ByDon (Open)

20130830 20130802 Smugmug Problems

>DonSmug
Latest emails/Questions are listed first:
See comments further below at similar #'s for corrective action
/ No longer let non owner viewer select style, owner selects
>I can no longer tell which pictures are hidden from public view while in the "Organize Site" section
46> Links do not work on Home Page description and some galleries in new format
45> Still have to sign in several times during one session
44>Still no sticking for passwords, even afte rweseting Browser
43#57 >How do I get the $144 price for the trial
42#56>Coupon discount code for referrals?
41#55>Open several Smugmug accounts in same browser?
40#54> Passwords and usernames do not stick?
39#53>change password before payment question resolved?,
38#52> convert trial to 3 year $144 deal?,
37#51 how do I get Statistics to work on an iPad. it says Holy Http, I need Adobe Flash.
36#50> Do searches included unlisted galleries?
35#49> How do we keep it public but with no Google or Smugmug search?
34#49> Where do we put in the passwords now for each gallery?
33#47
32#46
31#45> (Fixed)Your help screen will not let me type anything into the Search Line.
30#44
29#43
28#42>Is there a way to change background color for whole site at one time?
27#41>How do I change background color for a gallery, see menu choices I have with the following menus? (PS, the white on black is awful to read)
26#40> how can I get rid of the terrible black backgrounds from all Smugmug. It is so hard to read, ugly, and depressing. need no white on black or at least chge the default to black on white and make it easier to change colors.
See previous comments and question and resolution below if any. * means no corrective action
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Smugmug is so great, rather has been. So much better than all other competitors for displaying and organizing pictures on line with great heroes to help. I thought it was the greatest program I had ever seen and so much of my life is in it. Thanks for all those good years. I am worried about the future and hope my comments are constructive. Now . . . .
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I was having enough trouble with all the changes in smugmug, and then one of the new pages locked up and then all of my Vista computer, never to work right again. It would not start the right way and was 10 times slower. I have spent most of two days working to fix it then gave up and went in Safe mode to back up some of my main files to my newer W7.

Not saying Smugmug did it, just asking if you have had any other reports of similar action. My vista never once gave me any problems before until when I was trying to move around the new smugmug.

That with all the disappointments from the new Smugmug is so discouraging - and a waste of my time trying to get even the basic things done.

Thanks
don
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Here is a lik to why I used to love Smugmug
http://instructionsbydon.blogspot.com/2012/12/we-like-smugmug-and-i-am-glad-to-share.html

Here are some things bugging me with the new Smugmug :
Link to this Blog page: http://instructionsbydon.blogspot.com/2013/08/20130802-smugmug-problems.html

First, I can see how Smugmug eventually might Be better after we get used to it but so much is wrong now in the new format
(Still a problem) *The help video was very unprofessional - the guy is good but the female is worrisome with her forced laugh and poor speaking.
(Still a problem) *Did not know what crumbs and sandbox were, till video and wonder why u using ur own terms to confuse us.
*(Some Improvement). Learned could not embed pictures now and Showoff, "later he said" nothing mentioned about whether present embedded links will work when final migration.
(Still a problem) No mention still of uploading videos from cell phone. Once I spent weeks being told I could upload videos from my cell and was told it was my phone and my ips or carrier not working right, many heroes kept biting up on me saying the same thing, then all of a sudden the official word changes, the help info was deleted, and I was told it never had been a feature. That was after being told so often it was my equipment fault.
(Still a problem) We had on old format an easy to understand method for users to get around. They will not have that now since they do not have the organizer
*(Improved)I do not understand the description now. Once links could be place there to other sites and galleries and now the text of the code has no link working from it. What a crazy change, I lose hoes of work bin fixing it so one can go from one gallery to another easily.
I like the organizer and think we need a text only *Home page similar to it.(some improvement)
(Still a problem) All the examples of how great the new system is I see are from sites with few pictures. I think the new format a bear to move around in and find pictures, and that is why a text Home screen mentioned above is desirable.
(Still a problem) *(some improvement) Showoff is not operational I learned from video, of course I could not find where to do it on the starange new format
(Still a problem) Heroes are too slow in answering question, and
(Still a problem) would have been better to do the switch in stages of users not all at one time. U said reason for no Showoff was to get this out faster but I would rather u had it right.
(Still a problem) I cannot find a decent help section. Sometime the help is about the old format and sometimes about the new. Long ago we had a great hep section then it continued to change and deteriorate
(Still a problem) I have no idea how to reprogram every thing and the new sites are missing so much from the old , looks like we have to redo hours of work
*Looks like I have to put in a new code for sending pictures up and not sure where they now go, I hope to "other" still. Just tested this and will not work. Wrote separate email asking if it is broken.
(Still a problem) The use no more of categories and subcategories is confusing, You could have kept them and added folder or folders in some where. Not sure why u would sage that,'
(Still a problem) The use of "page" is misleading as the video says it can be a gallery a folder or something like that
(Still a problem) *some improvement and then more complaints and more improvements.I do not see on the new format the extra links I put in my old smugmug around the top, They should move over automatically.
(Still a problem) I am unsure how to select a style easily I assume it is in the coding boxes we are to use. Of course they are hard to even see with the gosh awful blade background and less than bright white test
(Still a problem) Sign in used to be wonderful, and easy especially if using several accounts as I do for my family. Now the sign-in does not remember the user name much and never the password forcing folks to use shorter less secure ones. Then if one goes to another screen after already signed in , u make is sign in again. This had started before the big change and I asked about it and received no response. I have about given up on wanting a response and u notice none of the listing here is asking for an answer. Many I already asked about. Just put this in a new file of Frustrated customers
(Still a problem)The screen for statistics locks up on my ipad never show , just keep working for ever as I checked back to it and finally closed it.
(Still a problem)Every thing has that hard to read gosh awful black background that is terrible to use even on my 30 inch +/- screen. Lighten it up and .

