forum modernBB now loading well on old devices

[vouyz]

Technical Details

Forum version : #ModernBB
Position : Founder
Concerned browser(s) : Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Other
Screenshot of problem : https://i.ibb.co/92LSm0r/Screenshot-from-2022-09-07-06-45-49.png
Who the problem concerns : A few members
When the problem appeared : now
Forum link : -

Description of problem

Hey there, old @forumfree member who is coming back home after years.


Well, my forum works fine for me, because I was able to create all categories and all, but I tested it from different devices and is creating problems . I tested other people's forums just to make sure wasn't just mine and was the same. Page loads well and after 1-3 seconds is cover with a dark-gray layer that blocks all activity.

It appears to be from browser's js not being compatible with js code.

My main goal is to make sure no matter how old the device, everyone has access to the forum I'm trying to build.

Is there a way for me to get access or to override or remove myforumname/serviceworker.js and https://illiweb.com/rs3/62/frm/lang/en.js ?

From other browsers (old versions of chrome mostly):






And this is how I see from my browser:

[Ape]

Please post your URL of your forum.

If it's greying out this is the Cookies banner that pops up i think. There is no way to remove that we have to have that by law.

[vouyz]

It works fine for me, but I want to work for everybody. And I know EU laws are enforcing that notification, but can be created just a simple html alert.

Some websites show it top or botton banner like ... " by continuing with the website, you agree with bla bla"

I have nothing against Cookies banner, the problem is that js crashes and there is no button or no way to go forward on the forum

[Ape]

Sadly the way the new cookies banner works it has to have JavaScripts to run and this is something we can't change i wish there was some other way to do it where it sends out the data to older browsers to but sadly this is the way the world is going now it the way they all want it sadly

The team will only see this as a browser problem and nothing we would really look at.

[vouyz]

The team will only see this as a browser problem and nothing we would really look at.

I understand, but @forumfree/forummotion and @forumfree communities are losing members this way, over a minor thing (not being able to read or send content).

Is not something I need urgently, but I hope someone gives it a chance and try to make a alternative js code or something else.

Just 2 examples, on websites like blogger or wordpress I still get the notification even without js.

Code:

profile_fields.forEach is not a function

uncaught typerror:
this.getAdResult.then(...).catch(...).finally is not a function

api.viglink.com/api/sync.js?
because its MIME type('image/gif') is not executable

Cheers.

[SLGray]

So is the issue old devices or browsers? Browsers should be updated even on old devices.

[Ape]

@SLGray browsers on old computers and things like wii games they don't get updated as they are to old just like windows XP and all the older windows systems

[vouyz]

Like Ape said.


Older browsers had js, but with updates new syntax,operators, variables were added.

Old devices that have old browsers, that have old version of js, can't read and execute some of the newest js code.

Is not like we talking about making a advanced dashboard for something and advanced & latest js is needed to proper code such dashboard, this, here we talking about a cookie alert-notification.

https://262.ecma-international.org/13.0/

[Niko]

Dear @vouyz

could you provide the exact specs of the devices where you have the problem?
For example the type/model of device, the browser type/version, etc.. - just to try reproduce the problem

Thanks

[vouyz]

Dear @vouyz

could you provide the exact specs of the devices where you have the problem?
For example the type/model of device, the browser type/version, etc.. - just to try reproduce the problem

Thanks

downloaded vers 48 of chrome

if needed link:
https://www.filepuma.com/download/google_chrome_32bit_48.0.2564.116-10789/

I haven't got time to test on more versions of older browsers, like older firefox, vivaldy, midori,..

[Niko]

@vouyz on which device? (i.g. iPhone 5 with iOS 10, etc..)

[vouyz]

@vouyz on which device? (i.g. iPhone 5 with iOS 10, etc..)

ubuntu 15.10 i386
and windows xp i386

[Niko]

Oh I see @vouyz - so I probably have bad news
sadly the problem may not come from our side and nothing can really be done about it; for example Microsoft itself dismissed Windows XP support, and many of the problems may be related to the fact that the system is not no longer updated and became unsupported. Same goes for Ubuntu where now they are 7 major releases ahead.

I am afraid there is nothing that we can do user-side, nor forumotion server-side - simply, as my colleague @Ape mentioned before, your device does no longer support updates and so it is not compatible with recent technologies which are now standards/compulsory on the net. Even if it was possible to modify the js files you mentioned, they would break other functions on the forum which would become unusable and would be a mess for modern-device users, which will not be able to use the forum on their side as well.

I am afraid there is nothing that can really be done, if not switching to a more recent device

Sorry about the non-positive answer

[vouyz]

Oh I see @vouyz - so I probably have bad news
sadly the problem may not come from our side and nothing can really be done about it; for example Microsoft itself dismissed Windows XP support, and many of the problems may be related to the fact that the system is not no longer updated and became unsupported. Same goes for Ubuntu where now they are 7 major releases ahead.

I am afraid there is nothing that we can do user-side, nor forumotion server-side - simply, as my colleague @Ape mentioned before, your device does no longer support updates and so it is not compatible with recent technologies which are now standards/compulsory on the net. Even if it was possible to modify the js files you mentioned, they would break other functions on the forum which would become unusable and would be a mess for modern-device users, which will not be able to use the forum on their side as well.

I am afraid there is nothing that can really be done, if not switching to a more recent device

Sorry about the non-positive answer

Thanks for checking. It isn't for me, but for people who I want to not lose if happens to check my forum.

