The Spring BBS › Austen Archive › Topic 70

"Old is New" explained!

Topic 70 · 47 responses · archived october 2000

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~churchh Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (09:03) seed

For a while now, I've had the suspicion that the "old is new" problem affects people who have completely "caught" up" in a conference (i.e. who have read all messages in all topics, or have "forgotten" the topics they have not read). This was recently confirmed for me when the "old is new" problem hit me for the first time ever -- in the Austentest conference, which is the only conference, out of all those I am subscribed to, in which I have read all the messages in all the topics. So I conclude that if you don't want to be affected by this problem, you should have at least one topic in a conference which you leave unread. (For me, the "drooling" thread serves this purpose .) Maybe we could set up a dummy thread in this conference (with a subject of "DON'T READ THIS" or something), whose only purpose would be to save people from "old is new" by remaining unread?

~Kaffeine Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (10:46) #1

HC - I don't know. I have frequently read all the messages in all the topics, both here and at austentest, and have never experienced the "old is new" phenomenon. {knocking on every wooden object I can find}

~Amy Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (11:05) #2

Your experience would tend to support your theory, Henry.

~Ann Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (12:08) #3

I also usually have all messages read and never have had this problem. There is a problem with leaving one topic open--the next messages tag. If you use the next messages link, you will not know when you are getting to the dummy topic. If the dummy topic were the first one, then there would not be a problem.

~Amy Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (12:13) #4

Good point, Ann. Always thinkin', aren't you darlin'?

~Ann Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (12:17) #5

I have a lot of time on my hands, Mom.

~Donna Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (13:12) #6

Ok I guess I should tell,I hit forgotten and got "old is new". It happen a few days ago.

~Hilary Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (13:58) #7

I haven't experienced the O is N syndrome. I've also not used the 'forget' button - what does it do? But because I was so far behind in reading anything at all I've been using the URL thing that Amy gave me, set to -1 : (http://208.199.212.10/yapp-bin/restricted/read/austen/137/since/-1 This gives me the last days messages, and I'm catching up. Does using this help with the O is N?

~Ann Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (16:22) #8

I have a lot of time on my hands, Mom.

~Ann Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (16:27) #9

How did that post a second time, and four hours after it first went up???

~MaryC Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (16:28) #10

I am one of those acknowledged computor illiterates. Two or three times a week, I go into this conference and read all the new stuff. I never had the 'old is new' problem until the Austin area had all the weather problems this past week. I just went through the entire list presented to me as "new" and scrolled or read everything to the end of each (It's a cold, rainy day here in San Diego and the playoffs are on...and yes, I know, "cold" here is a joke). Will let you know what happens next time I go i to read all the new stuff again. Thanks for all your attention to this frustrating problem.

~Anna Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (16:32) #11

Ann is right about the next button; I have 'forgotten' the topics I'm not interested in (not topic 4 btw), and view the others either with since/-1 or new, and scroll through them all with the 'next' button. Both times I got old-is-new I was using 'new' not since/-1. The problem is worst with the Austen main conference; is there any way we can add a topic 0/a/* or whatever to the beginning? In the meantime I'll 'unforget' something and skip that (unless I forget...). If enough of us try HC's method we'll at least have a chance of testing his theory.

~Ann Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (16:41) #12

I have never had a problem with old-is-new, and I have never used the forgotten tag. Could that be responsible? Has anyone who has never used the forget command had the o-i-n problem?

~Kali Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (18:34) #13

I have left several topics unread, and still have the old-is-new problem.

~mrobens Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (18:35) #14

] Has anyone who has never used the forget command had the o-i-n problem? That would be me. I've never used forget, but have experienced old is new.

~churchh Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (18:38) #15

I have never used "forget", but was hit by "old-is-new" in austentest conference (where I read everything)... My theory doesn't explain all the facts, but it seems to cover a number of cases (as a "necessary but not sufficient condition").

~Inko Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (19:31) #16

I've never used forgotten button, and never been hit by old is new. I'm too scared to hit anything other than next topic!

~terry Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (19:52) #17

I've suggested that Dave have an option to read and go to the next topic in one button in the next version.

~jwinsor Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (20:57) #18

Terry: "I've suggested that Dave have an option to read and go to the next topic in one button in the next version.' Do you not mean reply and go to the next topic?

~terry Sun, Jan 12, 1997 (20:59) #19

yes!

~Cheryl Mon, Jan 13, 1997 (03:11) #20

Those who have never been hit with the "old is new" syndrome, pray do not be too smug! I was once an innocent like yourselves...I too shook my head at the sufferings of those less fortunate than myself and said "well, that won't happen to me" I'm here to tell you it can, and it just may, so beware! It can strike at any time! Buhwahahaha!

~terry Mon, Jan 13, 1997 (03:39) #21

Uh oh, the Buhwahahaha syndrome has hit.

~Mari Mon, Jan 13, 1997 (12:16) #22

Cheryl; Many who have been inflicted with old-is-new have posted messages on 'disremembered' messages because of it; perhaps there is some ggod to come out of it after all!

~Cheryl Mon, Jan 13, 1997 (16:25) #23

Mari: Many who have been inflicted with old-is-new have posted messages on 'disremembered' messages because of it; perhaps there is some ggod to come out of it after all! I've noticed that too! Threads that have lain dormant for weeks are suddenly alive again...it must be due to people having to go through everything! ;-)

~Ann Mon, Jan 13, 1997 (19:45) #24

To figure out what is happening, I think it is just as important to know who is not getting hit, as it is who is getting hit.

