Cartoon by Rob Cottingham at Noise to Signal (CCL4)
Far be it from me to even dream of suggesting that WordPress are happily engineering some new horror to sneak up on us poor, unsuspecting bloggers. The fact that the sites seem to be grinding to a halt every so often this week, or not working at all, may be pure coincidence… Or perhaps it is a local phenomenon, to be blamed on the earthquake in the villages this week. Granted, it only registered 2.3, no more than a wobble, but you never know…it might have upset some diode or other…
And it could be down to some strange and lonely virus that comments keep going missing…Perhaps said virus is hoarding them just to keep its data-hungry heart company in the lonely vaults of our computers. Like the comments I know I’ve left but which just are not there. Although they were. Then disappeared. And at least one blogger has checked his trash and spam folders while I was looking over his shoulder in case he’d deleted me. Which would not have been wise. You should never delete the mother who is about to cook your dinner.
The significant drop in activity from other bloggers may simply be that the world is in hibernation … or beach… mode, depending upon which hemisphere you currently reside in. Nobody is writing… or at least, many fewer posts are hitting my inbox than usual.
A quick glance at the stats confirms this. We’re okay then. The world is taking a break from blogging… that would be why there are few posts and the stats have dropped significantly. Again. Which would be fine. Except last time this happened they tried filching the Editor. And the time before that they stole our action bar and ‘like’ button. And meanwhile, half the buttons have suddenly stopped functioning. And we must be about due for another outrage improvement.
But no… I’m just being paranoid. of course WordPress wouldn’t sneak another batch of all-singing, all-dancing abominations enhancements up on us….
Would they?
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Well, it was hard to find a comment button, but I went back to the e-mail and clicked. It showed. I thought your comments above were part of the normal routine, of how the site operates or fails to function properly; finding the comments one thought one saw or the like buttons, etc. I did come across some closed down sites yesterday, as well. The connection with Gravatar, ie, when you want to connect with the people who liked your posts or left a comment doesn’t seem to work either. So, your above post is a realistic account on what’s currently going on, on the website. Thank you for that. 🙂
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Unfortunately, this scenario happens every once in a while and it usually means They are Up To Something. Usually not something we are going to enjoy and almost always aimed at making the mobile apps easier to the detriment of PC users.
As a general note, there ‘should’ be a ‘comments’ link at the bottom of each post, but along with ‘reblog’ on sites with scrolling themes you may have to click the title of the article to access the functions.
Unless They have filched those too 😉
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the gremlins are irrespressible
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…and sometimes irresponsible, I feel.
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You’re feeling it, too. I thought it was just my little corner of the world. I started trying to write a post this afternoon and then the daughter came to visit with the grandkids, so I got nothing accomplished. Since they left after dinner, I’ve kept clicking the send/receive button to see what’s been posted and there is nobody in the blogosphere. I was wondering where the party was and feeling slighted that I didn’t get an invite.
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It’s been playing up all week, on and off, doing odd little things… as if it is sulking. The trouble is that if we don’t know what is supposed to have been posted… like my comments on Nick’s blog, for example ( which were there when I left them then disappeared), we don’t know whether we are seeing all we should.
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We’re doomed! Doomed, I say!
Hence my admonition to self: Write in Word doc, paste in blog, pray for successful posting with all parts and pieces intact, and with cut sections only repeated once. (only repeated once.)
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Yes, it does have a ‘Dad’s Army’ feel sometimes, doesn’t it 🙂
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I always creat my posts in Microsoft Word prior to pasting them into my site’s “create new” post so, even if WordPress crashes I still retain the text of my article. I think you are wise to do as you do! Kevin
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I prefer to work that way too.The trouble is that round here, Word crashes too!
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Oh the joys of technology . Now where is that quill pen. Come back inkwell, all is forgiven …! On a serious note, I’m off to check my “spam” folder to ensure that no genuine comments have been consigned to the black pit! Kevin
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I still like proper pens 🙂
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Coincidentally I attended a colleague’s leaving drinks yesterday evening and one of his gifts was a large quill pen! I’ve never learned to write by hand. I initially learned braille then progressed on to using a manual typewriter and now create havoc on my computer.
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That’s a great gift 🙂 I am always amazed by the ability to use Braille… The accuracy and sensitivity of the senses is something we take so much for granted.
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Thanks for raising this concerning issue Sue in such a humorous way (smile)! I see that my “like” and previous comment on Connie’s response to your article appears, so the minotaur that lurks in the depths of the labyrinth that is, forever WordPress has not gobbled it up well, not yet …! Kevin
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There seems neither rhyme nor reason to what is disappearing, but I am fairly certain they are playing again…never a good sign!
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Oh. My. God. You’re paying for wordpress.org and they /still/ do this to you???? I honestly thought they just experimented on us freebie plebs. I wonder how many of us would have to walk away for someone to notice our complaints? Grrrrr…..
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No, I am still with a ‘free’ .com site (though the hidden costs of that probably equate to the same). But every so often…. 😦
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Ah phew. Sorry I saw the .com on your website and assumed it was built with wordpress.org. Certainly explains your troubles. I haven’t noticed anything from my end but that doesn’t mean much. Good luck. 😦
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No, I stay with .com as I like the ease of interaction. There are moments however when I wonder…
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Yeah….:/
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They could well be, Facebook do it all the time…
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Facebook have done so once too often for me..the PC hates it and kicks me off when I try and get in there.
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it is the most frustrating site on the net, bar none!
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I’d agree with that…and I used to love it too.
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Oh please no!!!!!!!!
