h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The following anomalies are probably well known:

The Logon forms for Ripley & Pliny are similar, but not identical.

The Ripley form - which doesn't line up correctly in my browser - does not display the line, "Remember me on this computer", but it does remember my password.

The pliny form - which alines perfectly - does bear the message, "Remember me on this computer", yet it doesn't remember my password... no matter how many times I ask it to.

Also, when I open two windows (one for each of the two Login forms), and log on via the Ripley form, refreshing the Pliny form does not log me on in Pliny. On the other hand... once I have logged on via Pliny, refreshing the Ripley page does then show that I am logged on in Ripley........... if you see what I mean.

Very well spotted! Thanks RE!

From Ripley, the login leads to http://vogons.h2g2.com/login and when completed this takes me to my space. And remembers me, as you say. I need to use bookmarks, back button in browser or typing to get back to Ripley.

From Pliny, the login leads to http://h2g2.com/login/portal, and takes me to the Pliny FP. I left the remember me UN-checked, and WAS remembered when I closed and re-opened the browser.
This seems odd...
I then tried again, to try to repeat your problem - not being remembered: Checked the remember me box, logged in, closed, re-opened but WAS remembered.

Very interesting. I shall bug Pastey about this, at least to point Ripley to the right page. About not being remembered? that is really weird.

Hiya,

This isn't actually a bug as such, but a patch. Pliny uses a much better system to log people in, and allow them to be remembered on that computer. However, Ripley can't quite cope with it all the time, so the older version is still there.

The reason your browser remembers you, is because your browser is remembering what you've typed in and is nothing to do with us

We are working on a load of changes behind the scenes at the moment, one of which does include redoing all the sign up and login screens to be the same (and working properly) across all skins

Thanks for responding.

However:

"Pliny uses a much better system to log people in, and allow them to be remembered on that computer."

"The pliny form - which alines perfectly - does bear the message, "Remember me on this computer", yet it doesn't remember my password... no matter how many times I ask it to."

I'm afraid I don't know why it's not remembering you, unless you're not allowing cookies.

Perhaps you once told the browser never to remember password on that URL, and that overrides something?

Is that a straw you're clutching?

No, it's a legitimate suggestion.

It's very possible that you told it not to accept cookies from this site. Would you like us to keep trying to help, or would you like to try and figure it out yourself?

I have never knowingly rejected cookies from this site, nor have I ever been invited to do so.

If the cookie in question covers multiple features, how come this is the only one I seem to be missing?

You might have guessed that I am no computer whizz... far from it.... so I'm unlikely to solve the problem myself - if, in fact, it is my problem.

Whether it's worth spending your time on is another matter.

I'm using Windows Vista & Internet Explorer (and Firefox)

The system remembers my Login name but not my password.

Are you still convinced that I am to blame?

This will begin to annoy when I can no longer log on via Ripley.

If this was me, I'd clear all cookies, and clear the cache of my browser. Have you tried that?
Since it works as it should in my end, the problem isn't the site, but probably some browser setting.

Unfortunately, I don't know exactly how to clear the settings for what passwords are stored in the browser, and which sites you once pressed "never remember the password for this site". I just know that when you first visit at login, my browsers usually ask me if I want the password remembered. And I do think that such a setting may impact the ability of the h2g2 cookie to store the password.

It's not uncommon for browsers to remember most form data, and not passwords. It's a security feature.

Thank you both for staying with me.

I cleared cookies about 30 minutes ago. I then waited 15 minutes before trying to logon to h2g2. I clicked on 'Remember me on this computer', and signed in..... signed out.... signed in again. The system didn't remember my password.

I figured that I ought to have restarted my computer immediately after clearing the cookies. So I cleared cookies again, and restarted the computer.

The system still didn't remember my password when I tried again.

What can I be doing to muck up this simple operation?

Can you paste into here the link/url that you're getting when you're trying to log in please?

I'd like to check you're not being sent anywhere weird.

¡Buenos dias!

Before adding my password, the URL is: http://www.h2g2.com/login/portal

After clicking Enter, the URL is: http://www.h2g2.com/


I'm not sure if this is of any interest.... but:

The Ripley link is to my home page. It still remembers my password. The URL before clicking Enter is: http://vogons.h2g2.com/login?target_resource=http%3A%2F%2Fidentity%2Fpolicies%2Fdna%2Fadult&ptrt=http%3A%2F%2Flocal.h2g2.com%2Fdna%2Fh2g2%2Falabaster%2FU229466

I really am sorry to take up your time on something that you've convinced me is my fault.

You've got two separate logins there. I've just tried both and they're both working.

You're able to post obviously, so I'm assuming you're able to actually log in. Is it an intermittent error or am I missing something?

Just re-reading this RE, we're actually in the process of rebuilding the entire login/signup system at the moment. So it'll change soon anyway

Hi again!

"Is it an intermittent error or am I missing something?"

No. The Pliny system just won't remember my password... ever.

Good news about the change to the login system.

(I still don't understand what it is that I'm doing wrong. .)

It could just be a quirk in your browser. I've recently noticed that Chrome won't remember my log-in name or password, nor offer too, on a couple of websites I frequent yet has no problem remembering me on others like this one (through either Ripley or Pliny).

I'm going to have to put this into the "It must be something at your end" I'm afraid and hope that the new login system fixes it for you