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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 48 to 72 of 76. Go back in thread:
Posted by Dinah on March 6, 2010, at 22:11:59
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 6, 2010, at 20:46:25
I'm pretty sure you can only accept/reject cookies by website. I've never heard of allowing only certain cookies from a website.
Didn't you say that only those who accepted cookies were vulnerable to the hacker that time Babble got hacked? I've been rejecting Babble's cookies ever since. Would this cookie be different?
Expanding/collapsing isn't a problem for me. Apparently expanded is the default? Could you maybe make no signatures the default, and a cookie needs to be accepted to see them?
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 0:23:58
In reply to Re: signature lines » Dr. Bob, posted by Dinah on March 6, 2010, at 22:11:59
> I'm pretty sure you can only accept/reject cookies by website. I've never heard of allowing only certain cookies from a website.
The thing about this cookie is it would only need to be set once. So I think you could accept cookies, set this default, and then go back to rejecting cookies. I don't think going back to rejecting cookies would delete already-accepted cookies.
> Didn't you say that only those who accepted cookies were vulnerable to the hacker that time Babble got hacked? I've been rejecting Babble's cookies ever since. Would this cookie be different?
The potentially problematic cookie is the one with your password. This one would just say "show" or "hide".
> Expanding/collapsing isn't a problem for me. Apparently expanded is the default? Could you maybe make no signatures the default, and a cookie needs to be accepted to see them?
I could, but showing signatures is standard, and better too much information than too little, IMO.
Bob
Posted by jane d on March 7, 2010, at 2:05:54
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 0:23:58
> The potentially problematic cookie is the one with your password. This one would just say "show" or "hide".
Taking cookies violates my security protocols. And your workaround is too complicated anyway. If you can do the above you can just as easily set it up so that it shows the extra text only if the "show" cookie is found.
> I could, but showing signatures is standard, and better too much information than too little, IMO.
It may be common but I'm not sure it's standard. And even if it is that doesn't make it a good thing.
I agree that information is good. The question is whether the signatures contain information or "noise". I'd guess about half of the forums I visit use signatures. I'd also say that NONE Of those signatures contain useful information. They generally contain bad jokes, political statements, poems the poster thought were cute 5 years ago and the like. Rarely they contain the equivalent of a babble medication list and even those are almost never relevant to the immediate post. And I've often seen people focusing on signature lines and missing the info in the post itself.
How is it a good thing to make it easier for people to post anything they haven't thought about? People think about a signature once and then automatically post it over and over again without rereading it or thinking about whether it matters in the current context. This isn't information. It's just a waste of both human and computer bandwidth. I don't have enough of either to waste on junk.
Jane
Who'd like to note that the above paragraph is about 200 characters! Longer than many posts. This is definitely going to be a bandwidth problem for me.
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 2:55:04
In reply to Oh dear! » Dr. Bob, posted by jane d on March 7, 2010, at 2:05:54
> I agree that information is good. The question is whether the signatures contain information or "noise".
If someone's is noise, what about letting them know? (In a civil way, of course.) They'd probably appreciate the feedback.
> the above paragraph is about 200 characters!
If you consider 399 about 200! :-)
Bob
Posted by jane d on March 7, 2010, at 3:13:00
In reply to Re: Oh dear!, posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 2:55:04
> If you consider 399 about 200! :-)
>
> BobOops! Multiplication error. Definitely no more posting for me tonight!
Jane
ps. 399? Exactly? I sure hope you have a program that counted that. :-)
Posted by Dinah on March 7, 2010, at 10:16:24
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 0:23:58
Your opinion and mine differ on that. Not only do even the most profound statements or the most witty jokes become tiresome after many many viewings (to me at least - maybe I have a low irritation threshold), but sometimes signature lines contain, for example, information about a poster that wouldn't ordinarily come up in Babble discourse and that might lead me to feel a bit less positively about that poster. Sometimes more information is definitely not better.
This is by no means a hill I wish to die on (in the words of Dr. Laura) but if there is any way at all for you to get what you want without my having to get what I don't want, I'd vastly prefer it.
My experience of cookies is that when you visit a site, most of the cookies of that site pile on all at once. Is there any way to identify this cookie so that I can delete the others once I stop accepting cookies? And maybe also the cookie that makes sending a copy of your babblemail to yourself automatic? By the way, if more information is always better, why isn't that one the default?
Posted by Dinah on March 7, 2010, at 10:28:18
In reply to Oops! » Dr. Bob, posted by jane d on March 7, 2010, at 3:13:00
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 18:28:32
In reply to Re: signature lines » Dr. Bob, posted by Dinah on March 7, 2010, at 10:16:24
> Sometimes more information is definitely not better.
I agree, sometimes it isn't.
> My experience of cookies is that when you visit a site, most of the cookies of that site pile on all at once. Is there any way to identify this cookie so that I can delete the others once I stop accepting cookies? And maybe also the cookie that makes sending a copy of your babblemail to yourself automatic?
If you want just this one cookie, don't accept cookies before you visit. Visit, find a post with a signature, and then accept cookies. Then change your default = accept this cookie. Then go back to rejecting cookies and continue your visit.
This one would be called "babblesigs" or something like that.
Whether to automatically send a copy of your babblemail to yourself is a setting, not a cookie. But it requires the "babblename" cookie to be able to look up your setting.
Bob
Posted by Dinah on March 7, 2010, at 19:35:40
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 18:28:32
> Whether to automatically send a copy of your babblemail to yourself is a setting, not a cookie. But it requires the "babblename" cookie to be able to look up your setting.
And the babblename cookie is the problematic one?
