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General discussion

Odd system error

Jan 2, 2011 1:07AM PST

I posted a new message in Speakeasy, successfully viewed the message in preview, and then posted it. When the box opened asking what to do next I chose to view the message. I received a 'Message not found' error.
Now, in the SE forum I see my message listed with 0 posts.
What gives?
A view of the forum:
http://www.yadtel.net/~sirosler/Images/NoMessage.jpg

Discussion is locked

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jpg looks ok.
Jan 2, 2011 1:16AM PST

But I wonder if your Employee of the month is being eaten by the new filters.

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That is my guess, though what might be filtered is unclear
Jan 2, 2011 1:36AM PST

It's a joke picture showing somebody working on a laptop while sitting in a bathroom stall. There is nothing risque. IOW, the content/image should not be a problem.
OTOH, there are two separate potential issues:
I do not know if filters are catching links to specific outside sites (in which case it is just bad luck that I found the picture on one of those sites)
OR
The URL includes a reference to 'pot'. Not in the sense of cannabis, but in the sense of toilet.
FWIW: The error is reproducible, both in SE and in the Test forum.
Unfortunately, since I know nothing about the filters, and I don't recall any mention of 'new' filters, I have no way to determine what is triggering the problem other than a lot of trial-and-error.

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An example of the filters at work
Jan 2, 2011 6:55PM PST

Lee was having problems with a post from Carol which kept disappearing. He finally tracked the problem down to the word 'specialised'.

Not offensive in itself, but it includes "c ialis", part of the "v iagra" group.

That took a while to sort out.

I wonder if your post included something of a similar nature.

These filters seem to be growing a consciousness! Happy

Mark

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It's our new forum moderator...
Jan 3, 2011 8:32PM PST

AutoMod was brought into the fold to deal with some of our more persistent spammers. (We have had some hit us for over 500 posts in under two hours, making the bringing of him into the fold a necessity.) There is no warning when AutoMod takes action due to how he was implemented, and as mentioned there are still some kinks being worked out. However, there is also a feedback mechanism so Lee can watch for problems should they arise. Beyond that, though, details are being kept close to the vest.

John

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That does raise a question ....
Jan 2, 2011 1:39AM PST

Shouldn't the filters be applied BEFORE generating a preview of the message?
The message displayed properly in Preview but could not be accessed once it was posted.
That means there is additional formatting/processing AFTER the Preview takes place.
I'm not sure I see the logic of the Preview 'feature' if it does not show what the message will actually look like when it is posted.

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Just learned what it was.
Jan 3, 2011 9:29AM PST

It was the blogspot link that pushed it into the hidden world of posts we can't see.

Lee has now unhid it.
Bob

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Thanks.
Jan 3, 2011 11:05AM PST

I'm curious what it is about blogspot that created a problem ... or is that the kind of thing that cannot be revealed without creating other problems.

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It's one of the filters
Jan 3, 2011 1:14PM PST

That was implemented. The spammers tend to use that and while more was told and not to sound like I'm avoiding telling I hope you understand that the spammers are unwelcome.
Bob