Why did the MER software suddenly stop snubbing me?

[MsGuy]

Ok, for a long while, the site would allow me to sign in by just typing in the first letter of my nic, whereupon it would auto post the rest of the nic and my password (provided I entered from the forum). All I had to do then was click ok or enter or somesuch.

Then in late December I had some kind of virus try to take over my poor machine and I had to install a new antivirus. Problem solved except that MER no longer auto recognized me. I'm guessing that I set security parameters too tight to allow your cookies in. Oh, well, better the nuisance of logging on than open the door even an inch for another damn virus.

But now tonight I've been on and off the board a dozen times and MER keeps me logged on no matter where I go & no matter how long I'm gone.

Did I finally do something right? If so what the hell did I do? Or is it just one more mystery of the net? More importantly, is there anything I can do to keep MER's gate guardian from reverting to form and making me do a retinal scan again every time I come here?

Any advice much appreciated.

[TampaYankee]

Did I finally do something right? If so what the hell did I do? Or is it just one more mystery of the net? More importantly, is there anything I can do to keep MER's gate guardian from reverting to form and making me do a retinal scan again every time I come here?

Any advice much appreciated.

I advise that you keep on doing whatever it was that you did.

Seriously, you have got to be kidding. Did you read that auto company exec response to Bill Gates?

[MsGuy]

hahahahahahaha... that explains everything!

[lookin]

MsGuy, this is not one of my strong suits but, as usual, that won't keep me from weighing in just as if I know what the hell I'm talking about.

I think there are at least four things that determine your login experience: (1) the cookies that the MER site places on your computer, (2) what your browser does with those cookies, (3) what other programs running on your computer (e. g., antivirus programs) do with those cookies, and (4) any automated functions you have set up in your browser.

There are probably other things that only Bill Gates knows about but those will have to remain a mystery until either he opens up or Julian Assange tidies up his personal business and gets back to doing what he does best.

My guess is your new antivirus program took an aggressive stance and wiped out most or all of your old cookies, but it didn't go so far as preventing them from ever coming back again. Once you logged on to MER and told it to remember you, new cookies were placed on your computer that allow you to be treated as an old friend. Until those cookies are wiped out again, you should continue to be welcomed with open arms.

As far as typing just the first letter of your 'nic', whatever the hell that is, I expect that's something you told your browser to do once upon a time. I use Mac Safari as my browser and I check an 'autofill' box so that, whenever I reach the login page for MER, the browser types 'lookin' and my password, and all I have to do is hit the 'login' button. Again, your antivirus software may have disabled any autofill preferences you had set up, but you should be able to go into your browser preferences and set them up again. To figure out how to do it, you could try googling 'Firefox-or-whatever-browser-you-use' and 'autofill', and see what others have to say.

Hope this helps. I'm sure I speak for all here in wanting your login experience to be as quick and easy as possible. The thought of you getting stuck on the wrong side of the fence for any length of time is just too hard to bear.

[TampaYankee]

MsGuy, this is not one of my strong suits but, as usual, that won't keep me from weighing in just as if I know what the hell I'm talking about.

For someone who claims to no little to nothing that was a response of substance. If you know little to nothing about stocks then I'd like your advice.

Let me add to that any changes to the system or firewall could very well impact browser behavior as well. And with all these auto-updates that app developers embed it can be daunting to know who did what to what. Personally, I like to ok all changes myself. That goes counter to the app developers who try to get you to leave it to them. FWIW

[Lucky]

My sign in experience can vary each time. Sometimes just clicking the box will bring up my name, other times I have to type it in, other times just the L will do.

[MsGuy]

Ok, I finally broke down and bumped you off this thread, Lucky.

Seeing as I started it, I'm thinking I owe you that much.