Post your tech glitches, errors, issues, etc. here.

MinusTwo

Mods - Maybe we should describe this latest glitch more fully? After you log in, yes you get to the profile page now. (whichi is really dumb, but.....) But when you try to get to community - my favorites does NOT appear in the list. Only if I click on something like 'active; and then back track to community does 'my favorites' appear. Or private messages for that matter. PLEASE, PLEASE - don't continue to make it harder and harder for us to communicate!!!!

exbrnxgrl

minustwo,

Thank you for such a clear description of this issue. That is exactly what is happening to me as well

Wonderland

Why in the world is logging on here so complicated?!?! Logging on and off should be simple. This is beyond ridiculous. RELATIONSHIPS HAVE BEEN MADE HERE. We NEED to talk, listen, rant, laugh, cry with each other. WHY ARE YOU MAKING THIS SO FREAKING HARD?!!!

Anonymous

Mods,

Please change this back. You keep burying the links we use most often to try to force us to read your articles.

It's now harder for people to communicate with each other. This is the discussion forum.

Anonymous

Mods,

Your reply below describes a ridiculous way to get back to Active Topics after login.

It’s easier to click the back arrow a few times to return to Active Topics. Of course, the best way is to not redirect us after login. The new redirect is infuriating. Who decided this was a good idea?

DivineMrsM

This is my work around to the convoluted signing in. I almost hate to mention it because I fear some new fix on the forum will wipe it out. I pretty much always use my iPad when online. Here goes:

🔷 I booked mark this page, with All topics, active, favorites, ect.

🔷 I keep that bookmark on my toolbar. When I want to visit the forum, I click on the link and this page comes up:

🔷 So I go to the three lines upper right corner next to my cute little avatar face, and when it opens, I'm back to this:

🔷 If there are new responses to any of the My Favorite threads, it shows the number of how many. SO FAR in doing this, I have not had to sign in each and every single time I am here. I know some of you prefer logging out but I am okay with my way of access described above. Now it takes me about three clicks to get to where I want to go instead of six or seven wild and crazy confusing steps. I must admit, I almost never visit the bco dot org site, I am strictly a forum person.

Anonymous

Mods,

I wondered if you had updated the release notes, and I really shouldn't be surprised that the update is to extend the frequency to monthly.

I guess if you don't plan to improve the disastrous site experience, then there wouldn't be anything to report.

In case you didn't know, this is what I see when I log in from Active Topics.

I will never complete my profile, and I will never turn on recommendations. Please add the option to “Don't display this window again". I don't believe that has been requested by anyone else.

From here it takes a few clicks to return to Active Topics. Please stop redirecting me like this. The navigation experience at this site is horrendous. Bonus is it made me forget how glaring all the white space is.

We shouldn't have to use workarounds to try to avoid these navigation issues. So far my best workaround is to not post at all. I'm sure you're happy to not have me post here, but other experienced members are doing the same.

ruthbru

I don't have any problems logging on when on my laptop, but on my phone it is a nightmare. As what serenitystat describes, it is multiple clicks which divert me to here, there, and everywhere before I can get to the Active Topics (which is where I want to be!). I have not turned on my recommendations either, so there is ZERO need to direct me there!

MinusTwo

I too will never turn on my recommendations. Working on a Windows 10 desktop with a FIrefox browser - I get the same run around as Serenity. I have to back track to get to active and then back track again to get to Favorites. PLEASE - we should be able to log on and immediately have the choice of active, favorites, private messages, etc. It just can't be that hard.

AliceBastable

Ditto to all of the comments about the nightmare sign-in. I thought BCO had finally completely broken the site the first time I got flipped back to the useless recommendations and I almost deleted my account. Now it's just more damn steps to make us go through to be able to participate in these forums. Gee, I wonder why usership is way down? What could PISSIBLY be the problem? 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

ETA: I noticed the typo and came back to fix it, but then I realized PISSIBLY is a perfect term for this site.

exbrnxgrl

I second, third and fourth everyone’s issue with log in. I will not be turning on recommendations or completing my profile. Make it go away! The multi click process to sign in is annoying. Why do we have to see that page again after logging in?

ThreeTree

One more here. I echo and underscore all of the previous posters' comments about the sign in. I will never turn on the recommendations, nor complete my profile. What I want from this site, find extremely helpful, and thought was part of your mission, is the sympathy, understanding, wonderful assistance, and comradery that I get from sharing my experiences with the other women on here who have breast cancer. BCO's bread is buttered on the "Community" side of this site, not the "Learn" side. I don't think BCO realizes this. There continues to be a real disconnect between BCO and the community it supposedly serves.

Beesie

I am quite amused by the concern about the changes in the Log In process, the convoluted navigation, and the constant hounding that members complete their profiles and sign up for recommendations.

What did everyone think would happen?

