Threads keep disappearing into cyberspace??

M

Miss Teacher

Hi,

I have three threads (I hope) in which I am attempting to get replies. I'm
not someone who spams or multi-posts. Nor do I ask the same question in many
different forum groups.

However, it is HIGHLY annoying when my threads keep disappearing! Sometimes
they disappear from my profile page, but I manage to search and find them
anyway in the forums. Sometimes they disappear from my profile page and I am
unable to find them in the forums either.

Very few things are more annoying than having an error or problem in the
first instance, then, to top it all off, finding that your attempts to solve
that problem via the message boards have disappeared into cyberspace, and you
have litterally lost a day of time in solving the issue. The last thread I
lost even had replies to it! If I post a help request here it is VERY
annoying to find the next day that the reason I haven't had a reply is due to
the fact that my thread has disappeared!

PLEASE fix this ongoing problem - I've lost count of the number of times
this has happened. It also seemingly does not only happen to me - I have seen
other messages where the poster states that their last message disappeared.
 
B

boblarson

Yes, Microsoft has been having some issues surrounding the web interface to
the newsgroups. Now I say this with only the best of intentions as to
getting you the help you desire. Perhaps you should also, if you aren't
already, post your question also to Utter Access (http://www.utteraccess.com)
or Access World Forums
(http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/index.php).

That would give you additional safeguards that someone will be able to
respond to you. So, anyway, that is just an extra option for you.

As for the lost posts, I'm not sure what is being done but it is known by
Microsoft and I believe that they are trying to ensure that it doesn't happen
again.
 
M

Miss Teacher

Hey Bob!

Thanks for the quick and honest reply :).

No worries - just wanted to ensure Microsoft knows about it so that they can
fix it. I actually have a recently opened account with UtterAccss - they seem
like a nice bunch from other threads I have read :). I've uploaded my DB to
them for structure advice (and mentioned these opening problems as an add on
to warn them). Maybe they'll find a solution.

I'm a beginner (of only a few weeks) to access and all programming, and am
learning while on holidays. I'm also getting a little frustrated as I can't
really continue working until I solve these two opening form issues.

I appreciate your candid reply :).

Kind Regards,
 
C

Chris O'C via AccessMonster.com

If you want to continue using the web and still have the largest number of
experts looking at your questions (hint, they read posts in these groups),
you can use Accessmonster.com. It tracks your threads for you online. Don't
know if the email feature works to alert when there's a reply. Don't need to.
I track all my threads in my profile and just click on the links to the
replies.

I log in once and stay logged in even when I shut down the pc or access the
site from another pc. I don't lose posts when my log in expires like on some
sites.

Chris
 
M

Miss Teacher

Hey Chris!

Thanks for your reply. I also have a (recent) account there too. I have been
getting around! ;-) At the time I didn't realise that the two forums were
linked. But I found out that the experts who help solve the problem initiated
from Access Monster don't the get recognition of "Solved" when the query
comes from that site. So I moved back (I've been registered here for a long
time) to MS Online. Guess I thought that it would be nice to post where I
knew that the person who helped would get recognition for it (those bronze,
silver and gold badges). If I have a query that holds me up so that I can't
continue, I guess I might take your advice and revert to Access Monster from
now on. :)

I've actually noticed that there is a tendency for different type of queries
and answers on different forums... or am I dilusional? ;-)
 
C

Chris O'C via AccessMonster.com

The experts who solve the problem don't get credit unless they post the
answer while logged into the Microsoft site. Very few of us use that
interface for answering questions because it's built for people who ask only
a few questions a year. Most of the experts you want to give credit to will
never see that credit.

You're not delusional. Forums cater to their most popular users. Utter
Access caters to beginners and intermediate Access users. These groups cater
to beginners through experts and the lost web surfers who post questions
about Vista, Outlook, etc.

Chris
 
J

John W. Vinson

So I moved back (I've been registered here for a long
time) to MS Online. Guess I thought that it would be nice to post where I
knew that the person who helped would get recognition for it (those bronze,
silver and gold badges). If I have a query that holds me up so that I can't
continue, I guess I might take your advice and revert to Access Monster from
now on. :)

Actually many of the regular responders, including a lot of the MVPs, avoid
Microsoft's webpage interface. Microsoft doesn't publicise the fact much, but
recognition of volunteers is *not* dependent on the "badges" interface
feature. There are volunteers recognized as MVP's who rarely or never use it,
based on their contributions in other venues.

In fact the webpage is just a newsreader. The messages are NOT stored on the
webpage; I'm not using the webpage right now. They're stored on a "Usenet NNTP
Newsgroup", and there are many ways to get at them; AccessMonster and other
"repackaging" sites are one. Another is a Newsreader such as XNews, Agent, or
even Outlook Express or Windows Mail (which you already have); point the news
server to news.microsoft.com and you can see the posts much more reliably than
the webpage will show them.

For viewing historical posts, you can use http://groups.google.com; use the
"advanced search" option and search in a specific group (Google's been having
some trouble too, especially seaching across many groups).
I've actually noticed that there is a tendency for different type of queries
and answers on different forums... or am I dilusional? ;-)

The Microsoft Office webpage, AccessMonster, and other repackagers are all
sharing the same batch of messages; UtterAccess is indeed an independent site
with a different (somewhat overlapping) group of volunteers.
 
D

David W. Fenton

UtterAccess is indeed an independent site
with a different (somewhat overlapping) group of volunteers.

That is, UA is *not* repackaging Usenet posts.

And it's a damned good site, too, with some pretty incredible people
posting there on a regular basis who are never seen in the
microsoft.public newsgroups.
 
J

John W. Vinson

That is, UA is *not* repackaging Usenet posts.

And it's a damned good site, too, with some pretty incredible people
posting there on a regular basis who are never seen in the
microsoft.public newsgroups.

Absolutely agreed... and I should have made that clearer. I like UA, just
don't have time to post there and here too (heck, I don't have time to post
HERE but do so anyway...)
 
D

David W. Fenton

Absolutely agreed... and I should have made that clearer. I like
UA, just don't have time to post there and here too (heck, I don't
have time to post HERE but do so anyway...)

An up-and-coming site that's not Access-specific is
StackOverflow.com. I'm posting there monitoring all the Access
discussion, which most often means questions about accessing Jet
data, rather than using Access. I'd love to see a site like this
have substantial Access content, as it really functions as a Wiki,
with the best answers floating to the top, and with all of it
editable so that the content of each thread has the potential to
improve over time.
 
J

John W. Vinson

An up-and-coming site that's not Access-specific is
StackOverflow.com. I'm posting there monitoring all the Access
discussion, which most often means questions about accessing Jet
data, rather than using Access. I'd love to see a site like this
have substantial Access content, as it really functions as a Wiki,
with the best answers floating to the top, and with all of it
editable so that the content of each thread has the potential to
improve over time.

Thanks, David. I'll bookmark it and try to find time to drop in; sounds
interesting.
 

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