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spc3rd
Former Member
Message 1 of 7

Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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Good evening,

     I signed up this evening to be a volunteer SiteAdvisor reviewer.  However, while visiting one website, clicking on the balloon to read the security report and "community reviews"...I found I was unable to post my review comment.  The comment box plainly displayed my username at the top right, but after clicking to post the comment, I was re-directed to a log-in screen.  After entering my username/password and clicking to log-in, I get some one-line message which says something like, "If I followed a valid thread, then contact the administrator."  When I click on the "administrator" link, I am taken nowhere.

Please note that I DID successfully post a review on another website just prior to trying to post my review of this 2nd website.

Two questions:

1.  Could someone please advise as to what the problem is and how to correct it?

2.  Also, how do I contact the Administrator at McAfee regarding problems of this nature?  (The link mentioned above does NOT work).  

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Message was edited by: spc3rd on 6/8/11 9:23:34 PM ADT

Message was edited by: spc3rd on 6/8/11 9:27:44 PM ADT
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
NotBuyingIt
Reliable Contributor II
Message 2 of 7

Re: Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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A few times in the past, similar problems with posting reviews went away after I logged out and logged back in, again.  I don't remember if deleting browser cookies also helped.

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6 Replies
NotBuyingIt
Reliable Contributor II
Message 2 of 7

Re: Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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A few times in the past, similar problems with posting reviews went away after I logged out and logged back in, again.  I don't remember if deleting browser cookies also helped.

spc3rd
Former Member
Message 3 of 7

Re: Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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Thanks very much for the info, NotBuyingit! 

The logging out & back in resolved the issue. 

Hayton
Reliable Contributor
Reliable Contributor
Message 4 of 7

Re: Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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I've had this problem. It's maddening. There's something there that needs fixing. I notified the SA section of the problem some time ago, but obviously it's still there.

I believe it may have more than cause. First, make sure you've got cookies allowed for siteadvisor.com - otherwise the site won't be able to tell that that you're logged in if there's a glitch in the connection (which happens). The second possible cause is, yes, problems with the servers - McAfee uses a network of servers to spread the load worldwide, and if you connect via one server to post your first review you may be routed via another server when you connect to another website to post a review there. Hence the need for a local cookie to tell the new server that you're logged in.

And the third cause is the chain of pass-ons that you described above which leads you nowhere. It looks as if the system has been modified in the past but not adequately tested. One huge problem of managing complex websites is that testing is only done by people on the inside, who do not use the system in the same way that you or I, the average user on the outside, does.

That's a problem that isn't confined to McAfee, by the way. All software development is to some extent done under pressure, driven by demands from above to "get it out by Friday, or else". Testing gets to the "good enough for now" stage, and we end up with the result.

If it happens again, I advise that you clear your browser cache (which will also take out the cookies) and then log in again.

As a final piece of advice, you should do what I always do now : before you submit a review to SiteAdvisor, select all the review text in the box and do a Ctrl-C to save it to the clipboard. Saves having to retype everything if the system won't accept the post first time.  And beware of the its-not-doing-anything mistake : sometimes the system just whirrs away and doesn't seem to be accepting your review. There's a temptation to cancel the submission and resubmit. Don't do that - in several places my reviews appear two, even three, times, because I clicked more than once. It's a very temperamental system, is SiteAdvisor. You just have to be patient with it.

spc3rd
Former Member
Message 5 of 7

Re: Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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I really appreciate the detailed info you provided, Hayton! 

I hadn't even thought of using the "copy & paste" idea (in case the system did not accept my first review). It was becoming rather frustrating.  I also noted there is no "logout" button to click on to leave the SiteAdvisor site; I'm guessing that the site automatically logs a reviewer out once they leave the site???

Thanks very much again!

Hayton
Reliable Contributor
Reliable Contributor
Message 6 of 7

Re: Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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mcafee.com - McAfee SiteAdvisor Software – Website Safety Ratings and Secure Search.png

spc3rd
Former Member
Message 7 of 7

Re: Problem encountered with being a SiteAdvisor reviewer...

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Many thanks again for the information, Hayton!  I'll try it out on my next site review.

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