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Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

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helenpb
 
Posts: 78

Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:07 pm


I imagine most everybody by now has seen duplicate comments on some pictures in which a poster's exact comment reappears above it, saying it was posted by "Guest." I assumed it was some kind of glitch that didn't do any harm; however, last night the same thing happened on this picture http://pbase.com/helenpb/image/170080085 except that the duplicate was attributed to an active Pbaser (Art White), whom I'm not familiar with. At first I thought it was a valid comment but then noticed that it was a word-for-word duplicate of the previous comment, supposedly posted at the exact same second. I find it worrisome that these duplicates can now be attributed to real Pbasers instead of some imaginary Guest.

Perhaps the management of Pbase could look into and fix this problem?

richo
 
Posts: 247

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Fri Nov 22, 2019 9:24 am


helenpb wrote:I imagine most everybody by now has seen duplicate comments on some pictures in which a poster's exact comment reappears above it, saying it was posted by "Guest." I assumed it was some kind of glitch that didn't do any harm; however, last night the same thing happened on this picture http://pbase.com/helenpb/image/170080085 except that the duplicate was attributed to an active Pbaser (Art White), whom I'm not familiar with. At first I thought it was a valid comment but then noticed that it was a word-for-word duplicate of the previous comment, supposedly posted at the exact same second. I find it worrisome that these duplicates can now be attributed to real Pbasers instead of some imaginary Guest.

Perhaps the management of Pbase could look into and fix this problem?

Have you sent an email to support@pbase.com ?
The owners seem not to monitor these forums regularly. We have a theory based on some past evidence that they are working behind the scenes on updates...other issues experienced recently seem to be temporary and limited in scope.

helenpb
 
Posts: 78

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Fri Nov 22, 2019 5:55 pm


No, I haven't done that, but will do. Like I said, at first I just thought it was a bizarre glitch, but putting Pbasers' names on the comments is something else entirely.

richo
 
Posts: 247

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Sat Nov 23, 2019 2:01 pm


helenpb wrote:No, I haven't done that, but will do. Like I said, at first I just thought it was a bizarre glitch, but putting Pbasers' names on the comments is something else entirely.

Sounds like a database issue, try accessing your gallery using a device not on your local network or via a VPN. Might have to wait a day.

helenpb
 
Posts: 78

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:56 pm


richo wrote:
helenpb wrote:No, I haven't done that, but will do. Like I said, at first I just thought it was a bizarre glitch, but putting Pbasers' names on the comments is something else entirely.

Sounds like a database issue, try accessing your gallery using a device not on your local network or via a VPN. Might have to wait a day.


Hmm, but other people have seen these duplicates, so is it a database issue for everybody, do you think?

richo
 
Posts: 247

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Mon Nov 25, 2019 4:37 pm


helenpb wrote:
richo wrote:
helenpb wrote:No, I haven't done that, but will do. Like I said, at first I just thought it was a bizarre glitch, but putting Pbasers' names on the comments is something else entirely.

Sounds like a database issue, try accessing your gallery using a device not on your local network or via a VPN. Might have to wait a day.


Hmm, but other people have seen these duplicates, so is it a database issue for everybody, do you think?


Yes, that would likely indicate a server out of sync with updated code hitting the Db or a caching issue. Hence, why I suggested trying to access your galleries using a device not on your network. I haven't seen that issue yet.

akmc_in_au
 
Posts: 954

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Tue Nov 26, 2019 6:54 am


richo wrote:
helenpb wrote:
richo wrote:Sounds like a database issue, try accessing your gallery using a device not on your local network or via a VPN. Might have to wait a day.


Hmm, but other people have seen these duplicates, so is it a database issue for everybody, do you think?


Yes, that would likely indicate a server out of sync with updated code hitting the Db or a caching issue. Hence, why I suggested trying to access your galleries using a device not on your network. I haven't seen that issue yet.


Take a look on the photo that she pointed to in her original post; you'll see it there clearly enough. Two identical comments, supposedly by two different people, at the same time. That's not caching, that's most likely the "C" in C.R.U.D.

My guess would be that both Art and Julie WERE trying to leave comments at the same time, there was lock contention and... something embarrassing went wrong with the record creation resulting in only one of their comments being posted into both records.

