Log in time out length?

What is the length of time set for time out of log in on Macrumors?

Whatever it is, it seems to me to be way too short.

Several times now, I've typed up posts and replies only to find when I submit them, I've been logged out in the background, and consequently the post is lost.

Some forum sites allow you to hit the back button, and your edit page is still there filled, so you can just copy it, log in, and repost.

Macrumors doesn't work that way.

Can't we have one of two options? Either more time to post, or the ability to back up and retrieve?

It's a pain in the neck to have to remember to copy the post before trying to submit it, 'just in case'. And I can't remember to do that every time.

Okay, I probably should have mentioned that I know that option is there, but I prefer not to use it for security reasons.

Time outs serve a good purpose, and should be there for people to take advantage of, (I administer some forums of my own, so I understand why they are used). I like the fact that I can count on the time out to automatically log me out because I participate on dozens of forums with Firefox, sometimes with many tabs open, and don't always have the time to keep checking what I'm logged into, and what I'm not logged into.

Most of the forums I'm on give a lot more time to post than Macrumors does.

Some of them give an option to set your own time out length.

The short length here is just a pain in my opinion, and clicking "remember me" isn't really an option I prefer to use.

Don't mean to be a pain in the neck, but it really is much shorter than nearly every other forum I participate in.

No offense intended gg, but I DO have reasons for not remaining logged in to anything on the Web too long. I'm not going to bore you or anyone else here with the details.

Please don't presume to understand my particular situation. Clicking "remember me" is NOT the best solution for everyone, nor is it the only solution.

As I said, I administer my own forums, and participate on MANY others. Yes, there ARE good reasons for time outs, both for the users, AND for purposes of forum control and security.

Hundreds of other forums are able to maintain security against spam and hacking with much longer timeouts.

"Remember me" is not the only solution. Longer time out lengths is another.

This is a feedback forum. I'm simply giving my feedback.

30 minutes would be nice, but 15 should be enough, I agree if one is never disturbed while composing a post. It does seem to time out more quickly than that sometimes though, which could be time conflicts between my clock and the server, though I doubt it.

Hitting preview now and again would help. I hadn't thought of that, so thanks for that hint.

Still, given that glitches between the amount of time given, and the actual amount of time that users get in reality do happen (it's a simple reality we all need to live with), it would be nicer if the time out were extended to a somewhat longer period.

It's not an unusual thing to be distracted by an IM, a phone call. or someone knocking at the door for what at least seems like a couple of short minutes, to return and finish the post, then discover you haven't been logged in for some time.

Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that this is pretty much the only forum this comprehensive and truly dedicated to Macs, this would be reason enough for me to post elsewhere. But since I haven't yet found a forum as fitting to the types of things I need help with now and again, I'll deal with it for now.

I would like to see the time limit extended some anyway. It doesn't seem as though there would be any more of a security issue with a 30 minute limit as there is with providing unlimited log ins via the "remember me" check box.

Robots can find those and check them off just as easily as a human can.

Still, thanks for taking it into consideration.

And thanks for your donated time!

Okay, just to add a little credence to my complaint, I just got timed out again while writing that last post.

There's no way on earth that took me over 15 minutes to type. I'm a slow typer, but I'm nowhere near that slow.

Ah, that's a very good point, and I'm a little sheepish I hadn't thought of it by now.

I've been able to solve this problem for myself by NOT using the computer I do Web design on, which is the one I'm using right now, so I better type fast.

When I'm doing Web design, I absolutely HAVE to turn off my cache, otherwise I don't see updated pages I need to see to verify they are working properly.

I've solved the problem of short time-outs by simply using my laptop (which DOES have the cache turned on) most of the time now.

And you are correct. All I have to do in that case, is back up, copy it, log in again, and paste.

I would still like to see a longer time frame used though.