Error when browsing forum

[RJF]

Recently, I've been experiencing some problems when using this site. When I
try to look at a question/answer that was posted or try to ask a question,
90% of the time, I'm sent to a new page that states: "Service Temporarily
Unavailable". It takes several tries to actually get to where I want to be.

Also, when I do a search, many times it will say that the subject is not
found, but I know it's there because I posted it. Then if I try later, it
finds it.

Are there known problems with this site? Will it be corrected in the near
future?

Thank you,


--
RJF

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...-a559-2ed546bd99bf&dg=microsoft.public.access

 

[John W. Vinson]

Recently, I've been experiencing some problems when using this site. When I
try to look at a question/answer that was posted or try to ask a question,
90% of the time, I'm sent to a new page that states: "Service Temporarily
Unavailable". It takes several tries to actually get to where I want to be.

Also, when I do a search, many times it will say that the subject is not
found, but I know it's there because I posted it. Then if I try later, it
finds it.

Are there known problems with this site? Will it be corrected in the near
future?

Thank you,

Sean Bailey aka Beetle just posted a rant on the same subject:
Over the last several months, the MS website that is used to
view the newsgroups has been practically unusable much of
the time. I know some would argue that their website has been
lousy for years, but it has been unusually bad in recent months.
There are no problems viewing/posting to the newsgroups with
news readers and other methods, so I can only assume the problem
is with the MS website.

Many of the people who are looking for help on MS products
end up at the newsgroups via the MS website. Many of them are
not aware that the MS website in only a window to the newsgroups,
and that you can also get to them through news readers and other
websites. They end up struggling to even post a question, and then
struggling again to view any responses. Some of them probably think
that the problem is on their end.

Which begs the question. If MS is apparently not going to take the
time to correct the problems with the website, then why bother having
it in the first place? Why not do their users a favor and direct them to
one of the sites that actually works?

I know, I know... "Microsoft? Do their Users a favor? That's crazy talk."

That's my pointless rant for the day, since I know that it's highly unlikely
that anyone from MS will even see this, let alone give a damn.

PS - If you are one of the users that has been struggling with the MS
website, you can also post / view questions in the newsgroup through
AccessMonster.com, Outlook Express (which has a built in news reader -
not a great one, but it's better than the MS website has been lately) and
many other methods. If you just want to view posts, Google Groups is
an option as well.

Sean Bailey

 

[RJF]

Thanks for the info John.

-Rach
--
RJF

Sean Bailey aka Beetle just posted a rant on the same subject:
Over the last several months, the MS website that is used to
view the newsgroups has been practically unusable much of
the time. I know some would argue that their website has been
lousy for years, but it has been unusually bad in recent months.
There are no problems viewing/posting to the newsgroups with
news readers and other methods, so I can only assume the problem
is with the MS website.

Many of the people who are looking for help on MS products
end up at the newsgroups via the MS website. Many of them are
not aware that the MS website in only a window to the newsgroups,
and that you can also get to them through news readers and other
websites. They end up struggling to even post a question, and then
struggling again to view any responses. Some of them probably think
that the problem is on their end.

Which begs the question. If MS is apparently not going to take the
time to correct the problems with the website, then why bother having
it in the first place? Why not do their users a favor and direct them to
one of the sites that actually works?

I know, I know... "Microsoft? Do their Users a favor? That's crazy talk."

That's my pointless rant for the day, since I know that it's highly unlikely
that anyone from MS will even see this, let alone give a damn.

PS - If you are one of the users that has been struggling with the MS
website, you can also post / view questions in the newsgroup through
AccessMonster.com, Outlook Express (which has a built in news reader -
not a great one, but it's better than the MS website has been lately) and
many other methods. If you just want to view posts, Google Groups is
an option as well.

Sean Bailey