Frequently when attempting to go on the HOS website, I receive an "Error 403 - Forbidden" message instead. Other times I'm able to log onto the forum site or even visit as a guest; but after a while this message always appears, and then I won't be able to visit the site for the rest of the day, a couple of days, or even longer.
I use a MacBook Pro laptop, with updated software. Safari is my usual browser, but I've also tried Chrome and experience the same issue.
Since no one else has written about this error code, I don't know if it is confined to my laptop or to Apple products. If so then I will deal with it, if not I feel as though it should be brought to your attention.
Thanks for the help or any thoughts on this matter.
HI GH, thanks for bringing this to my attention. I haven't gotten any other similar reports (yet), and 403 is a client-side error, usually indicating something on your end rather than on the server, but I've got a couple ideas. It's definitely not a PC/Apple thing, I'm writing this in Chrome on a MacBook Pro.
First, it'd be helpful to know what the last thing you were browsing was before the error hit to establish any patterns, like is it always the Old Forums Archives, does it happen when viewing/posting here, or when just browsing the main HOS site?
Do you know how to clear a browser's cache and delete cookies? 403 does pop up when cookies get old and corrupted, and that's the first thing I would do if I ran into this error. The exact steps vary from browser to browser but a quick google "how to clear cache and delete in cookies in [browser name]" should get you there pretty quick.
I've also been doing some maintenance/housekeeping on the server recently so if it is coming from our end it may clear up as a matter of course. Could you go ahead and clear cookies/cache in your browsers and see if this is still happening? Note: if your dumping individual cookies rather than all, there are two domains to clear (forums.homeorchardsociety.org and homeorchardsociety.org).
Sorry you're having trouble but we'll get to the bottom of it.
Hi Jesse,
It happens in Old Forum Archives. Sometimes it occurs after a couple of topics have been read, other times I can read multiple topics before it happens; but it always happens. I've never had the problem while in the current forum.
I clear all cookies and browsing history once a day, before shutting down my computer for the night.
I have discovered that rebooting my modem and then restarting my computer allows me to get back on the site.
Thanks for looking in to this. If it's only an issue for me, at least I now know how to fix it each time.
Glad you at least have a workaround to be able to reliably get back in, even if it is a bit of a pain. Can't be sure what's going on with those old forums but at least it's isolated to that. There's a lot of reasons we moved away from that platform; I just wanted to keep all those posts up for posterity. It could be that it actually happens to everyone and you're just the only one browsing those recently to encounter it.
Kudos on your excellent internet hygiene, BTW 
There is some enjoyable reading in the Old Forum Archives, I'm glad that you saved them.
In addition to nightly clean-up of cookies and cache, I also use Safari's private-window feature. My computer was getting literally fifty to a hundred cookies daily. Using a private window takes care of that issue!
Anyway, thanks again for preserving forum members' old discussions. I've learned quite a bit already, and I'm only on page 4.
I am able to login and navigate these newer forums after seeing the 403 error as evidenced by this post. Now I am afraid to go back and do more testing. My error using my android cellphone / chrome surfing was cured by powering down and back again. Where as earlier today at the public library I had been using chrome and internet explorer and each had the same effected lock with same 403 error and rebooting any machine was not a cure.
What we need is for somebody like Jesse with the proper access to email me all the path information of the many print friendly versions of pages, because thay are not so heavily monitored by the php system part of the server. When or if I get them I can probably think of a way to "tool" the resulting html through keyboard macros or something similar, and post then onto a 3rd read-only topic.
I would do it to eliminate the old forums that would be a future problem to anyone or any browser.
I tried old forums once more at library today and again both browsers locked up rather fast.
Jesse: On old forums, each time I click on a print view I get a new pathway, so I doubt my previous idea of capturing links to post on "new forums" would work.
GH: The vendors, walmarts, etc, carry android versions of tablets with browsers for very affordable prices and because I am still using my small screen cellphone with android after yesterday's reboot and having just read several "old" topics, I think android tablets are about the only other option.
Thanks, Rooney, for the suggestion. I'm looking at this issue as a way to curb the time spent reading through the archives. I get kicked off after a short amount of time, otherwise I could/would spend hours poring over these topics. So for now I'll stick with my Mac.
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