It will most likely be a relative rarity given that the volume of comments is nothing like what it was in the days of yore and having two records trying to hit the table at the same time would not be a common occurrence.

I'd recommend reporting it to support anyway.

richo
 
Posts: 247

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Tue Nov 26, 2019 9:58 am


akmc_in_au wrote:Take a look on the photo that she pointed to in her original post; you'll see it there clearly enough. Two identical comments, supposedly by two different people, at the same time. That's not caching, that's most likely the "C" in C.R.U.D.

My guess would be that both Art and Julie WERE trying to leave comments at the same time, there was lock contention and... something embarrassing went wrong with the record creation resulting in only one of their comments being posted into both records.

It will most likely be a relative rarity given that the volume of comments is nothing like what it was in the days of yore and having two records trying to hit the table at the same time would not be a common occurrence.

I'd recommend reporting it to support anyway.

Caching can include front web data...images, html etc, but can include code, including server side compile and runtime code like snippets, scripts, jars, wars,ears, applets etc...but the backend could change too during a running update. But your scenario is also possible but rare depending on how keys are created. But the first test is to eliminate the front end edge server caching where record keys can be more loose. I haven't seen this in the 17 years as a user, have you? If it's recent issue then I more inclined to think it's the elves working on the system. ;) And still an email to the elves at support@pbase.com has a better chance of getting their attention.

helenpb
 
Posts: 78

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Wed Nov 27, 2019 2:09 am


akmc_in_au wrote:
Take a look on the photo that she pointed to in her original post; you'll see it there clearly enough. Two identical comments, supposedly by two different people, at the same time. That's not caching, that's most likely the "C" in C.R.U.D.

My guess would be that both Art and Julie WERE trying to leave comments at the same time, there was lock contention and... something embarrassing went wrong with the record creation resulting in only one of their comments being posted into both records.

I'd recommend reporting it to support anyway.


Thanks. I did report it to support but have heard nothing back.

Of course it's possible, but I'm virtually certain that Art did not comment on one of my images. I don't know him and have never even seen his name among the people who comment on images that I comment on. And what about all the duplicate comments from somebody named "Guest"? I see those every day, and this one from Art seems to be more of the same but with a Pbaser's name attached to it. And while I appreciate the suggestion from Richo to try using a device not connected to my network, I honestly don't see what that would accomplish since anybody who looks at the picture I linked to above can see the duplicate comment. Or can you not? Anyway, let's hope the elves at support respond!

akmc_in_au
 
Posts: 954

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Wed Nov 27, 2019 3:21 am


helenpb wrote:
akmc_in_au wrote:
Take a look on the photo that she pointed to in her original post; you'll see it there clearly enough. Two identical comments, supposedly by two different people, at the same time. That's not caching, that's most likely the "C" in C.R.U.D.

My guess would be that both Art and Julie WERE trying to leave comments at the same time, there was lock contention and... something embarrassing went wrong with the record creation resulting in only one of their comments being posted into both records.

I'd recommend reporting it to support anyway.


Thanks. I did report it to support but have heard nothing back.

Of course it's possible, but I'm virtually certain that Art did not comment on one of my images. I don't know him and have never even seen his name among the people who comment on images that I comment on.


If I may quote from the film Fargo, "I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your police work, there, Lou."
I don't know him either, but I know OF him. I've seen his comments here and there, and his own quasi-PAD is one that I've looked at from time to time as a result of seeing it in the Recent Images list. Which is, in fact, most likely where he saw your shot. Similarly I'm actually more likely to comment on a photo that I see on there than I am on my favourites, and my comments therefore turn up on the accounts of people who have never heard of me either. The problem with commenting on favourites is that often engenders something of a feeling of requiring a quid pro quo, and secondly in my time zone I wouldn't be saying anything that half a dozen people haven't already said anyway. If I comment on recent images, especially for people who wouldn't know me from a grain of sand then both of those issues don't exist. The fact that I see Art's comments in the same places that mine often go suggests to me that he may be doing the same thing.

helenpb wrote:And what about all the duplicate comments from somebody named "Guest"? I see those every day, !


