up this mess. The fact that they are still throwing cash at HE to fix this debacle is mind-boggling. Maybe they're just too far down the rabbit hole to turn back now?  

I imagine Brian looking much like Tom Hanks in "The Money Pit":

money_pit_01_758_426_81_s_c1.jpg

Seth

July 27th, 2018 at 1:59 PM ^

You're doing the "UNACCEPTABLE" thing. After having actually been through this process with the Rodriguez and Hokes (and a few others) of website design since 2012. From where I'm sitting, we're DAMN LUCKY that Human Element is in Ann Arbor. They are the Harbaugh of this business. Finding them is the IT HAPPENED in the history of this website.

It's not a perfect analogy because with football you see the wins and losses, and can compare directly to other programs, and you can see a lot more of the inner workings. Here you have to trust me--I hope I've built enough cred with you by now that can do that.

We gave them a hellish job because they're a big national outfit and probably the only company in the world who could have rescued us from Drupal 6.0 as it was sinking and during a period when we could rarely go a day without a server crash. AND they know the site and have been reading it for a decade. AND they hear about it from everyone in their personal lives. AND they've brought in the Don friggin' Brown of defense, which no user really sees unless the message board is getting swamped with ads or their email gets out.

It's easy for you to sit and snipe because we don't have every functionality back that we had built up over 10 years of using the old site. You probably don't remember when we had persistent problems with the point system for the first 4 years we tried to implement them. It's easy for you to imagine there's some sort of Nick Saban of web development we can go get without bankrupting ourselves for a generation, and that they might do any better job than Human Element is doing. I've been at this project for four years. There ain't.

I really do want the readers' feedback, and as someone who uses this site all day every day I really sympathize with the glaring issues we still haven't been able to fix. Remember we're just 2 months into a site launch. My frustration with comments like this is I think the expectations are unrealistic and uninformed, and have the effect of turning understandable frustration into mob anger that could hurt our site.

chatster

July 30th, 2018 at 8:35 PM ^

Saying that you’re “just 2 months into a site launch”, but you’ve “been at this project for four years” makes me wonder what was going on during those four years that made you and your colleagues and the staff at Human Element believe that it was the right time to launch MGoBlog 3.0?*

Your comments make me think that you resent those of us who’ve complained about what I’ve called the Glitch Switch.

This often was among the first sports-related websites I’d check each day.  I still check the site regularly, though significantly less often than I used to.  I still add comments here.  Mainly because I appreciate the information that you and your colleagues on the MGoBlog staff and some posters like umbig11 and Magnus (and even WD/WolverineDevotee) provide, I haven’t abandoned your site, but I’ve discovered other sources for Michigan-related sports news since you launched MGoBlog 3.0.

Instead of saying to those of us who’ve complained about MGoBlog 3.0 that our “expectations are unrealistic and uninformed, and have the effect of turning understandable frustration into mob anger that could hurt (y)our site”, wouldn’t it have been better for you to just stick to regular, detailed updates on (a) what’s being done to fix the problems, (b) the priority given to those fixes, (c) why the problems persist and (d) how much time is expected to be required to fix problems that you’re addressing?

From my perspective, it's hard to agree with your opinions of Human Element because I don't know the facts on which you've based your opinions.

Salinger

August 1st, 2018 at 11:22 PM ^

A-friggin-men. It's like no one here has lived through a site redesign before. Fully functional takes time, people. Give it a rest! Content is still good for crying out loud. If you're pissed because you can't get your points, think about what that means. It's a number on a screen that means NOTHING.

Or, as my elementary school teaching sister-in-law says, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."

#GetOffMyLAWN

rposly

July 25th, 2018 at 1:49 PM ^

So, to be clear, should I be able to vote right now?  Because I'm not.  I've seen conflicting reports that it's a permission issue (i.e. need to have 500 or 1000 points) or that it's just a bug being fixed.

Shop Smart Sho…

July 25th, 2018 at 6:00 PM ^

I have a very simple solution to most of your problems with points. Just get rid of them, or at least their visual representation. They long ago stopped being an effective way of policing the message board, and are now no different than the blue checkmark on twitter. It's just a way for certain people to feel special. We don't need points to know that listening to Magnus about recruiting is a good idea or that umbig11 is an actual program insider. In fact, if you really want to, you could simply give "super" users a fancy icon.

Also, I know we talked about it a lot when the launch happened, but is the formatting on replies ever going to get fixed so as to not waste so much space with the Joined Date, voting thumbs, and points totals? It's still makes no sense for them to take up as much or more space as a single line reply.

Goggles Paisano

July 27th, 2018 at 6:12 AM ^

I disagree.  Most of the comments on here are points related as they matter to people.  I think the system as it were, was the best way to police the dipshits on the board and recognize those that are credible (there are always exceptions though).  I bet you $1 that when the points are working, board participation is up and thus site traffic is up.  And right now they need more site traffic to generate more revenue to be able to pay someone to get some of the point system fixed.  A conundrum?      

trueblueintexas

July 25th, 2018 at 10:07 PM ^

Just saw the board layout was slightly altered today. Very nice. Much easier to discern separate posts and what sub conversations are taking place. Thanks for all the hard work behind the scenes MGo staff.

