E-mail Concerns

Posted on Mon, 23rd January 2006 at 16:11 under General

For a while, I have had this nagging doubt as to the reliability of my e-mail service. I get e-mail, from all my known addresses, but I’m never entirely sure I’m getting everything I’m sent. If anyone is getting email sent to me bounced back, please let me know here.

I pay for my email. Not much but I do pay, and I pay for a 100% reliable service or not at all. I suspect my current service is not 100% but have little to no evidence for it. Plans to change are afoot. I’m sorry this is still an ongoing problem 2 years down the line. I’m not confident messing around with e-mail systems.

If you have mailed me, cheque, if bounced, let me know here, please.

Update 22:50 Hotmail was junking all my libertini e-mails. That solves one mystery.

43 Responses

  1. Hi Guys,

    Are you suddenly not talking to me for some reason?

    Reply
  2. Goodness no!

    I’ve been working my ass off on the website. Lucy is in Sardinia, presumably enjoying family holiday life. You’ve presumably been diving and enjoying island life. How’s the DMT? How’s Rach?

    Reply
  3. Ah, this explains it then. I thought that I was suddenly persona non grata for some reason. I’ve been reading your schizophrenic posts regarding wordpress. I’ll have a play and tell you what I think.

    I’ve a question about the dive log software by the way. Is there a way to log a dive without specifying instructor, divemaster and buddy? Most of the dives I’m doing only involve 2 of 3 at most.

    The DM is progressing slowly. You can read the thrilling updates for yourself. Rach is fine. She is finally learning to dive but has been struck down with a cold so has not done the OW dives yet.

    Reply
  4. C’mon Al, as if!

    On the divelog, you should be able to enter a blank for none, any and all of the three. Let me know if you can’t.

    The work post isn’t schizophrenic - if by that you mean the medical term denoting an illness. You are correct by the popular definition, which I dislike. I’m not ill.

    I am one person with three distinct roles for which I employ three distinct personas, each with an affinity for a particular role and fiercly protective of it. They know each other’s thoughts but each avoids thinking like the other, due to the excessive bathing required after even the slightest of contact. They respect each others role dominance but all occasionally think that the other roles could be done better their way. They would all get on famously except for one small snag - they all have to agree for anything to happen, so they regularly have to meet to discuss.

    It would be schizophrenic if a single persona could unilaterally cause action that affected all of them. Not a chance. That can only happen in a corporation. :)

    I’m just planning a piece that is intended to develop the character of each persona, called The Post-coital Cigarette.

    Reply
  5. Al,

    Would you like to be a Celebrity?

    Reply
  6. Yeah, so long as it means I get to have lots of sex with women who only want me for my mind……

    Reply
  7. What did you have in mind?

    Reply
  8. You get to login, from anywhere. You don’t need to type in your details every time you change computer. You get to edit your own comments. You get to see the backstage of the site if you like that kind of minimal experience. I worship the ground on which you walk, for helping me to test.

    It is a matter of what name you would like to use. Are you happy to stick with Ali? Let me know, I’ll email you a password and further details.

    Being a Celebrity doesn’t involve any real sex. That’s all media hype.

    Reply
  9. Ali is fine. Let me know when it’s all set to go.

    Reply
  10. Ali, you have mail.

    Reply
  11. yup responded to your email and got told was unable to send because … User unknown
    there you go, i do not have anymore time to waste on computers do this via solicitor.

    Reply
  12. I’m so glad you got my e-mail - at least it gets out. Please send the reply to me again - it should get through eventually.

    Your solicitor takes several months to do anything and is evasive when asked who they are and what they are doing, which is not helpful. If you could sort them out, everyone would be better off. That can’t be done on here, obviously.

    I’ve deleted the last half of your comment because of the abuse.

    Reply
  13. I’ve logged in now and have begun sniffing around. I’ve now editied this comment and added this sentance

    However, it has placed this new comment ut of sequence with other comments that are already in place and approved.

    Reply
  14. Okay, so I can post and then edit a comment that has yet to be approved. However, I cannot either approve my own comments or edit those which have already been approved. Is this correct?

    Reply
  15. When I enter a new comment and press “submit comment” Wordpress puts meback to the main screen instead of leaving me in the post I was commenting on.

    Reply
  16. The out of order comments were caused by me messing with the blog timezone, trying to compensate for the server being UTC-5. Nothing to worry about. I’ve moved the anomalous ones and reverted the timezone setting to default. I’ll have to get Paul to take a look at that - it is beginning to bug me.

    Automatic publication is working. I only had to approve your edit.

    Reply
  17. Having fun? :)

    Reply
  18. Right oh, The comments I am now adding are being automatically approved. The first one I added after logging on is still awating moderation and all posts are still being added before the last two which were posted this morning. Is this a problem with your system clock or mine?