(Still a problem) Ever since u made a change months ago I have been frustrated that you changed the back ground on I assume all of my galleries.
In a recent email I replied : My main question was if anyone else has reported the problem not whether Smugmug caused it. Has anyone else reported crashes or lockups when on the Smugmug site or am I the only one? That is all I was asking and all I need in response to this email. Was told, I was only one. . .

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No no computer problems and no virus. Have run checks. . Computer locked up on one of the new smugmug screens and was sluggish, I clicked and went to another screen and it got worse. I thought it was just a delay from all the traffic u are getting but then it I could not get out of the second screen and nothing would work. I had to push start button to turn off and it has been a mess since then for hours trying to get it to work.. That was on a vista. In the meantime I was working on a W7 machine and experienced slow screens from Smugmug, but the worst thing is that after most of two days working on Smugmug I cannot figure it out, how do I move pictures, how do I embed, how do I send \up videos from my cell or email, how do I get rid of your gosh awful black background easily from the settings and tools and galleries that is hard to read on and almost 30 inch scree, how can I have a no frills Home page similar to the old one, cant log in easily any more and several times in one session have to repeat logins depending on which screen one goes to, have to now do htm programing to get links to work in the description where as before it was automatically fixed as in this email when it starts with http, on and on. If you want to see my experience so far, check the following blog link. http://instructionsbydon.blogspot.com/2013/08/20130802-smugmug-problems.html I have shared these concerns with the heroes and some are being addressed but I cannot believe the embed function was not included and I really do need to know how to move a picture from one gallery to another.

thanks for your help and concern.
don

20130830 20130805 20130807 20130830 20130905 Vista Problems

20130905 Vista Problems Update- after taking to Dat-A-Sys a second time, and awaiting results.

Vista Updates at:
click this

Executive Summary: The above links are to comments I sent you before of the nightmare of losing my Vista computer and then getting it back and then for sure lost it. This updates the the story today as I am replacing windows and also backing up all the drives of the Vista to a new external

There is no way one can back up or have copies of every thing we need and I realize each day something else I have lost, I have debated about what to do . It was my main computer though as I have told you I have backups but never enough if one loses something like this. Not to bore you but here is where I stand on it

Before first time to the shop I had backed up some of my main files, took it to the shop and when came back worked on it for days in safe mode and got it to work really well and very fast and during that time I kept backing up more files I thought of, then it died and I debated what to do after trying days to get beyond the screen telling me to back it up as the hard drive is about gone or words to that effect. I have most of my pictures all on or backed up various places and to the newer W7 I mentioned I got about the time you got yours. Each day I think of something else I need off the old. When I bought the old in 2006 or 7, it had a 500g hard drive and as years passed I added a 2nd drive of about 750 g and finally a third of about 1 T or less, The data should be ok on the last two drives. After considering several alternatives involving a professional (1) backing up all drives (C drive, F drive, and R drive) to an external drive USB, (2) replacing the bad c drive and replacing Vista windows, (3) buying a new computer Windows 8 and doing # 1 plus backing F and R back to the new Windows 8, or (4) combining #1 and #2 , and that is what I am doing - Back up all I can to external and replacing windows and drive C on the Vista and still have my F and R drives on Vista already.