Since March 1^st, most of the posts (and angst) have been about issues related to usability of the discussion board. That's not surprising, but a few of us have also been stating concerns about the direction that BCO is going with the site. That is, after all, what is behind the entire redesign.

Some of us first voiced this concern 4 years ago, when BCO gave us information about their future plans: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/93/topics/860125?page=18

BCO have stated that their goal is to better integrate "our expert content and peer support", i.e. they want to bring together the information side of the site and the discussion board. BCO have stated that they want to develop a "better profiles" so that they can provide members with "relevant content" and direct members to medical information on the site (that BCO decides is important). BCO have stated that want to help members "organize your health information in one place" so that they can guide members towards clinical trials and offer advice on lifestyle choices. BCO have stated that they eventually plan to have members download their medical reports so that they can even better target recommendations and relevant medical information.

It's not surprising then that there is no longer a direct log-in to the discussion board. How can there be, when BCO expect to have new members signing up specifically for their medical site? Membership no longer means discussion board members. As for current discussion board members, BCO is directing you to the medical site. Members who only use the discussion board are not part of BCO's long-term strategic plan. You are remnants of the past.

It's not surprising either that upon signing in, we all see the message that our profiles are not complete, along with a button to push to "Turn on recommendations". BCO's goal is to become members' primary source of breast cancer information; it sounds as if they want to become members' quasi-doctors. How can BCO deliver to this goal if members don't complete their profiles and don't turn on recommendations? It's not BCO that is causing a problem here; it's the members who are not falling in line with BCO's stated objectives.

Many of the IT issues appear to have been fixed – or at least fixed as much as BCO plan to fix them. Now people are finally realizing the impact of BCO's change in direction.The latest issues being raised are not mistakes or IT problems; everything that members are complaining about are carefully planned changes aimed at moving BCO into the future that they have described to us. If you don't like it, you aren't part of BCO's future.

Four years ago, when this was all just a concept, we were completely unsuccessful at shifting BCO away from their plan, despite a lot of strong protest. Does anyone honestly think that BCO will change anything now, after 4 years of development work and millions of dollars spent and many public announcements?

EDITED TO ADD: Reading a few posts after mine, let me clarify that I am not saying that BCO is planning to shut down the discussion board. Everything I mentioned has been publicly stated by BCO and for now, they are saying that they plan to continue the discussion board. However the direction BCO are heading with the site is towards shifting the focus of membership towards the medical site. They want future members to join not just for the discussion board but more for the benefit of receiving targeted information and recommendations from the medical site. The log in and profile changes that everyone is complaining about are set up to enable and enhance the experience of members who join for the medical site. If all you are interested in is the discussion board, you don't fit in with BCO's plan for the future and you might not find the set up of the site to your liking (as many people are already finding). But that isn't to say that the discussion board will go away (although who knows what the future may bring if usage continues to drop off).

DivineMrsM

If this is as good as it’s going to get, the Moderators need to plain flat out tell us this is it. All there is to it.

ruthbru

If it is to be phased out, I would want notice so that those of us who have formed close attachments in specific threads could have time to figure out how to move ourselves to a different platform.

wrenn

I noticed they have stopped gaslighting about expected improvements. I believe this is as good as it gets and eventually they can close it down for lack of interest by members.

There are many shabby businesses in the world. This one is the most repugnant that I have come across.

ceanna

Beesie, thanks for the retro insight into posts we made well over 4 years ago in which we said the same thing we are saying now. BCO has not and will not change. They are focused. only in their minds, on being the "be all and end all" for BC information and support, and that does not include serving us. They have reinforced the great "divide" between the "Learn" and the "Community" sides and want to again force us to add to their overall tracking numbers. I wonder how many people would actually find BCO if they didn't search and find a thread member's comments that fit their question? I certainly did not, and do not, find the "medical" side of BCO helpful, but did find help on the thread side they seem so intent on compromising. That's the pass-along of personal help I hope to continue to provide new people, but BCO is reinforcing the roadblocks and obstacles so that new people sure don't seem to dare approach and post on the boards.

Membership opinions have meant nothing to BCO over the many years we have tried to help us all to utilize the threads, point BCO in a better direction and eliminate their tracking our personal data. If they bother to reply to our concerns, it's a pat on the head by the moderators, but no accountability or positive change. I have repeatedly said I would never enter any more personal information on this site. Their recent breach was proof enough that not only do they misuse our data, track our time online at this site, create errors in members diagnosis lines, create frustrating tech issues, and try to force us with the new convoluted login to enter our recommendations and profiles, they can't even keep secure what they did have!!! Now they decide they only need to update us on tech issues once a month--anything not to hold themselves accountable!!!!

Here's what I said about BCO in Feb. 2018:

Feb 24, 2018 12:29AM ceanna wrote:

Totally agree with Beesie. At this point of repeatedly asking what's being revised, why it being revised, and why you think you have to raise $2.5 million for a website revision you can't seem to even explain to a member, I'm more than a little flabbergasted that you would ask us to help you raise money for a revision I couldn't begin to explain to others or support myself.