    By the hand of his own shadow, he passed unto a better life. No pain, no regret, no sorrow. Only peace.

    Mary had a little lamb, it’s face it was bright red. The reason was for this you see, it had a pick axe through it’s head….

    Reply
  19. Okay. The interface is a bit clunky. When I edit an existing comment and submit it, the editing system takes me to the posts review screen. I think some work needs to be done on redirecting the user to relevent screens when submitting or editing comments. Also, in the editor, the formatting options are not clear. For the programmers and other internet savvy types then things like block quote make sense, but for the average joe, it means nothing. I also notice that I can only edit comments made after I was given the right to do so and not earlier posts.

    Reply
  20. Clunky, agree. Also agree about redirection. It was worse. It will get attention.

    The formatting buttons are a quandry. I want to encourage people to learn how to use basic HTML tagging and I would prefer people typed them in. I don’t use the buttons myself, except for “more” which isn’t relevant for comments. Sigh.

    I take it you’re not comfy with HTML then. If you have time, ask about my Discover HTML introductory experience. It gives you the basic confidence to do the simple things before moving on to Open Blogger HTML. :)

    You may only edit the comments you post while logged in. When you’re not logged in, you’re not a Celebrity.

    Reply
  21. HTML is one of those things that are on me “when I get around to it” list. However, as wordpress is Open source and is used by a number of blog providers it would make sense that you make the editing system as user friendly as possible. Plenty of people want and have blogs but couldn’t write HTML to save their lives.

    Reply
  22. The bravest animals in the land
    Are Captain Beaky and his band.
    That’s Timid Toad. Reckless Rat.
    Artful Owl and Batty Bat.
    March through the woodland Singing songs
    That tell how they have righted wrongs

    Once Hissing Sid, an evil snake
    Kept the woodland folk awake
    In fear and trembling every night
    In case he gave someone a bite.
    Said Artful Owl, ‘We’ll lie in wait
    And one of us will be the bait.’

    Said Captain Beaky, ‘Have no fear
    For I alone will volunteer.’
    ‘No make it me,’ said Reckless Rat,
    ‘I’ll stand there in my reckless hat
    When Hissing Sid picks up my trail
    I’ll just lasso him with my tail.’
    ‘Good idea,’ said Timid Toad,
    ‘We’ll hide a long way down the road.
    And when you’ve overcome resistance
    We’ll rush along to your assistance.’

    Said Batty Bat, ‘I’ve got a wheeze,
    I’ll fly and hide up in the trees.
    If Hissing Sid should slither by,
    I’ll drop a boulder from the sky.’
    Said Artful Owl, ‘The idea’s sound.
    How will you lift it off the ground ?’
    Poor Batty Bat just scratched his head,
    ‘1 hadn’t thought of that, he said.

    Said Owl, ‘The rest of us hold back,
    There’s only one that he’ll attack.’
    Said Timid Toad, ‘I like your plan.’
    ‘Good luck,’ said Owl, ‘For you’re the man’
    So Timid Toad, his eyes a-popping,
    Into the woodland night went hopping.
    Captain Beaky waved his hand
    Followed with. his trusted band
    That’s Artful Owl and Reckless Rat.
    Above the trees flew Batty Bat.

    ‘Stop, ’said Beaky, ‘I hear squeaking.’
    ‘It’s Batty Bat,’ said Owl, ‘He’s speaking
    ‘It’s all in code,’ said Reckless Rat.
    Said Owl, ‘I’ll just decipher that.’
    A dash, a dot, two short, two long,
    I rather hope I’ve got it wrong.
    It reads, can clearly see the road.
    Hissing Sid has captured Toad.’
    ‘Quick men,’ said Beaky, ‘No delay,
    You mustn’t let him get away.’
    And leaping off, said, ‘Follow me,’
    And ran head first into a tree
    ‘Dot -dot -dot,’ squeaked Batty Bat.
    Said Beaky, ‘Quick, decipher that.’
    Cried Reckless Rat, ‘Perhaps we’re gaining
    ‘No’ said Owl ‘He says it’s raining.’

    Oh how they ran to save poor Toad,
    For they must find that Snake’s abode.
    Guided by old Batty Bat,
    Dot - dot, go this way, Dash - dash,­ go that.
    Then Hissing Sid’s lair they espied.
    Were they too late ? Was he inside ?
    Said Reckless Rat, ‘I’ll get a pole,
    And stop him going down his hole.’
    Then into sight the Snake came hopping,
    Right past his hole, no sign of stopping
    Said Reckless Rat, ‘That’s rather funny,
    There’s something jumping in his tummy.’
    Said Captain Beaky, ‘Well, I’m blowed,
    Hissing Sid has swallowed Toad.’
    And as the Snake hopped out of sight,
    Off they chased into the night.