I took it in today and got cost estimate
$135 for new Drive C which will be 1T (One terabyte)
$118 to install Windows Vista and update on the new 1T
$145 to back up all three drives from the old Vista to a new External
$398 Estimate at Dat-A-Sys
+
$180 Seagate USB external 4T (four terabyte) at Costco
$578
+
$99 plus $99 already spent at Dat-A-Sys first visit
$678

The tech called back and said could not copy the C Drive (I was not surprised but disappointed) but still I am going ahead with the effort of new C with Windows and backing up F and R. Since he called me three times today I hoped to get back today which I knew was unreasonable to ope for. I worry maybe he is having more trouble getting it all to work. Originally I was thinking he would keep a while and I get when I get back back from Indiana,
Obviously I could have bought a new Windows 8 for a little more than I am paying for this, but then I would not have the F and R info on a computer already.
20130830 Vista Problems Update

Are your computers still messed up?? Did you ever figure out the cause?

It is ok now, but what a royal mess. Not sure what all I told you. As short as I can be. My main work computer has been the Vista bought 7 years ago, great machine. I bought a new W7 a year or so ago with a two terabyte hard drive. Had little on it. Have it downstairs to play with while watching TV. The Vista had the troubles and I moved backups to the W7, worked to fix, took to shop, worked on again, backed up backed up back up, and finally fixed. Switched the computers from upstairs to downstairs twice (ugh). I have a network of seven computers with the vista w7 a couple of xps and w98s. Obviously don't need them all but I love playing with them and keeping them going. The recent mess was my biggest challenge.

I see I already told you lots of this but I am not going back and editing it, sorry.

To begin, as for the cause. It could just be getting old. But, I think Smugmug messed the Vista up, though they say no one else has mentioned this and they probably are right. I had reasonable backups but on some many different places. I got all my one quarter of a million pictures (sounds like more than 250,000) over in to the W7 and in order by year since the 1930's so that was a big effort. Got most other data over to the new computer. It was working slow during the process, making noises, some things took 100 times longer. Finally got to point could take to shop and he checked and told me ($99 was charge) that my hard drive was going bad and that I had viruses. He said he removed the viruses and that next step was a new hard drive and reloading Windows which wipes out thousands or at least hundreds of dollars of pro grans etc. It had a steady click , which I knew was a sure sign of a failing hard drive. The hard drive being bad I could accept but I was devastated to find I had viruses after all my precautions. I got the machine back because there was more data I wanted to remove if it were hopeless and worked on it for three solid days and was able to fix it using an old program on it called Norton 14. I tied every program and every suggestion I could find on line and finally got it right. The shop said there were bad sectors. Norton ran all night making massive changes it appeared to me and all of a sudden it was ok. To my satisfaction, I was able to view the Norton log and even though it appeared to me it was not working over all those days and even was giving me an error message which I could not resolve before taking to shop, it was ok; I found it had been running and doing the job all through the days when I was working on it thinking it was dead or about dead. There were viruses three but they were all quarantined which is what should have happened and when the tech guy said I had viruses he was right but they were already resolved, at least that is my thinking. Norton has done the job for me since the beginning of computers.

I worked 10 straight days on it except for church and breaks like that, stopped exercising and all I did was back up and copy and run programs and try different ones to fix the vista. Some days I worked 15 hours on it. The house was a mess. Thank goodness Bertha comes once a week. My filing and organization is so far behind I doubt I ever catch up. I know there probably is a problem with the hard drive and might go any day. It does not have a click now. It runs about like it did before which is slower than the W7. My network is much faster now because of all the changes. I actually loved doing this and feel so satisfied I could get it workable and not lose any thing. I treat it with kid gloves and I am ready when it dies. I have been putting lots of my data spreadsheets on line on the Google Documents and that is certainly a good idea. That Google Docs is a satisfactory substitute for Microsoft Office, except does not have Access which is a great data program or PowerPoint. More than you wanted to know but that is part of the story. Below is a link to my problems with Smugmug and some notes on the Vista (I probably will add these to it too). I hate the Smugmug changes but will get used to it. I have listed all my questions, rather some of them, and you might interested. I hate they changed the tool arrangement, etc. Can see why they did make the sweeping changes though - so many programs are going to the swipe format like the iPad and it is nice and that is an objective I believe. By the way the iPad is the most incredible machine, I can have in that machine access to so many things easily . I now can use it instead of taking a Bible to Bible classes as some app will almost instantly get u to the verse you want and that has long been a problem with computer bible programs. My calendar is there easy ier to use than on a pc. Also my brokerage account are there, my genealogy programs, note taking for classes which can convert my handwriting to text, music I like, my kindle books are all there. I use no cover on it after trying dozens, I like the slick feel of it, Lot of trouble getting pictures on it and organizes them terribly so dont get it for that reason. Excellent Video and Photo taking. Hard to get used to. I learn something new almost ever day (Bob Schot told me about how dimming the screen for saving batteries on long airplane flights) etc. Understand new iPhone and iPad coming out in next couple monts.

