Outside the Beltway

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Updated Update About Site Updates

The place to report bugs and post “test” comments

Matt Bernius
44

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5/17 Update 2: The new caching is officially in place. Let me know how things look. To help you can jump to the last comments (as of my posting this) via this link.

5/17 Update 1: Squashing the OTB bugs continues. After a lot of research, the file ownership and group issues that have plagued us are tied to the fact our servers are running on EasyApache 4. It turns out that WordPress plays best in that environment with some back-end extensions that were not enabled until a few days ago. My hope is with a few more tweaks we’ll finally fix the caching issue you all have encountered. However, for the moment, caching is turned off. So please use this comment thread to let me know if you are still having issues with: comment counts being off, edit buttons disappearing, and anything else.

Hey all, as you may remember, last year, we transitioned how we hosted OTB. As part of that work, we shifted from a managed hosting environment to a dedicated server. I also took over handling a lot of the backend implementation. Unfortunately, my skills at doing that were a bit dusty and limited. That’s led to a bunch of challenges–especially as I began to pull on some of the loose threads of the WordPress sweater that is OTB.

The good news is that we’ve managed to actually clean up a bunch of vestigial dead weight on the backend of the site. The bad news is that, as you’ve encountered on a number of occasions, when I put the disassembled site back together, I sometimes discovered that something I removed might not have been as vestigial as I thought it was.

Yesterday, I implemented a number of suggested “security fixes” intended to make our WordPress installation less hackable. Apparently one of them is creating an issue with our comment counts. There may also be some additional fallout.

Here’s my ask–if things are not looking right, can you comment about it here (and only here). That’s going to make it easier for me to track issues. And when you share, if you can let me know what browser and platform (desktop/tablet/mobile) you are on.

Thanks!

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44 responses to “Updated Update About Site Updates”

  1. JohnSF Avatar
    JohnSF

    test

    0
  2. CSK Avatar
    CSK

    Testing with Chrome. All seems well, so far. Thanks, Matt, for all your work on the site.

  3. Bill Jempty Avatar
    Bill Jempty

    Testing with Firefox. I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts standing in a row…..

  4. Kylopod Avatar
    Kylopod

    Just FYI, Wed Forum still shows just 39 comments from my iPhone, and I saw at least one “Wow there are so few comments today!”

  5. restless Avatar
    restless

    @Kylopod:

    Yes, while the Wednesday forum seems to be up-to-date with 128 comments on the front page and 128 on the forum page (I hope :), none of the other threads from yesterday show all the comments that the front page says they have.

    Today’s comments are new to me, so I’ll wait a bit and see if the comment count gets out of sync. There are currently four here on the updates thread, and 16 on the open form.

    Note that the comment count being out of sync means that literally there are fewer posts on the page, not just that the comment count doesn’t match.

    1
  6. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    On all of yesterday’s blog posts, I see the number of comments but can only view a few of them. I didn’t count them, but they top out around 15:00 in the time stamp.

    If I post a comment, then I can see them all. I just don’t want to post wildly to read the comments.

    1
  7. Matt Bernius Avatar
    Matt Bernius

    Question for @Kathy and others who have to post to see all the comments, what browser and device are you using?

    1
  8. JohnSF Avatar
    JohnSF

    @Matt Bernius:
    Happening to me.
    I’m using Chrome on a Win11 laptop.

    1
  9. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    On desktop PC Chrome. On the android phone Edge. refreshing the page doesn’t help. I also just tried Edge on the desktop, and the problem stays the same.

    The funny thing is that around 5 pm CST yesterday I could see all comments, then by around 6 most of them disappeared.

  10. CSK Avatar
    CSK

    I tried to post a comment on the Open Forum at 10:19 and couldn’t. I got the message that the site wasn’t working.

  11. Scott Avatar
    Scott

    I haven’t had any issues this morning at all. Chrome with Windows 11 laptop. May not matter but I use a VPN.

  12. inhumans99 Avatar
    inhumans99

    I am posting from an Android phone (Pixel 7 Pro), things look good on my end.

    I also post from my desktop computer, a Mac Mini, but I use Chrome as my primary browser.

    Sometimes I need to refresh for actual up to date number of comments on a post to show up, but wonky number of actual # of comments under a post whenever I hit this site does not really bother me.

    I love all that James, Steven, and you have done to keep this great site running.

    Much appreciated!!

  13. Barry Avatar
    Barry

    Test comment – Firefox from Windows 11 PC.

  14. restless Avatar
    restless

    MacBook Pro, iPhone and iPad Air, all up to date with their respective OSes.

    As I mentioned yesterday, each device (and each browser), wasn’t updating comments, though the comment count on the front page was increasing.

    Yesterday evening the open forum started working; I could see the few comments posted after my last, and the comment count matched. Only that one thread, though; the others needed to be bumped to load the newer comments.

    This morning’s threads have reverted to last week’s behavior; I can see new comments (both threads, both iPhone and iPad), but the comment count on the front page is lower than that of the thread page. I’ll take it 🙂

    Thank you, Matt, for all your effort keeping OTB going!

  15. Jax Avatar
    Jax

    Everything seems to be fine for me this morning on today’s posts. Opera on Windows 11 laptop.

  16. Michael Reynolds Avatar
    Michael Reynolds

    So weird, but sometimes when I click on Outsidethebeltway I somehow end up on this obscure site called PornHub. I don’t know if any of you know that site, but the content is quite different from OTB.

    5
  17. just nutha Avatar
    just nutha

    @Matt Bernius: I was using a Fire 10 tablet when I posted to recover comments from yesterday’s posts. The resident browser on that system is called “silk.”

