The FineTunedMac forum has been updated to UBB.threads 7.5.8, a security-related update. That's the good news.

The bad news is we're running a customized version of the software, which always makes updating a bit tricky. (UBB.threads lacks a coherent system for customization, meaning customization has to be hand-coded, and the modifications to the code have to be copied by hand into new versions).

I think it's working correctly, but if you notice any weirdness, please let me know!

I'm already seeing the custom emoticon.

My neighbour has starting wearing a clown costume and wanders around his back yard mumbling incoherently.

Oh, right! That's a PHP version issue. Sorry, I'll update PHP on the Web server, that should sort your neighbor's behavior out.

heh

At least three FTM users have reported being randomly logged out of the site in a time frame which doesn't rule out the possibility that this update may be the cause. See Firefox – Unusual Behavior .

Make it 4 users. This has happened to me using Safari 5.1.10. Deleting the FTM cookie has not made any difference. Although the behavior is sporadic, it happens.

If I'm not included in the three because of my reply to grelber a week or so ago, count me in, but, as with Jon, with Safari 5.1.10.

Same joyless cookie clearing.

Edit: Looks like it remains the original three; I wonder why?

I wonder whether my cookies' short expiration date is a factor?

I'll see what happens on Friday and post back.

Good thought, Artie. Where did you find those cookies listed with their expiration dates? I've searched in my system but come up dry.

Wherever your cookie prefs are located, you can set the length of time (in one way or another) they remain active/valid. Default is usually "until they expire".

There is in Firefox, but maybe not in Safari; I just looked and there's no such option that I can find in Safari.

The screenshot I posted is a section of my Cookie window, Jon. (Cookie restores info and capability that OS X gave us thru Safari 4...that I was very unhappy to see disappear.)

If you've got Safari's Developer menu enabled, you can see the cookies for any site you're currently on by choosing the Show Web Inspector command, then clicking the Resources icon in the Web Inspector toolbar, then clicking Cookies in the sidebar:

Web Inspector — www.finetunedmac.com — ubbthreads.php

(I'm using Safari 6.1, but it's essentially the same in 5.1.)

Thanks, Dave. I didn't know that (obviously!). According to what I saw, my FTM cookies are due to expire this coming Thursday, Jan. 16. We'll see what happens.

Looks like dk is right and the UBBT 7.5.8 update is indeed behind the unexpected logouts. As noted in http://www.ubbwiki.com/index.php/Version_7.5.8, "Default cookie expiration is now 1 week (7 days) versus 1 year."

Tacit, is this something you can change?

So, that's where the missing cookie info went. Thanks!

I wonder why Apple made cookie management more difficult in an era in which it has become more of a focus of user efforts than ever.

(That pane shows session cookies, which do not appear in either ~/Library/Cookies/Cookies.plist or Cookie's window.)

Even so, should FTM (ie, UBBT 7.5.8) not automatically update the login cookie every time the site is accessed?
Or is that just my naiveté showing?

We crossed in the mail.

As far as I know, cookies are planted for life, i.e. until they expire; they renew at each log-in only if they've been deleted in the interim.

Edit: If cookies were updated at each log-in there'd be no point to their having expiration dates.

There are different types of cookies (such as session cookies, which usually expire at end of session).
The UBBT-specific cookies (eg, ubbt_mysess, ubbt_myid) are indeed only 1-week cookies.
What's interesting is that FTM's ubbt_key cookie should have expired on April 30, 2013 at 10:41:42.

I forgot about session cookies, but even they, in their own way, meet the criteria I posted.

I haven't got _key cookie.

Looks like this is the answer. I had to log in this morning, even though I never log out.

Just to add to the headcount, I was logged out of FTM yesterday and I am using Safari.

I can track down the cookie-handling routines and change them, if this is something people want. It will likely revert the next time the board is updated, of course.

Edited to add:

According to the UBB forums, the change was made because the new version of Internet Explorer in Windows 8 doesn't like cookies with a long expiration date or that don't expire at all. According to Microsoft, Explorer won't use cookies with long expiration dates. UBB decided to set the default timeout to 7 days. It's possible to tweak the code to make that 30 days. Longer than that and Explorer users start having problems.

Why Microsoft chose to make that change is something I can't fathom.

> It's possible to tweak the code to make that 30 days. Longer than that and Explorer users start having problems.

Is that 30 days the limit even in the FTM environment in which (I imagine) nobody uses Explorer?

Edit: Oops! I forgot about users of BootCamp, Parallels, etc, who may use Explorer.

I think 30 days would be better than 7.

Anyone else want to weigh in?

30 is certainly better than 7 but not as good as unending.

My preference would be to discount Microsoft's qua Internet Explorer's problems entirely and do what comes naturally.

Second grelber's motion!

Third!

Although I have yet to be bitten, 30 days does seem more realistic.

I've changed the cookie timeout to 30 days. Note this won't affect cookies already in use (that is, if you're already set to log in automatically, the new time won't take effect until the next time you're logged out, or until you delete your FTM cookie).

Now I seem to be experiencing daily log outs.

Huh. Interesting. Have you tried deleting all your FTM cookies?

Today I noticed that the "remember me" check box was not checked. Let me check it and see if I'm back to "normal" 30 day logouts.