I just updated the memories for this community up to this entry.

I think I figured out the annoying LJLogin bug, where users' site schemes keep switching to Horizon. :D

Apparently there's a cookie that LJLogin doesn't update permanently when you log in/out, which the Web interface *does*. This cookie includes the site scheme information. What this means is that if you ever use the Web interface to log out of LiveJournal, your site scheme will be set to the default and LJLogin won't update it when you log in.

So, to fix it, log *in* with the Web interface. The site will send you a new permanent site scheme cookie and you'll then be able to use LJLogin without a problem.

The moral of the story: if you use LJLogin, make sure you use it for everything - logging in and out, and switching accounts. Don't use the Web interface, and if you do, use the Web interface again to fix it.

Note: I'm not a supporthelp or admin, so can't say whether this answer should be given to users or whether we should continue giving the standard NOP replies. I'd be interested in getting confirmation on that. :)

This post is intended to discuss the changes made to the "Priv Playing" phase of training, specifically, the privs supportviewstocks and supportchangesummary

For information on the actual practice of priv playing, please see this post, and the posts which Cadenza links from there.

In the past, advanced-level I2s were asked to enter a phase of training called "priv playing", in which they would leave ICs on a request detailing how they would handle the request, were they a supporthelp. This, of course, is still true. Recently however, admins began awarding two new privs to complement the practice of priv playing. These two privs are supportviewstocks and supportchangesummary. Because privs are now granted as part of priv playing, we now refer to this phase of training as "I3s".

I3s?!?!? That's crazy talk! How are they similar to other levels of privs? How are they different?

Well, you get privs! You'll also get a post in privchange (if your friendly neighborhood admin doesn't forget, heh).

However, unlike the Supporthelp, I1 and I2 privs, I3 and priv playing are considered an active phase of training. Therefore, it is expected that you'll maintain some amount of consistancy in your activity while you're priv playing. This doesn't mean that you can't take breaks, however! It simply means that, because we have found over time that priv playing works best when volunteers are actively engaged in the activity (rather than just "picking at it" from time to time), that you should reserve priv playing for a time when you'll be able to dedicate more time and energy to it. If you're at all concerned about priv playing, your activity, or taking an absence, please consult your friendly category admins.

Cool. So what are these privs anyway? How do I use them?

Supportchangesummary

People that have priv played in the past may be familiar with the phrase "I would also change the summary to..." Your days of this are no longer. In the text field above the answer/comment field you're familiar with, simply change the summary (if you're browsing with JS enabled, the ticky box will automatically ticky), and you're all set. We recommend that you change the summary when you see the opportunity, so that we can see this part of your priv playing in action.

Supportviewstocks

You may have used your own canned answers before to answer common requests on the board. You may also have used some of the shared stocks that are written to address sudden or recurring problems on the site. So you're probably familiar with stocks in the general sense. But before we give you the approval wand for real, we would like to give you the opportunity to become comfortable with our stock dropdown menu, now available for your convenience.

The number one rule of using the stocks? Tailor when needed.
The number two rule of using the stocks? Tailor when needed.

To use a stock, click on the dropdown menu, scroll down to the title of the the stock you'd like to use, and click. Voila! An answer now appears in the answer/comment field. Read the answer over, tailor as necessary, and you're ready to go. If you decide that wasn't the right stock to use, you can delete the text and select another stock from the menu.

If you'd like to use a stock on a request which already has the automatically inserted validation nag, the stock will be inserted after the vali-nag. You will need to manually edit the answer to appear in the correct order (see commentversation below).

Some stocks abolutely need tailoring (i.e., they're missing a piece of information that varies by request). You'll see an asterisk (*) in the title of these stocks.

Oh! And if you see something in a stock that needs to be updated/changed/modified/gutted entirely, please do email support@ and a category admin will update that. In fact, we'd greatly appreciate it :)

Please note, that the stocks will only automatically appear in you answer/comment field if you are using the support area with JavaScript enabled. If you do not use JS, or if you'd like to view the stocks without using a support request, you can view the stocks here.

Okay, but I'm too good for these stocks. Do I have to use them?