I've just been through several of your images in your most recent three galleries and I haven't seen any from "Guest", so either (a) I was just looking at the wrong images, (b) You're deleting them or, and this would be my guess, (c) like me you have your comment moderation settings set to hide any from non-registered PBasers until you approve them.

"Guest" is just someone who doesn't have a PBase account (or is not logged in to it) and who has not left an e-mail address. If you're automatically hiding them then it's possible that the person isn't seeing their comment, didn't read the notice that you would see it even if they don't, and submitted it again. This could be someone who found your images through Google (unlikely, since Google does not seem to index PBase any more), or found the images through another site. If the comments have the same time, of course, then there may be a glitch in the software relating to those postings as well.

helenpb
 
Posts: 78

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Wed Nov 27, 2019 5:26 am


akmc_in_au wrote:
If I may quote from the film Fargo, "I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your police work, there, Lou."


Well, you may not agree 100 percent, but I'm 99 percent sure that I'm right ;-). I will, however, allow that 1 percent that I'm not.

akmc_in_au wrote: The fact that I see Art's comments in the same places that mine often go suggests to me that he may be doing the same thing.


One way to settle this is to write to Art, which I'll do. If he responds, at least we can settle one issue here.

akmc_in_au wrote: I've just been through several of your images in your most recent three galleries and I haven't seen any from "Guest", so either (a) I was just looking at the wrong images, (b) You're deleting them or, and this would be my guess, (c) like me you have your comment moderation settings set to hide any from non-registered PBasers until you approve them. ...

"Guest" is just someone who doesn't have a PBase account (or is not logged in to it) and who has not left an e-mail address. If you're automatically hiding them then it's possible that the person isn't seeing their comment, didn't read the notice that you would see it even if they don't, and submitted it again. This could be someone who found your images through Google (unlikely, since Google does not seem to index PBase any more), or found the images through another site. If the comments have the same time, of course, then there may be a glitch in the software relating to those postings as well.


I did change my settings after that huge hack we had earlier this year (I think it was). I dislike limiting comments to just registered Pbasers, but after spending days deleting literally thousands of spam comments, I simply had to. So no, I can't recall seeing any "Guest" comments on my pictures, but here are some that a quick look through my Favorites list produced:

https://pbase.com/image/170106235
https://pbase.com/image/170110986
https://pbase.com/image/170111385
https://pbase.com/npaoni/image/170004078
https://pbase.com/npaoni/image/169849579
https://pbase.com/calopteryx/image/170100171
https://pbase.com/calopteryx/image/170082683
https://pbase.com/calopteryx/image/170074039
https://pbase.com/calopteryx/image/170042208
https://pbase.com/calopteryx/image/170016262

Several are on the same people's images, so I assume their setting are somehow allowing this to happen. If it wasn't past midnight and I had more time, I'm sure I could find more since as I said, I see them all the time.

Although I didn't copy it in here, I had to smile when I saw your comment about your time zone, which I'm quite familiar with: ANU is my alma mater ;-).

richo
 
Posts: 247

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Wed Nov 27, 2019 5:55 am


My suggestion to access on a device not on your network is just standard troubleshooting step from 30 years in IT and Internet development. But in looking at the pattern it looks to me to be potentially a problem with a front end server unless we can show this is happening across to entire pbase.com with all users. I don't know their backend database server configuration but if they are using a failover design with multiple front end servers hitting the same database then it could be a code issue on the server or database scripting. If we had several users with and without the issue we might be able to see if there is some common thread...same server IP....but backend we likely won't be able to see. Bottom line...I think the elves are changing stuff and getting either caught in the midst of a rolling update or just sketchy configuration management or flaky code. Unless they decide to comment we probably will never know.

helenpb
 
Posts: 78

Re: Auto-generated duplicate comments getting worrisome

Post Wed Nov 27, 2019 1:46 pm


akmc_in_au wrote:
My guess would be that both Art and Julie WERE trying to leave comments at the same time, there was lock contention and... something embarrassing went wrong with the record creation resulting in only one of their comments being posted into both records.


I just wanted to clear this up -- I contacted Art last night, and he didn't leave a comment on that picture. Turns out we did exchange comments in 2014, when I was living in Saudi Arabia, so I was wrong on that count. In any case, the duplicate comment in the photo I linked to above had nothing to do with Art White, whose name is on it.


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