    You now have 100% of the information my mad teck skilz can provide about my situation. I wish I understood more, but I don’t.

  18. Neil Hudelson Avatar
    Neil Hudelson

    @Matt Bernius:

    I experienced the commenting-to-see-comments issue both on Firefox and on Brave, which is based on Chrome.

    1
  19. Mister Bluster Avatar
    Mister Bluster

    @Michael Reynolds:..PH…

    There is a site for Christian men that will only say P-word that is supposed to cure Christian men of the need for poontang or something like that.
    Not like I will be signing up anytime soon.

  20. Rob1 Avatar
    Rob1

    @Matt Bernius:

    Here’s my ask–if things are not looking right, can you comment about it here (and only here).

    Does this mean specifically this post/thread or will a dedicated thread be posted periodically going forward?

  21. Gustopher Avatar
    Gustopher

    The timestamps have been back for a bit. I recall James had reasons for having them removed.

  22. Matt Bernius Avatar
    Matt Bernius

    @Rob1:
    James and I are talking about a redesign of our template and this might end up being a pinned post on it somewhere.

    I think keeping this accessible probably makes sense.

    1
  23. Andy Avatar
    Andy

    I haven’t been on much, but the most I’ve noticed is occasional comment counts being off on the home page, and occasional long times (up to a minute) for a comment to post after hitting the button.

    Everything on this post looks fine as of now.

    I primarily use firefox on PC and iOS, but with a lot of addons.

  24. Matt Bernius Avatar
    Matt Bernius

    @Andy:
    Ooh, good to know about the lag on posting a comment. That’s strange.

  25. Andy Avatar
    Andy

    @Matt Bernius:

    It isn’t happening today – it was whenever I
    last commented – a few days ago I think.

  26. Mister Bluster Avatar
    Mister Bluster

    @Matt Bernius:..lag…

    The comment posting lag time has been intermittent over the last week or so. Most times that there was a delay in posting the edit timer would appear at 18:59 so I’m guessing the delay was about a minute.
    Today it seems that posts appear as soon as I hit the POST COMMENT key.
    This post is composed on my MacBook Air macOS Sierra 10.12.6 Chrome browser.

    ETA: This posted slicker than shit through a goose.
    (Blame Animal House for my offensive images.)

    2
  27. CSK Avatar
    CSK

    Posting a comment isn’t a problem, but the actual comment count is still off on the home page. That’s with Chrome on a laptop.

    1
  28. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    I can see now the comments that disappeared yesterday. Chrome on a Win11 PC.

    Many thanks to all who replied on yesterday’s open thread on how to delete a comment. I’ll try them next time I do a double post.

    1
  29. Mimai Avatar
    Mimai

    @Matt Bernius:

    It amazes me that you all maintain this site, at this pace, for “free.” Thank you!

    Also, while I’m here, let me say that I’ve long pined for pinned posts that segregate certain topics/discussions (eg, “Toad Touching”) from the other posts/discussions of the day. Imagine.

    2
  30. Mister Bluster Avatar
    Mister Bluster

    Here’s my ask–if things are not looking right, can you comment about it here (and only here).

    Looks like the comment counter on the cover page of the Friday May 9, 2025 OTB is not keeping up with actual comments posted in several threads.
    Pentagon Purge…
    Cover page: No Comments
    Actual thread: 8 Comments

    Pirro…
    Cover: 9 Comments
    Thread: 13

    Clowns…
    Cover: 8
    Thread: 12

    Photo…
    Cover: 3
    Thread: 3

    Forum…
    Cover: 33
    Thread: 41

    MacBook Air
    macOS Sierra
    Version 10.12.6

    Chrome browser.

  31. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    At the moment if I post to X or Bluesky the photo does not travel along with the link, but it did yesterday.

    (I have noticed this being something that comes and goes over the last several months).

    1
  32. Scott F. Avatar
    Scott F.

    Using Safari on an iPad, I’m getting accurate comment counts and timestamps. I am seeing that aforementioned lag when posting a comment.

    2
  33. mattbernius Avatar
    mattbernius

    Test.

    [Edit: Testing edit on chrome android.]

  34. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    I see that the correct favicon is back!

  35. Mister Bluster Avatar
    Mister Bluster

    @Steven L. Taylor:..favicon…

    I give up…favorite icon?

  36. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    @Mister Bluster: The litttle icon that show up in the tabs of your browser. Like the stylized T for the NYT or the NPR logo.

    OTB’s has been two older versions for a while. The right one is back.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favicon

  37. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    Interestingly, not for this post. But the main page and newer posts, yes.

  38. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    I know see the main page generates the right favicon, but the individual posts do not.

  39. Mister Bluster Avatar
    Mister Bluster

    @Steven L. Taylor:..favicon…

    Thank you for the reply.

  40. charontwo Avatar
    charontwo

    Really odd behavior, “post comment” returns to thread with no new comment, shows up much later

  41. charontwo Avatar
    charontwo

    Still doing it, I do not see the comment I just posted.

  42. just nutha Avatar
    just nutha

    Tuesday, May 20: Posted comment in forum from phone–year-old Moto Android phone, presumably running Chrome (??). Comment didn’t appear after two reloads. Shifted to Fire 10–running a browser called “Silk”–found the comment. Back to my phone; reopening the OtB website to get a new front page (new post and comments on another post that had shown zero) revealed my “lost” forum comment.

    Hope the detail helps with your puzzle.

  43. just nutha Avatar
    just nutha

    @just nutha: If the information is important, my comment above didn’t post for either device for about ten minutes. It now shows on both.

  44. Kylopod Avatar
    Kylopod

    Is just posted two comments to “Tuesday Tab Clearing,” and neither is appearing.

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