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I’m hoping that too…
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Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
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Are you sure Ani didn’t mess around with a few settings. I can never resist doing that when J’s away. Love Puppy Stan.
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Positive…shed never mess with what she sees as her blog 😉
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She sounds like she wouldn’t approve of a lot of what I get up to. Woof, S.
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Sigh. I’ve given up trying to work WP out. They seem to tweak little bits here and there, move things around, and all supposedly for the greater good (imo NOT). Stats are erratic and don’t add up, and to be honest it’s getting to the stage when I’m afraid to touch anything. Like buttons on posts don’t register, comments boxes are missing and this week one post in particuar kept bouncing itself right to the top of my reader!
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This week the whole thing seems to have had glitches everywhere…which is what is making me very suspicious of what they are up to.
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One of my comments on Nick’s blog vanished. I thought maybe I’d somehow inadvertently offended him (though I’m sure if I had he would have said so) but he told me your comment had disappeared as well. It makes you wonder how many others have gone and not been noticed.
I don’t have a smart phone so I have to use my PC.
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I worry about how many comments I might have ignored because they are invisible for whatever strange reason.
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As always in these matters I am at the mercy of “Updaters” who make my life a misery on blogging platforms, mobile phones and computers and ignore the inherited wisdom I cling to that “If it was good enough for your father then it’s good enough for you.”
OK, this may be taking it too far, a character failing, but I think about 75% of these alterations are of little benefit to the end user but keep our technical lords and masters from getting too bored .. Have a lovely weekend 🙂
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I’m with you there, Peter. I can think of one or two minor tweaks that would be useful… though would mainly benefit PC and laptop users and so are unlikely to happen. For the rest …they can leave it all alone!
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Oh, I’ve been wondering the same thing this past week or so – suspicious things are definitely afoot in blogland. Fonts keep changing, pages won’t load – I haven’t checked my spam comments yet but I think I’d better. Sounds as though the powers that be are justifying their existence again…
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The missing comments were neither in trash nor spam… just gone. A bit like the notifications that are supposed to tell you when there are comments.. or posts… I await developments… warily.
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Warily indeed…
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I share your suspicion…another “upgrade” is imminent ???
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I fear so.. break out the Valium… 😉
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Ha…We’ll survive it, Sue. 💕
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I hope so… ❤
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Heavens forbid, I hope not, Sue.
I was not able to use WordPress one day this week as although I was able to log in, there was no reader list and nothing else available for me to click on. It lasted about six hours and then disappeared (thank goodness). Strange thing was that I was able to view everything on the iPad, but I don’t like using their app and always tell them that when they send out a post about how fantastic it is to use “(look, I’ ve just written this 2,000-word post and added 1,000 photos from the WordPress App!)” Grrrrrrrrr! I’m a desktop user WordPress and only want to blog from my desktop!
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Nick had problems getting in too.. and mine just froze for hours. I agree, Desktop for me… they can stick their app for anything but checking comments when I’m away.
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Oh dear. So it’s not just me. I think I’ve become so used to technology glitches that I just sigh and move on. Unfortunately, WordPress doesn’t announce their changes, so it’s always unexpected and takes time to figure out what in the world is going on. I guess the good news is we aren’t going to be replaced by machines any time soon 🙂
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I think they forget we are not machines… but can still explode at their meddling.
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I don’t now if it is coincidence but lately several comments I have received have been put into the Spam Folder, and also several people I have followed have been ‘Unfollowed’…this has happened to at least half a dozen that I know of…very odd…
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It seems to come in waves, James and is often the forerunner for some of their horrid improvements…
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yes, why don’t they just leave it alone…???
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I do wish they would…
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I always assume that they’ve done something stupid with the software again. I still don’t have a reblog function, though at least I got my pingbacks again. They are determinedly screwing around to achieve some level of mediocrity that will finally make them happy. Whoever they are engineering happiness for, I’m pretty sure it isn’t me or you.
Oh, yes, my stats are WAY down from just last week. I assume they’ve dumped me out of the reader again or aren’t sending out my notifications or have (again) disconnected half my followers. I try not to let it upset me.
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It seems an awful lot of people are experiencing problems again… and we know by experience what that is going to mean unfortunately… a lot of steaming bloggers.
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Hmmm…maybe everyone is out enjoying the spring weather? 🙂
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You have more optimism than me here 😉
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🙂 Well, at least that’s where I’ve been a lot lately. Out enjoying the weather, plus I’ve had guests since Wed. Feels weird to spend so little time online, as if I’m missing something. Don’t know if that is good or bad!
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I quite enjoy the few days a month away from the PC when I go north… it is good to have a break. Even though I do try and schedule a few things for while I’m away.
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You are wonderfully consistent (and prolific, which I admire greatly). We do tend to depend on our ‘regulars!’
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We do… I miss my friends when I’m away, but it is nice to stretch the shoulders and breathe 🙂
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Very nice AND necessary to keep the wheels greased!
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Does me the power of good 🙂
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I can’t say, sorry you’ve been having so much trouble. I’ve personally not been posting much, I’m in the middle of preparing for a job interview and doing more applications. I don’t seem to have a lot of creative spark or anything left over after that.
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I wish you the very best of luck with the interviews, Eilis.
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Wouldn’t bloody surprise me, Sue. I still prefer the old editor… 👿
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Me too Darren… can only get to comments through that too right now.
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“If it ain’t broke…don’t try to mend it…” I always say.
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I wish WP knew about that…
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Indeed
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Hmm. Today’s shenanigans with the image crop in Reader doesn’t bode well for what they are up to in the boiler room… 😦
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No… I can feel the explosion brewing…
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