    At last they found him, tired and dizzy
    And pulled out Toad, who said, ‘Where is he ?
    For left alone, I felt quite sick
    And hopped into a hollow stick.’
    Said Owl, ‘A clever step to take,
    You jumped into that Slippery Snake.’
    ‘That was brave of Toad,’ said Rat.
    ‘That’s just my sort of plan,’ said Bat.
    Said Captain Beaky to his men,
    ‘We’ll not see Hissing Sid again.’
    And as they marched off down the road,
    They sang in praise of Timid Toad.
    Above them flew old Batty Bat,
    With his wings stretched out quite flat.
    Owl’s idea, that clever fellah,
    To have a flying umberella.

    The bravest animals in the land
    Are Captain Beaky and his band.
    That’s Timid Toad. Reckless Rat.
    Artful Owl and Batty Bat.
    March through the woodland
    Singing songs
    That tell how they have righted wrongs

    Reply
  23. Start with the quotes. Instead of typing “this is a quote”, type <q>this is a quote</q>. That way, French people will see them properly i.e. «this is a quote». As will the northern Europeans. You still see this is a quote. I have no idea what the other cultures see - I only know it will be right for them.

    Five more keystrokes is little effort for such inestimable détènte in return, wouldn’t you say? It may look strange to begin with, but now you have clearly marked part of your text as being a quote to everyone reading, not just the majority. The trick is simply to speak the common language we all share - that of the browser.

    How does that grab you? Try it out!

    Reply
  24. Stop trying to justify a geek language for a geek community trying to pass itself off as normal. The common language is wookie, I thought everyone know that.

    Reply
  25. Grrrr…. Arrrrggg… Hngngngngrk… C:… Urk!

    No, wookie doesn’t work for computers. They do understand HTML and so can humans. I know it sucks have to drop down to their level, but as soon as we do, computers serve us better. HTML isn’t even all that bad as languages go. Go on, Al. Give it a try.

    <q>quoted text</q>, which is self-explanatory
    <i>italic text</i>, or emphasis as we geeks call it
    <b>bold text</b> or strong

    I’m sure you can see the pattern emerging. It’s like the old days of reveal codes on WordPerfect. WYSIWYG is for wimps!

    Reply
  26. Those of us with WP code experience used the far superior WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS.

    Reply
  27. I’m in a sulk said the girlfriend I should be a celebrity too

    Reply
  28. Oh woops. Can see my two comments as Holly on this post too. Orphan comments Libertus…

    Reply
  29. Liberta,

    I asked Paul about that. He replied, in his usual enigmatic (i.e. totally unhelpful) style, entropy. Do you know what he’s on about?

    Reply
  30. A small glitch I’ve come across is that there is no login timeout, so this morning when I came in and opened your site, I was still logged in even though I closed the browser lastnight.

    Reply
  31. Paul/Libertus has granted me a celebrity sign on so I thought I better introduce myself. I am Paul/Libertus’ girlfriend, the person he has shared his life with for the last 6 years. When you see a comment from Lucy B then you know that it is from me.

    Reply
  32. Ali,

    Thanks for pointing out the login timeout. I’ll investigate some automated support. In the meantime, if you are not using your own computer, as with Hotmail, you should explicitly logout.

    Reply
  33. My God, Paul has a girlfriend? When did this happen, I didn’t know he knew about girls.

    PS. ID thing seems to work. I tried to post a comment using Ali without logging in and it told me to bugger off. I’ve also picked up a book about HTML. You realise you are opening yourself up to being bombarded with question now….:-))

    Reply
  34. Have you been trying to keep them a secret from him all these years Ali?

    I just tried to comment Lucy B without signing in and can confirm that I was also told to bog off. That looks secure.

    Reply
  35. I didn’t want him corrupted, I wanted him to experience the pure love of Jesus and not indulge in carnal earthly pleasures.

    Reply
  36. How about starting up Skype. Everytime I try to call, you ain’t there. My skype ID is Ali2112c. I should be around for another hour or so.

    Reply
  37. I’m getting it going now

    Reply
  38. Do you know who I am on Skype? My user name here with the first vowel as numeric equivalent.

    Reply
  39. Yes

    Reply
  40. I’ve always tried to ensure that Paul is kept fully apprised of all the possibilities. I keep telling him about girls. He prefers computers. Wierdo.

    Reply
  41. There is no accounting for the deviants in our society.

    Reply
  42. I’ll start then.

    1!

    Reply
  43. Your so not funny.

    Reply

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