The forum works fine even on super old devices and browsers that don't have european ip. I've found that if I open any forum with a non euro ip(that js code won't be run and page works fine), then move to euro ip and refresh page, forum works fine, seems like the cookie-alert doesn't trigger a second time, if ips are changed

[Ape]

Again sadly we have no power over the code it's not our code Its sourced outside of our systems.
We just use what is better for us at the time.

It have become a lot harder to get anything to make everyone happy. Times and laws change all the time and sadly the internet is one thing we have to change every day to keep you and other safe.

[vouyz]

Again sadly we have no power over the code it's not our code Its sourced outside of our systems.

Then forward feedback to who created the script. Who knows how many websites could suffer because of a simple mistake ( why I said mistake ? because if you can't proper code small things for all devices, you ain't a coder, sorry. )

[Ape]

like i said we have no power over this as we never made the codes we get this from out side our own host

[Niko]

Then forward feedback to who created the script. Who knows how many websites could suffer because of a simple mistake ( why I said mistake ? because if you can't proper code small things for all devices, you ain't a coder, sorry. )

@vouyz sadly that is how the world of ICT and technology works, you move forward and you lose compatibility and support with the update of modern technologies. Windows XP is no longer supported by its own warehouse for example, just to give an idea - same for Apple that doesn't provide the modern updates to older devices.

I am sorry, but other than this expected behaviour in this professional field - it would be an unreasonable effort for just a few users

I know it's a sad answer, but this is how the economy and development of this field works

[Ape]

Can i consider this topic closed as there is nothing we can do to help on this matter ?

[vouyz]

2 examples: twitter and facebook can run on phones from 2008, not even smartphones. And I'm not talking about the cookie alert, but the whole twitter and fb itself. Of course, with the interface for mobile and for sure some images and videos don't play or lag the phone, is understable, but overall you can read text.
I still have my samsung android from 2010 and I use it to test things. While the official youtube app not longer works for years, via browser I can still watch videos. Just another example.

I noticed that those emulators that simulate old versions of devices and browsers, ain't 100% accurate and if you want to be sure if something works, you have to get old devices and try yourself.

I believe devs think absolute nobody uses old stuff, but this may not be true. People who use "ancient technology" don't really feel like they have a voice to go in public and talk about their problem. And are those starters devs who didn't grew up with old technology and who may try to pinch a joke on them, making them uncomfortable.

Anyway, if you can't do anything, you can't do. Thanks for giving it some thoughts though.


EDIT: I personally know government institutions who uses old technology because of "no budget" (means they spend it on something else). When I say old tech, I mean those PC's with those bags monitors.

[brandon_g]

I believe devs think absolute nobody uses old stuff, but this may not be true. People who use "ancient technology" don't really feel like they have a voice to go in public and talk about their problem. And are those starters devs who didn't grew up with old technology and who may try to pinch a joke on them, making them uncomfortable.

Hello,

Just want to give some insight on this as someone who does some web development and is going to school for programming: Generally backwards compatibility is something the development community tries to do when possible, but the older a device gets the harder this becomes. Programming and coding standards change to improve technology and security. After awhile it becomes impossible to update and modernize stuff without replacing outdated code with new updated code that is often not supported on older devices. In the case of web design and websites, this is actually barely even a problem. Backwards compatibility is very easy on websites, because web browsers support older versions of html, css and javascript for usually several years afterward. But even then, after awhile it becomes pointless to maintain something that hasn't been updated or commonly used in say 10 years. We can't simply hold back on advancing technology for a small % of users who choose to hold on to their tech until it literally won't turn on anymore (not that I am saying this is a bad thing, I hold on to my smartphones 2 to 3 years at least, longer than most people do).

Finally: Keep in mind that the new development mindset for web design and even programming is on Mobile First. Since a large % of people visit websites from smart phones, tablets, etc. design standards have changed to where it will look good on a small screen as well as a large screen.

Just wanted to give some insight on the reasons why old devices start to have compatibility issues after several years, it is not because developers don't want to support those devices, it is because the older something gets, the more out of your way you have to go to accommodate it. And eventually it comes to a point where it is like, why do I do all this work to accommodate a device that a tiny percentage of users still use.

P.S Just so you know, it would be bad coding practice NOT to update to newer coding standards, not the other way around. Outdated code can cause major security issues, which in the age of Ransomware and hacking is a major problem that isn't worth risking for a few stubborn users who don't want to upgrade their antiqued devices with newer ones.

-Brandon

[SLGray]

Question:  Do you see the issue on the support forum?  If yes, could you post a screenshot of it, please?

[vouyz]

It won't even try to fit the forum into the browser window's size.










So I switched to a asian ip. Worked fine and even resized itself to fit the window. And that js code still shows errors in console, but forum works. Means is another file that is crashing. Could it be some welcome-login-register alert?

The following isn't direct related to topic, but philosopher in me felt to speak, so I put it hidden to not waste dev's times reading it.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

[SLGray]

What happens if you click on the black screen?

[vouyz]

Nothing is responsive, is a 'gray' layer over the webpage that acts like a wall.

Usually when you hover mouse over a link or image, you see at the bottom bar the url where it tries to send you, but here that doesn't happen



Opens the forum, clicks inspect element, been sent to " <div class="sd-cmp-VSd2z"></div> " , deletes it, forums works just fine, until next reload.

On my forum:
Opens control pannel, goes to display, colors & css, types there:
.sd-cmp-VSd2z { display: none;}

All now is solved. I can still see the text from cookie-alert and the button I need to click.

BUT you still have european users who won't be able to visit your help forum or any other forum.

So, wasn't js fault, but css ? so however that gray box/background/.. needs to look, override and covers also the text from cookie-alert ?






Edit: My problem is solved, but if you plan to do something for rest of users on other forums, I'm available for testings if need.

Cheers