I don't know what happened, but I know it's not me. Starting some time today or yesterday, many of the connection details about how TER loads into my browser have changed, and I don't like the new arrangement.

Yeah, I've reconnected to the 'net a few times, checked at different times of day, looked into many of the variables at my end. Other web sites are fine. TER has changed something and I don't like it.

Here's my usual pattern. Each day, generally, I hit "escort reviews" and then "search" and look at ALL of yesterday's new reviews. I used to load the search, then just go forward several pages through the search results until I had hit the old reviews I'd already seen, and then work my way backwards. Hitting the "back" button on my browser used to yield the backwards litany of search pages I'd already seen. Now, the "back" button RE-SEARCHES (technial jargon: it's no longer taken from the cache on my side, it is re-created by CGI at server-side) and I have to wait for it to search and then re-load. Very very slow, and a stupid waste of bandwidth. If I want something I've already seen, why re-invent it. I've already got it.

Another problem. The banners load incredibly slowly. Like, the "Sex in the SF Bay" banner took FOUR MINUTES to finally load. By my wrist-watch. And I live in Tampa -- like I really want that information. Used to be, that the banners did a background load AFTER page data arrived; now, I basically don't get the whole page until after the banner wastes four of my precious minutes. I know, I know, ya gotta advertise ... and yes, I DO visit some of your sponsors. IF their goddamn banner EVER loads ...

Another problem. Intermittent connections. Sometimes my page-request will just drop, and I gotta start all over. Didn't used to be like that.

I noted, about two days ago, that http://theeroticreview.com/ (omitting the "www") returned OLD pages, from about two or four months ago, while http://www.theeroticreview.com/ returned new up-to-date pages. Then, for a while, omitting the "www" returned nothing. This has been fixed, but it suggests to me that something server-side was being twiddled with at the time.

I list all this stuff, not so much to complain, but to point out the difficulties. I think TER is a great resource, I'm a fairly regular contributor, I believe I offer as much as I take away. So I don't want to see computer issues get in the way of a good arrangement. All day today, it's been nothing but computer issues. I think what happened, was that someone who likes to improve on computer programming, twiddled with details. But ya know what, sometimes "improvements" get in the way more than they actually improve things. It's all slower, less easy to use, less reliable, LESS likely to generate advertising clicks, but much more fancy and hi-tech. Text-based would have been more intelligent, and had been for most of the time that I was familiar with TER. Now it's CGI and other server-side fancy-schmancy, but the fancy-schmancy is unnecessary. And obtrusive.

I have questions for the board and moderators.

1. Are y'all experiencing more delays, slower loads, etc. If you're a T1 line, don't bother answering; but if you're a modem user, I'd like to know. I'm 56K modem, Internet Explorer 5.something, Windows 98, and not a computer idiot. I've twiddled and corrected all that I can on my end.

2. Has there been recent construction? Is it done, or are you still working on it? If you're still at it, please assure me that the problems are just due to the "under" construction phase, and not the "finished with" construction phase.

3. Could someone please re-implement the cache-based service of already-viewed search results? Obviously, my having to re-load pages I've already seen is a waste of your bandwidth, and serves nobody. CGI isn't always the most elegant solution to a problem -- don't let your programmers' fascination with computer complexities interfere with your ability to deliver data fast to users. Less BACK end and more front end, in this case, would be appreciated, if you get my drift. Ironic and not the usual understanding, I know, but think about it ...

4. What is WITH the banners? They're only abot 30 K apeice, why do they take SO LONG to load? And why can't one frame without banners be loaded while waiting for another frame with banners? How come you're only allowing one connection (one frame) per user at a time?

Thanks for hearing me out on this subject. Y'all take care now ... and you're doing a great job.

BG