Mr. Elbel

July 26th, 2018 at 12:36 AM ^

Don't worry seth. They'll be back when the season starts and UFRs and one frame at a time and opponent watch and the story all hit. They'll all be back.

BornInA2

July 26th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^

1. So I just upvoted something on page 8 here. Using the upthumby voter upper icon. And the point total for the post incremented from 3 to 2. THREE to TWO. For an upvote.

That is not latency in tallying.

2. Remember that time back in Aught Eight when we got a brand shiney new coach and we were all like "YAHFUCKINGHOO A ***NEW*** THING. And it's modern! This is awesome!!!"

And then the new thing turned out to be starting Steven Threet and Pat Sheridan at QB in a spread offense? And we all went, "Uh, this new thing is sorta not looking or working so awesome."

And then that turned out not be the end of it but just the tip of a giant, ugly iceberg of woe that included getting pantsed by Toledo?

And the coach kept saying like, "Hey, we're working on it. It's getting better. Just watch. Hey, we might stop on the way to Happy Valley and hold open tryouts for a kicker in case any of you can help. Please. Help. But it's all awesome!"

This is that.

chatster

July 27th, 2018 at 6:04 AM ^

That still might be a glitch.  

Under MGoBlog “Classic” (version 2.0) that showed the total number of up votes and the total number of down votes, if you’d already voted on a comment, the arrow indicating your vote would have a lighter shade.  Under the Glitch Switch to MGoBlog 3.0, you never can be sure whether you’ve voted previously on a comment, even if the "Thumbs Up" appears as a solid blue color.

Try this: Click on a “Thumbs Up” for a comment that shows a positive number of votes.  Even if the “Thumbs Up” isn’t a solid blue color, you might’ve already voted on it.  If, for example, the vote total showed ten positive votes AND you've previously voted on the comment, your second click on the “Thumbs Up” will reduce the total to nine positive votes.  Click again on the “Thumbs Up” and the vote total is restored to ten positive votes.

Mr. Elbel

July 28th, 2018 at 11:56 PM ^

You also could have already voted on it and it didn't register. Unlike 2.0, you can undo an up or down vote by clicking on it again.

One glitch that I have found is that sometimes if I return to a thread I'm already on, it won't show me what I've voted on. So I'll go to re-upvote someone and end up removing my vote. OR other times I come to a thread I haven't seen before and it looks like I've already voted on a bunch of posts even though I clearly haven't.

huntmich

August 1st, 2018 at 8:02 PM ^

When you click on a comment in your post history on mobile, it will not take you to your post if it is on anything other than the first page of a comment section.

humanelement

August 2nd, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^

Hey! We know how frustrating this inconvenience is. It has been brought to our attention and we are actively working to resolve it so that everyone is able to vote again. Thanks for your patience! We'll make sure to update everyone as we gather more information.

Blue Durham

August 2nd, 2018 at 1:57 PM ^

I'm a little late to the, well, "party," as it were, due to work I've been swamped and rarely had time to check in during the week, but I'd still like to make a few points that have not been mentioned (and to reiterate a few that have been).

  1. On the MGoBoard, it would be useful to have a column listing the author of the OP, as there are posters whose posts are definitely worth reading, and others whose threads are... less desirable to read.
  2. On the MGoBoard, there should be a column if the OP is a story, diary or board post (or other like sticky).
  3. I go straight to the MGoBoard, and front-page stories are currently not listed but should be as well (like before).
  4. Should off-topic stuff be mixed in with the relevant stuff or should there be an added label in a column or something else?
  5. Yes, the "new" or "updated" feature should also be reinstalled when time allows. 
  6. And yes, like before, the comment box should appear both before the comments and at the end as well.

Getting the site updated has obviously been a Herculean effort and will payoff soon.  Hell, we now have access to the history of the entire blog (at least post blogspot/haloscan).  I have little doubt the little added features like those above will get worked in.

MH20

August 3rd, 2018 at 3:30 PM ^

Absolutely agree on the placement of the comment box. Having it only at the top of the page doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you have to scroll down to read existing comments, and then scroll back up to write your own.

Also in complete agreement regarding a column listing the author of a thread. I don't recall if this was there in 2.0 on the separate mgoboard page but it for sure listed the author of the thread on the sidebar. It went something like Title Of Thread Here by MH20.

DelhiWolverine

August 2nd, 2018 at 2:10 PM ^

My points seem to be frozen. Not sure if this is a thing everyone is currently experiencing or if it's just me.

Then again, hell itself seems to have frozen over with everything going on down in Columbus so maybe it's just that...