Nobody is going to force you to use stocks. Some people just don't like stocks, or end up tailoring them to the point where it would have been easier to start from scratch. We suggest that you play with the feature though, so that you can get used to it, and see what's available. Most supporthelps do find the stocks useful, even if they don't rely on them heavily.

But I have more questions!

Ask them below!

Hi,

Can someone give me a heads-up of preferred protocol for filing livejournal bugs, that although unrelated to "security", might concievably relate to areas the LJ.com abuse team deal with?

Should they be filed publically, in private-category 'security', or handled another way?

Thanks.

This is a quick reminder that any requests in which the user requests transferance/refund of their paid account should be moved to Account Payments. Yes the TOS says that there is none of either. However, employees may exercise discretion over certain sitiation. To ensure that these requests are handled in the best way possible, please move them to Accounts. Arie might move them back, but at least they'll have had the benefit of an employee review.

Love,
Me

Any of you reading this who have Safari, please listen up.

I need to find out what's going with "The Boxer" and replying to comments from EntryPage pages (http://www.livejournal.com/support/see_request.bml?id=550340 and http://www.livejournal.com/support/see_request.bml?id=544704) and whether it's something we can fix. I don't have access to Safari (or even a Mac, for that matter), so I need some help from you guys.

Could you please load this public entry (it has the s2id of my "The Boxer" style) and see if you can reply to my entry. Let me know whether or not you can, and also let me know which version of Safari you're using. We'll go from there once I find out who can and can't.

Edit: Sorry, I should have been more specific. The problem, as shown in the two support requests I linked, is that some people using Safari can't click on the reply button when replying to the top level post on the EntryPage. Therefore, I only need to know whether you can click that link successfully. You don't need to actually leave a comment. :)

Additionally, if anyone has any ideas about what the problem might be, please also let me know about those. :)

Thank you!

Edit 2: The issue has been resolved. Thanks very much to norinel and bridgetester! <3

This is a small thing that I've seen alot lately. However, I don't think that it is actually happening more than usual- I think that it's just because we've had more priv players than lately.

And this is no particular priv player- In fact, I think that this is something that I witnessed from a lot of priv players, maybe most priv players, and it kinda makes me go o.O.

Scenerio:

User asks question. Priv player submits answer which is basically approvable. Priv player writes his/her priv play stating listing all of the things that are needed to make the answer approvable (all are present in said priv players screened answer). So far, so good, right? Right. Priv player goes on to list "extras" or "shinies" that would make the answer better. Still good- except that not all of the shiny elements are included in the priv players screened answer.

Hmm..

Please remember that priv players are like super i2s. They're expected to answer with all of their i2ly ability (within reason- obviously all of us have some days where our answers are better than others), plus they're being asked to participate in this new level of training. And if you priv play on a request saying that you know that XYZ element would make the answer better, then it should probably be in your answer. Otherwise, it will reflect poorly on your answer writing (which of course, is still being assessed as you priv play).

Disclaimer: This is a statement of Chrissy's opinion as someone that is responsible for looking over priv players, not a statement of policy or anything from The Powers That Be

I know I saw how to do this, somewhere, relatively recently... but I can't track it down.

Is there any way to quickly and easily determine if a user's latest entry is backdated? (Alternatively, is there any way to determine it, even if the method is not quick/easy?)

Okay, so, as a new I1 (hi everybody), I was going through all the memories and stuff, and realized I had a question. If I'm looking at a request with screened answers that I think are missing some stuff, am I allowed to write my own response that includes some of the ideas from the previous responses, as well as what I think is missing? I did come across Leora's comment on something somewhat similar to this, but it was not exactly the same, and also a few years old (and I'm not sure how policies have changed etc.) Maybe what I'm looking for is more along the lines of "how is it acceptable to use screened responses in your own answer, if it is." I hope it's evident that I don't mean I'm planning on copying/plagiarizing. I'm just not sure I understand where the boundary between "us[ing] the resources at your disposal to learn and to improve your answers" and copying is.

(sorry if this is rambly; it's 5am)

Edit. Oh. An example might be helpful. Here, I thought the person was wanting info on just a regular image in the userinfo. Some of the screeneds mentioned another interpretation. Would it be wrong for me to incorporate that into my answer and then post a new screened?