Thanks for the instructions on signature cookies.
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 23:28:50
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dinah on March 7, 2010, at 19:35:40
> the babblename cookie is the problematic one?
No, the problematic one is "babblepass", the one with your password.
Bob
Posted by Dinah on March 8, 2010, at 9:29:40
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2010, at 23:28:50
Thank you, Dr. Bob.
I'll see if I can delete just that one so I can get the copies of babblemails sent to me automatically.
If that's the only one that causes security issues, maybe you could load that one at a different time, and with warning?
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 10, 2010, at 2:21:01
In reply to Re: signature lines » Dr. Bob, posted by Dinah on March 8, 2010, at 9:29:40
> If that's the only one that causes security issues, maybe you could load that one at a different time, and with warning?
It loads after you type it in to post.
If any of you can find a good discussion of the pros and cons of cookies, I'd be happy to link to it from the FAQ.
Any other comments about signature lines? If not, I'll see if I can implement them...
Bob
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 14, 2010, at 3:43:57
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 10, 2010, at 2:21:01
> I'll see if I can implement them...
I think I have a preliminary version working for my posts. What do you think?
Bob
Posted by Deneb on March 14, 2010, at 16:13:45
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 14, 2010, at 3:43:57
I think signatures are a good idea, but I can also see some potential problems. Internet marketers might try to promote products in their signatures.
I've seen the dark side of Internet marketing, some people will do anything to make money.
Some people hire forum posters to post all day on forums with links that promote a product.
I imagine there may be a need for closer moderation if you were to implement signatures, though I could be wrong.
Posted by Phillipa on March 18, 2010, at 21:27:52
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 14, 2010, at 3:43:57
Dr. Bob not quite sure what you mean. Are you saying if a person responds to a thread if they have added their meds they will automatically appear at bottom of post? Thanks Phillipa
Posted by sukarno on March 18, 2010, at 21:34:50
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 14, 2010, at 3:43:57
Hi Dr Bob. I think signatures is a great idea!
I wish I could have one right now. When will this be implemented? Soon, I hope. :-)
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 19, 2010, at 8:46:54
In reply to Re: signature lines » Dr. Bob, posted by Deneb on March 14, 2010, at 16:13:45
> I think signatures are a good idea, but I can also see some potential problems. Internet marketers might try to promote products in their signatures.
That's true. But they can try to promote their products in their posts right now.
I changed it so they aren't retroactive and only show up on posts you post after you add them. So, for example, this one should have one, but this one:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20091103/msgs/939484.html
shouldn't.
Bob
Posted by europerep on March 20, 2010, at 8:23:36
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 6, 2010, at 20:46:25
hey there..
I read Dr. Bob's signature a couple of days ago, and earlier I too was thinking about a possibility to let people know the med history etc., so one would not have to ask everytime..
however, I don't think signatures are that useful for this purpose, because they might either tend to be quite long, or will necessarily leave out important information.I'd suggest a small personal profile, i.e. the possibility to click on a username to access his own profile where he can add a text talking a little bit about himself. this would make it possible to provide a decent amount of information, without having the inconvenience of listing someone's med history with every post. also, a forum where everyone's signature includes meds, would kind of "impersonalize" it.. med information should be the background to a post, not the actual information, I find.
all this is not against signatures, but a small personal profile in addition would be good, I think.
thx for reading!
ER
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 20, 2010, at 10:32:12
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by europerep on March 20, 2010, at 8:23:36
> I'd suggest a small personal profile, i.e. the possibility to click on a username to access his own profile where he can add a text talking a little bit about himself. this would make it possible to provide a decent amount of information, without having the inconvenience of listing someone's med history with every post.
>
> all this is not against signatures, but a small personal profile in addition would be good, I think.I agree, the are limitations to signatures. Profiles have been requested before and are on my to-do list, too. Thanks for your input!
Bob
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 21, 2010, at 18:07:51
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 14, 2010, at 3:43:57
> I think I have a preliminary version working for my posts.
OK, let's give this a try. There's now a setting for a signature:
http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/settings.pl
Let me know if you have any questions. I hope you find this to be a useful feature.
Bob
Posted by sukarno on March 21, 2010, at 23:21:09
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 21, 2010, at 18:07:51
Excellent. Thanks Dr Bob. This will indeed make things much more easy as we will know what the person's condition and meds are, if they decide to take advantage of this new feature. :-)
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 23, 2010, at 10:41:04
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by sukarno on March 21, 2010, at 23:21:09
> Excellent. Thanks Dr Bob. This will indeed make things much more easy as we will know what the person's condition and meds are, if they decide to take advantage of this new feature. :-)
Thanks, and nice job with your signature! :-)
Bob
Posted by zazenducke on March 24, 2010, at 13:08:52
In reply to Re: signature lines » Dr. Bob, posted by Dinah on March 6, 2010, at 19:49:17
> Could you make it so you don't need to accept cookies to hide signatures please?
>
> I'd really prefer not to accept cookies, or to see signatures.
Mine's ever so cute. I'm sorry you have to miss it.
Posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 10:05:09
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by Dr. Bob on March 23, 2010, at 10:41:04
Thanks Bob this will help a lot! Could you also make a link to the settings on the main page and the bottom of the other boards? I don't know where else to find that link except in this thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on April 2, 2010, at 0:13:42
In reply to Re: signature lines, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 10:05:09
> Thanks Bob this will help a lot! Could you also make a link to the settings on the main page and the bottom of the other boards? I don't know where else to find that link except in this thread.
You're welcome! I'm trying to keep the main page uncluttered. I added a section to the FAQ:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#signature
instead. How's that?
Bob
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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