General Chat

Here is the ip address for both the UK and Australian urls:

www.genesreunited.co.uk [194.247.74.2]
genesreunited.com.au [194.247.74.2]

They both point at the same server.

You can also just enter the ip address instead of the site url
eg: http://194.247.74.2
and it will work just fine.

GR.com.au working ok (as well as can be expected :-D )

I don't bother trying the UK site, it never works for me.

The various suffixes to the genes site all lead to Rome, the same server cluster. The suffix is just a way they try and offer a custom features by location.

Unfortunately the coding differences between IE8 and more modern browsers are significant and for new development it is just not worth the candle. IE8 market share in W Europe is now down to around 10% and falling. As Microsoft will withdraw all security and bug fix support April 2014 any fresh development will have to be written off. Even what looks like a trivial feature can easily cost thousands of pounds so I cannot really see that happening.

Like Errol says use a browser compliant with modern standards. The leaders for Windows machines are Chrome (leader) and Firefox and IE9/10 (tie). It doesn't cost anything...

Why do changes cost so much?
Well it goes like this.

Propose change.
Work out how much coding it will need, allocate resource.
Work out how much existing code is impacted and will need change / retest.
Write the code, test repeat until cooked.
Now try system integration and see if the impacted code breaks.
If it does fix. Possibly alter the impacted code.
And so on.
Once it works then system stress testing is needed to make sure that what works with 10 users also works with ( say ) 5 000.

It can easily get out of hand as the BBC found out recently when it had to can an application that did no more than catalog its tape collection and allow digitised versions to be viewed on a PC. £ 100 M down the drain and head of tech canned.

Getting back to GenesRU they may life tuf for themselves by using MS Site Server 7 rather than Apache. This costs serious money (Apache is free). Moreover the software toolset that is used (AJAX) is much more suited to Apache. Microsoft have their own solutions.

IIS7 is also very difficult to tune hence the various irritating errors.

However Bright Solid's main biz is Microsoft based and Genes just have to to like it or lump it as they depend on BS tech staff and developers from FMP - a lot of GRU code is the same as for FMP.

As to XP ... all of those millions of aging Pentium4 desktops and elderly laptops from the noughties and before are running out of options. There is no going forward with Windows. End of story.

Linux ? An option for the more recent kit but stuff from 10 years ago no way for the average user 'cos of all the hassle with drivers. Older setups of linux which will run on older kit tend to be difficult to get hold of and next to impossible for linux newbies to install. Best option for newer kit: MINT, for older kit PUPPY.

The chance to get a Windows 7 machine from most dealers has long gone which leaves diy or secondhand as options. Other than that Windows users are going to the land of the Blue Meanies aka Windows 8.1 like it or not.

For many there will be a very challenging increase in the cost of staying in the game. Right now it is fairly ez to put together a usable XP system for around £ 100 (using s/hand or end-of-line bits) inc 19in flat screen for around £ 100. That is absolutely not the case with Win7/8.

I would hazard a guess that many people will not bother but will transfer to Android / Mac tablets as their main computer and use their TV when a bigger screen is needed. My Bravia plays Android movies a treat :-)

So it goes.

Joy, do you get a sweetie every time you say that? lol

What are you basing your statement on? What did GR technical staff actually say? It would be very helpful to members to know.
Thank you

The browser is irrelevant; even GR staff have stated this.


It is the site. Try http://www.genesreunited.co.za/

I took Errol's advise and It's 95% up and running.
Give it a go.

GP

Rollo that is not what I said and you know it!

As someone who has designed websites and managed websites I fully realise the complexities and appreciate what a time consuming process it is. I was making the point that nobody designs a website for just one browser. It is blatantly naive to think otherwise.

"Right now I have Mark Rudolph of Northern California on the line.
Mark Rudolph are you there?
Yeah.
Mark Rudolph for $ 1000 can you give me the identity of our golden mystery group?
Mark are you there?
Yeah. The Four Seasons ?
Mark Rudolph would you repeat your answer please?
The Four Seasons?
Mark Rudolph you are WRONG!!!

"I think the "use Google Chrome" response is always very weak. Any half decent web developer with an ounce of experience and knowledge designs websites that can be used across a multitude of platforms - in this age of equality it is so wrong to be exclusive"

Does Errol really think that a single developer knocks up a web site in a few hours after lunch ? Surely not.

Creating web sites is far from being a five minute job and catering for the pecadilloes of deprecated browsers such as IE8 and before adds no end to design complexity and cost. The likes of the BBC may be able to manage it ( with your tv license money ) but others have to balance the books.

The two biggest reasons for the shift to HTML5 and in-browser media rather than Flash have been to reduce cost and complexity. The kind of site that benefits the most from this are those that are run a shoestring such as Genes RU. HTML5 also has a massive impact for platforms running on smart phones, tablets etc.

Users of IE8 should understand that nobody is going to worry much about this browser in the public domain. XP dies April 2014 and in any case there are several other browsers for XP that support html5 and GRU no trouble at all as well as Chrome viz. Opera, Firefox and PaleMoon, a light version of Firefox.

So if you are still using IE8 time to change your knitting, not to moan about GRU not supporting a dead product. If you must stay with IE then just UG to Windows 7 or later.

(*) (Mark Rudolph was Karen Carpenter's brother and road manager.)

Hello....I used to have a lot of problems with Internet Explorer..I was advised by my phone provider to go to Google Chrome...Excellent ever since.... Regards...LES.

Hiya Mau.....yes that's how you 'found me'...and I know you wont tell a soul :-D <3

Budgie...you can tell me your secrets. I am just like Mau and better than Google :-D

hellooo.....:-D soo that's how I 'found you' BC?... if'n I find anything secret about you I won't tell a soul okay ;-) <3

Not so me BC, he,he,
:-D :-D x x x

Budgie dahliide!nggg....Google can know everything about me. I have nothing to hide:-D <3 :-D

You could well be right BC sweetie, maybe GR are taking backhanders from Google for promoting their product.
GR probably syncronise their upgades using Google Chrome as well, wherein there could lie the problem.
Not all people want Google, as it is too invasive of ones privacy. It tracks the sites you use and also sends you adverts apertaining to the ones you have been on.

I think the "use Google Chrome" response is always very weak. Any half decent web developer with an ounce of experience and knowledge designs websites that can be used across a multitude of platforms - in this age of equality it is so wrong to be exclusive

Well GR seem to think that using Google Chrome sorts out all problems members are having with the site if you go by previous responses from the Team.

I have never had a problem, either before or after changes. I wonder if it is because I only use Gooogle Chrome? BC XX

I am having same problem . :-| :-|

I had same problem Ken,
The freezing or GenesReunited not responding problem seems to have eased a bit.... Dont know for how long though. :-S

I've tried signing out and back in again (to the UK site) and it does seem to have eased the problem. I am using IE9 and Vista.

PS signing back in was a bit of a problem as it took about three goes before it fully signed me in.