Sorry I didn't get to this sooner, but I've just been too busy of late. I wanted to get to it though. It is doubtful the problems some of you are experiencing using the commenting system here are related to how CelticsBlog or its commenting system works. Whether CB is under heavy server load or not, this is a problem that almost always originates on the user end of things.
There are a number of things that can contribute to it. Let's get into those some. BTW, it doesn't matter if you visit some other website and everything works fine for you over there. Forget it. That's not apples and apples or relevant to this discussion. It comes down to specifics. Here's a bit more on that on why user commenting here most likely isn't working exactly right for some of you...
Our commenting system is pretty state-of-the-art. It uses Web 2.0 AJAX technology to provide a very smooth commenting functionality. For instance, one of the things the AJAX does is make it possible for you to post a comment without your browser page having to refresh. It does other things as well to overall provide one of the nicer commenting systems around.
The problem is that while the system will work flawlessly for most people, it won't for all due to issues on their end of things generally related to web compliance and individual computer setups. Our commenting system is W3C compliant and the site itself doesn't interfere with usability, but unfortunately, not all internet user setups are web compliant and many don't have proper connectivity. Therein lies the rub. I realize I'm already guilty of repeating myself some but that's ok. It all bears repeating. Here's some more...in detail!
Included in what can cause you problems are...
- Having a lousy web browser or even more especially an old one that is not even close to web compliant and can't handle modern W3C standards (think "IE6 and IE5").
- Not having javascript (not Java -- they are two different things) enabled in your web browser.
- Connecting to CelticsBlog through a proxy server such as what AOL uses that disrupts your login sessions here -- some companies and other organizations use these as well.
- Connecting to CB through either a company or personal firewall, or firewall or antivirus software that will interfere with login sessions.
What you can do if you are having trouble using the commenting system here...
- Don't use a lousy web browser. IE6 won't work properly around here much less anything prior to it and IE7, while better than IE6, is hands down the worst modern browser around. AOL's default proprietary IE browser will not let you use any interactive website properly outside of perhaps AOL's and ones what provide you nothing more than static "look at" pages. Safari doesn't currently support more than maybe 75% of things it should and its clones are no better. Do yourself a favor and get a copy of the latest version of Firefox. It's free, you'll be glad you did and you'll have fun on the web while other software makers are playing catch-up.
- If you connect to CB from an AOL connection, you must at least use a web browser other than AOL's default one. AOL's default connection to the net changes your IP address while you are online and in no small part because of this it doesn't support login sessions worth a hoot...especially PHP login sessions like this website and millions of others use. If you connect via any other type of proxy server arrangement, you can also expect to experience troubles to some extent or another at least from time to time as well.
- If you can connect to CB from home but can't from work, then you know where the problem is. Go tell your boss you need a new computer so you can get away from Windows 2000 and IE6 or Mac OS9 and IE5. If that doesn't help, tell him you are on to him and want to know why you can't connect to or use CelticsBlog properly while you are supposed to be working. Tell him you know good and well he and his cronies have fiddled with your work computer and the company firewall permissions to keep you fulfilling your CB duties. What you don't do though is ask me if I can hack your company firewall so you can get access here from work.
- Make sure you have cookies and javascript properly enabled in your web browser. IE aside, most browsers make this painlessly easy to do.
- Make sure your ISP, home router or network hub machine, personal firewall(s) or antivirus software are not interfering with your interactive internet connections. Yes, even internet service providers can cause you problems. Most of them in the world aren't necessarily all that good.
- Read the two sticky articles we have in this Using CelticsBlog forum related to connection and usability issues, and check your setups against those. Do that and if you feel you are compliant with those and the recommendations I've made here then...proceed to the next bullet.
- Lastly here, if you don't know anything about half of what I'm talking about find a friend or someone else local to help you. These things are usually very easy to resolve on the local basis but not so much via blind internet support.
If you have a modern, web-compliant browser, a decent internet connection and are not having your connection interfered with by poxy settings, firewall permissions or software settings, there is little reason why you shouldn't regularly be able to use the commenting system at CB without difficulty.
That being said, I'll pass a word along to the Jom Comment dev team about this. I've discussed it with them before so it won't be anything to them any more than it would be for any Web 2.0 developers. It has been awhile since I've talked to them about this territory though so perhaps they'll have some additional thoughts on it all now. If so, I'll pass them along to you good folks.
So, to recap...go check those things I've mentioned above. If you do and feel like your setup is ok but you are still having problems using the commenting system, let me know and I'll walk through the issue with you as I have time and am able to from afar.