Smugmug Problems
http://instructionsbydon.blogspot.com/2013/08/20130802-smugmug-problems.html

Vista Problems
http://instructionsbydon.blogspot.com/2013/08/20130806-vista-problems.html
20130807 How's the computer Sally asked

Thanks for asking! I have backed up a lot of my stuff and then took to shop. They called with unfortunately bad news saying my hard drive ( drive c) was going bad which means will need to reinstall windows which will destroy maybe thousands of dollars of programs plus any data. I also have two other hard drives (F and R in my system) and they evidently ok. I was never able to get it to work in regular mode this week well as it would take 2 hours to boot and then 100 times longer to do any thing. In Safe Mode it worked ok except the screen was so big it was showing about 1/10 of a normal screen which made impossible to work easily. Well, in safe mode I was able to back in my data b. I could use my network and could get on internet. Unfortunately, Norton or other antivirus do not work in safe mode and I think I got a virus etc. So when he called he told me about the hard drive but also said I had several virus including Trojans etc. I was able to run scan earlier in safe Mode (that is all Norton does in safe mode) and found one security threat and corrected it then ran again a few days later and was ok, The Tech of course has more powerful diagnostic tools so he said he found them. What I am going to do is let him run the virus check and hopefully clean it up, then I will get PC back and work with it is safe mode because I already discovered I am missing some data files from my backup. cost is 50$ minimum applied again their charges of $100 an hour and he said this would cost me $100. if I later have them replace Windows will be another similar amount plus cost of hard drive. I hate it as this has been such a good fast and reliable computer and that day a week ago today it froze up in the new Smugmug and never been right since. They said no one else had that trouble with Smugmug this way and I am inclined to believe them. He said it had some age on it - got it in 2007. By the way it is 10 years since I bought the 5 computers that tax free day in 2003 for us all. (Mine still works on my network)

Also, I spent hours on the new Smugmug and am learning little by little. I can see it is designed for scrolling down as most folks do on iPad s and maybe iPhone. I find it extremely difficult to use and their help is not up to their usual standard, probably because of many people like me loading them up with questions. I was not surprised when they wrote today saying people were want to be sure to have the old format available and they tried to make it sound like that was a plus feature, it is, but I bet it was not originally in the plans. With Smugmug changing and my Pc problems other wise I am PC'd out. I have done nothing but try to straighten all this all about every free minute for now 8 days, up til 3 am last night. Too much of my life is on the PC. Fortunately I had bought a new machine within the last year and had it basically empty.

Great pictures of yours , my Nikon s10's are too fuzzy now, need to get it fixed. Have another newer Nikon but harder to handle.

20130805 Vista problems
Problem: takes an hour or more to boot in regular mode and then everything takes 100 +/- times longer if at all to do. Small clicking sound as booting but disappears as desktop appears. Sometimes it never gets to where it responds even with all icons present.
😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑

>norton 360 says error 8606,421 and trys to fix but eventually gives me number to call of 800 745 6034' the techie worked with me a while but was top complicated for me.
>Boots fast in safe mode with network, no clicking sound
>Had vista about 6 years, no problems, came with one hard drive and I added two.
>Ran norton scan in safe mode and said ok on 3,500,000 files, did find a "security risk" and removed. Not there on later scan 5 days later.
>I have copied many files onto a w7 computer but still many programs an files here on Vista that I need.
>had run various scans, defrags, Ccleaner, stopped some startup programs, removed some prorams, etc
>have this as part oh a network with several computers. Continues to work but not as we'll as before. It can get to other computers but other computers sometimes have harder time finding vista
>problem started after a lock up on the new format of Smugmug , they say no one else has had similar problems
>often have to turnoff by pushing the button
>driving me crazy