Has anything changed? They were hitting us up for funding of this website revision over 4 years ago. Look at the money they have spent to totally frustrate their community members!!! Four years, and we're left with a dysfunctional side of the site, they're trying to force us to enter more personal data for their use, not our use, and they have failed miserably to improve the site---all they did was alienate those of us who want to continue coming here to help others and continue to build relationships. Make it easy for members to login, read, comment, and navigate and we'll be able to increase your usage tracking, but keep making it semi-impossible, and we will stay away!

I personally am taking long sabbaticals from this mismanaged site and urge others to do the same until we can see positive changes on the discussion board. Maybe if our data tracking and usage numbers go down, they will have to present the truth of their failure to the people and organizations they hit up for funding. I wouldn't want the BCO discussion threads to go away, but I want BCO to understand that I am more than a little fed up with being used and increasingly abused by your misuse of our data and false promises of fixes!!!! All for the sake of your fund raising!!!!!!!

Anonymous

Glitches remain even though BCO has extended the frequency between release notes. I still see bad data in the profile display for several members.

If BCO cannot fix these technical issues and continues to remain silent on the data breach, then BCO cannot be trusted with our health data. They don't have the expertise to collect the data properly. Their recommendations will be full of garbage. I'll continue to avoid the main site.

Cowgirl13

Beesie, you have summed it up so well. Thank you. As to your comment "it sounds as if they want to become members' quasi-doctors". That's the entire problem. I won't say anymore except I think they are drunk over this possibility.

Anonymous

Mods,

When you change platforms, please ensure security is configured properly. You can even contact people to check it.

Ava55

Hi,

Totally agree with the concerns. It is so strange how the site is now much worse from an SEO perspective.

If I search on a term like “IDC Recurrence” it will prompt comments that have “Recurrence” in their bios. So it is beyond useless. It is disappointing as I used the search functionality a lot before the redesign but now will head to other wesites as it’s just too frustrating to make use of.

AliceBastable

Hey Mods, pass on to those phony wizards behind the curtain that I get my medical information from my doctors and reputable medical sites like the Mayo Clinic, not from some egotistical CEO of a website. What I joined this site for, four years ago, was for the community of people who had been through what I was just beginning, and I stayed to develop those relationships and to welcome new members. Four years and I've never read one article here. You people are so clueless.

ThreeTree

Once again, those above, have said it all so very well and I second everything that has been said in the last several posts. Unfortunately, Letrozole effects on my brain keep me from being able to formulate any comments in depth like so many others have been able to do. I am really grateful to those above who have been able to put all of these thoughts into words the way I wish I could.

What I can say is that the only place on this site that I "Learn" is from the "Community" section. BCO seems to have no idea where their strength actually lies and where it would behoove them to focus and make improvements.

goldie0827

I agree with everyone here. I look to my professionals for my treatments, not some article recommended here! I don't think this is going anywhere and we're just beating a dead horse. If they do go down, I sure hope we get notice.

moth

mods, can anyone help me add new chemo to my line or is this not a working thing? I can't get it to do it

ctmbsikia

Been a little while since I logged in. You can read the discussions without logging in. You just have to scroll back on any active topics although it's not too active here. Shame. I too, did not join for medical advice although I did read a few things, I learned WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY more from the discussion board. I took out my diagnosis, but doesn't seem I can delete my treatments. I won't be completing my profile.

Miss y'all, hopefully someone will come up with another site. Stay well.

Edit: Thought I deleted my dx, guess not.

serendipity09

Mods- please delete my treatments! I'm not comfortable with it being out there right now and I am unable to delete it myself.

LW422

The one and only reason I joined here was the discussion forum, and the fantastic support of so many wonderful people who generously provided support and encouragement to me during the worst time in my life. I never go to the "education" section of this website... ever. If I want cancer education I go to the American Cancer Society or one of the NCCN Cancer Treatment Center websites for information. It becomes more and more obvious to me that there is no plan to fix this forum and "they" are simply letting it rock along until we all finally either go away or simply give up. Such a shame; if they'd only realize that the FORUM is the reason they exist.

Being an old-school type who has no use for Facebook, Instagram, or other social media, I appreciate a FORUM where discussions are easy to follow and not constantly scrolling with fish-faced selfies and nonsense. I have a background in IT and can say that there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for this situation to have persisted for months. This is a total cluster fuck.

LW422

Serendipity09--are you on a computer? I just deleted all my diagnosis/treatment info and it appears to have worked. (I'm on a laptop running windows 10 and Firefox.)

Anonymous

Just a clarification:

Because I don't want to see the page to complete my profile and turn on recommendations, I'm asking for the option to "Do not display this page again." This is an option available in many other sites. It's a new feature request. Guess I should add this on the other thread.