Blue spots, green spots

[diberry]

Well, after "only" 19 months on the boards I have just discovered that the little "buttons" at the bottom of the left hand side green strip of everyone's posts (I'm so good at descriptions!!!!! ) tell you if a person is online or offline (blue = off). But being a complete idiot when it comes to computers (among other things) I was just wondering (not that it really matters) if it shows blue when you are not actually looking at the DIS board eg: on another website, or if you actually have to log out? I never switch my computer off and I never log out of the DIS board, I just click on the red cross at the top right of the screen. How computers work is a complete mystery to me (she says, stating the obvious!!!). Just wondering.

 

[nicola]

Sorry Di can't help there but I hadn't realised about the buttons either!

 

[Kernow_Clan]

Di

The light will only show green when you are logged into the website, if you close the browser window (Internet Explorer) you are then logged out.

I am assuming you have ticked the "remember me" check box at sometime in the past? If so, each time you visit the Website you are automatically logged in.

However, opening Internet Explorer will not automatically log you in to the DIS boards until you specifically go there via the address bar, or the boards are your homepage.

Clear as mud??

 

[dlpSteve]

I'd guess you'd have to be on the board for it to show you as online. Otherwise it would mean the board would have to have a permanent connection with your PC which would be highly impractical and probably very dodgy too - security issues would be raised left right and centre!

 

[diberry]

Thank you Ade and Steve - it does make sense now!!!

 

[Miffy2003]

I tend to find even after I have logged off it still shows me as online for ten minutes or so!

(I know this as DH & I use the same PC & he logs in sometimes and it still shows me as green even though I am no longer logged on)

 

[Cyrano]

Now I realise that you'll be watching my button on permanent green

 

[steve_rob]

I tend to find even after I have logged off it still shows me as online for ten minutes or so!

(I know this as DH & I use the same PC & he logs in sometimes and it still shows me as green even though I am no longer logged on)

I do believe there is some sort of time-out - the board counts for ten to fifteen minutes since it last heard from you (i.e. the last time you clicked on a link on the boards) and then after that has passed without any action, it assumes you are off-line.

If the time-out was any shorter, it would display you as off-line if you were, for example reading a particularily long trip report, even though you were still actually on the boards. The server only knows you're still there if you're clicking on something.

 

[diberry]

Oh yes, that makes sense as sometimes if I click off the board and back on again fairly soon it highlights threads I've already read so it obviously doesn't realise I've been away and come back. Ah-ha, they don't know everything after all!!!!!