~Ann Mon, Jan 13, 1997 (22:15) #25

It finally happened!!! I got hit with a mutant strain of the old-is-new bug!! It is mutant, because it didn't hit all of the threads, only 113-140 but it did not hit 123 or 128! FYI it occured at 10:06 pm CST.

~jwinsor Mon, Jan 13, 1997 (23:00) #26

Before we all go hog-wild on speculation, it should probably be noted that the following topics: 3, 8, 25, 27, 48, 50, 67, 68, 69, 123, 128 do not exist any more.

~Cheryl Tue, Jan 14, 1997 (00:14) #27

Ann, I was struck by the mutant strain last week. But my new topics ran from 70 something to the end...:-(

~mrobens Tue, Jan 14, 1997 (17:15) #28

January 14, 1997 6:13 PM EST - STRICKEN

~Mari Tue, Jan 14, 1997 (17:26) #29

For our records; have one topic in forgotten, frequently read ALL new messages, so that no topics are showing. Have NEVER been stricken (knocking on wood as I type...)

~Cheryl Tue, Jan 14, 1997 (18:46) #30

Myretta: January 14, 1997 6:13 PM EST - STRICKEN Oh Myretta dearest, not again!

~mrobens Tue, Jan 14, 1997 (20:16) #31

Oh Myretta dearest, not again! One would think I'd learn not to read everything. Call compulsive.

~jwinsor Tue, Jan 14, 1997 (21:12) #32

January 14, 1997 6:13 PM EST - STRICKEN We need a sound byte from the funeral march for occasions such as these!

~Linda409 Wed, Jan 15, 1997 (04:32) #33

Got hit with all old is new syndrome for the first time. I never use any buttons except next topic or prev topic (will sometimes go back to the austen conference. BTW, I've been sick, so I'm very far behind; many, many new posts that I haven't read. This morning, I had just completed the Ramble topic; wanted to go back to austen conference, but hit next topic, instead. Clicked on STOP, then austen conference. Got "Server error. The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unab e to complete your request." Clicked on back; came to austen conference and all old is now new. Linda

~Anna Wed, Jan 15, 1997 (05:20) #34

] all old is now new. Deepest Sympathy Linda

~Becks Thu, Jan 16, 1997 (23:08) #35

It only happens to me with certain topics. Has always been a problem, but thank god I have a decent memory, I can tell by the most numbers if there are any new messages.

~jwinsor Fri, Jan 17, 1997 (00:08) #36

Just a reminder - when the old-is-new bug bites you, you can avoid reading all of everything again by using the URL below: http://www.spring.com/yapp-bin/restricted/browse/austen/since/-1/new which will show you everything that has been posted in every topic in the past day, and mark all of those topics as seen again. Or, you can replace the -1 with a -2 or -3, etc to have just the past 2 or 3 days postings displayed. Even using the option at the top of the main page for showing all acrivity in the past week will cut down on the amount of stuff that you will have to wait to be displayed just to get to the new stuff at the end.

~Anna Fri, Jan 17, 1997 (04:06) #37

Joan; should that last /new be there? I use a similar url, but without the /new. viz; http://www.spring.com/yapp-bin/restricted/browse/austen/all/since/-1

~Kaffeine Fri, Jan 17, 1997 (11:59) #38

I've never been bit, but I always use the link that Joan posted. With the new on the end it means that if I read some topics, then come back later, the topics I've read won't show up again, because they are no longer new. With "all" I would still see a list of all the topics that had posts within the past day, regardless of whether I've already read them or not.

~Anna Fri, Jan 17, 1997 (20:43) #39

Aha! thanks Kaffeine.

~elder Sun, Jan 19, 1997 (17:14) #40

Old is new just hit me again (three times the charm!), but this time it only started at topic 77. Prior to that, I was only getting "new" items. [Hit time was about 5:40 p.m. est] I am going to start using Joan, too 's advice. :-)

~elder Sun, Jan 19, 1997 (17:14) #41

~Anna Sun, Jan 19, 1997 (17:59) #42

Is it likely that 'old-is-new' will only hit whilst one is using the 'new' option? I've been doing most of my reading using since/-1 without the new in the hope that while I am doing so I cannot be hit by the bug.

~kendall Sun, Jan 19, 1997 (20:38) #43

'I have a decent memory, I can tell by the most numbers if there are any new messages' that is a good memory!! I use the url: http://www.spring.com/yapp-bin/restricted/browse/austen/all/since/-0/new to get a list of the topics that have been posted to in the last 24 hours. I increase "0" to "2" or "3" if I have been away or too busy to read and get the postings for the past few days.

~terry Mon, Jan 20, 1997 (08:04) #44

It may be a good idea to bookmark this!

~elder Mon, Jan 20, 1997 (20:06) #45

OK, here's the thing. Tonight (8:45 pm, est) I have been using the "since/-0/new" method to read the topics. And when I got to Topic 93, everything old was new again! All the other topics seem to be behaving, however, so I shan't get angry. :-)

~Ann Sat, Jan 25, 1997 (10:18) #46

I just got hit with a possible variation. (app. 10:05 Saturday Morning) I was going from topic 91 to 92, when the server was taking a long time to spit the info out. Eventually I got a Server Error message (server unable to process your request do to an error or misconfiguration). When I returned to topic 91, old-is-new struck with a vengence--every topic was hit. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

~Cheryl Sat, Jan 25, 1997 (16:12) #47

Oh Ann!

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