Shortly after converting the Loy site into WordPress format in 2017, I added a Query Forum for posting family history questions. Since then I’ve heard feedback from some readers about problems with the “Google Recaptcha.” That is, the bot/spam-preventing feature where you have to not only submit your login username and password, but click on items in an image, such as store fronts, bicycles, cars, etc. Even after entering correct information, the image sentry would get caught in an endless loop, preventing successful login.
After another night of troubleshooting, I think this might be fixed now. The remaining problem is, I didn’t want the images to appear at all. Despite there being an audio option below the images, to type word(s) heard instead of this visual challenge. This “Recaptcha” is supposed to work where you just click “I’m not a robot” and it’ll accept login and password without any other hassle. So far, the images still appear for me. So I imagine it’s the same for everyone else who tries to log in here. But at least no more stuck image loop!! 🙂
If you’ve previously commented on my blog posts, you know I don’t require registration to post comments there. However, comments are sent into “moderation” so I can approve it after seeing you’re not an attorney for an unknown departed Nigerian uncle and requesting my bank account info in order to leave me millions of dollars in inheritance. So there may be up to a 24 hour delay before you’ll see your comment on the website.
When I originally set up the Query Forum, I wanted to avoid moderation delay, so made it where posts were automatically approved for registered users. Between the “Recaptcha” glitch and the simple fact the setup for blog post comments with no registration is much easier, I’ve noticed many queries have been posted to the comment section. The main drawback of this is the queries get scattered throughout my nearly two years of posts. For that reason I did more programming on the Query Forum and now have it where no login is required to post queries. Though all submissions will go through moderation similar to the comment posts. However, for registered users, there is an added benefit in that registered users not only get to read and write query posts/replies, but also can view, upload, and download files to the forum. Such as old photos, images of vital records, obituaries, and PDF files. (Registration and logging in can be done through the main Loy Website page or through the Query Forum page, with the same login information being used for both.)
For those who have done online research since the dawn of Internet genealogy, the late 1990s, you’ll likely remember the main surname forum websites: Genforum (run by FamilyTreeMaker), Rootsweb, and Ancestry. What was great about some of these sites, registration wasn’t mandatory. I met lots of distant cousins through these sites and we’d have great discussions on those boards. Well, some years back Ancestry bought out Genforum and now the site is read-only, no new posting. Rootsweb was also taken over by Ancestry and has been under renovation since about two years ago. Although their message boards are back up, even last week I kept getting error messages when trying to submit replies. In the late 1990s I volunteered to be moderator of the Rootsweb Loy board, which apparently I still am (my administrator account allowed me to log in last week). But when I sent an email to the administrator help desk, asking why I kept getting posting errors, my email to them was bounced back undeliverable!! My question still unanswered.
After that, I went to Ancestry’s surname message board that used to be open for everyone until they required registration in the early 2000s. It had been awhile since I was last there, but sometime between then and now they’ve implemented it where message board users not only had to be registered but also have a current paid subscription with them in order to use the board. Even for me to see my old posts! So, aside from the Ancestry take-overs I’ve mentioned, plus a few minor surname boards that disappeared over the years, I’m not aware of any others where people can share queries for free.
With that said, this is another reason I hope this Query Forum will help everyone in their Loy research. A section of this Forum is also dedicated to TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) Relocations for anyone interested in this topic, whether of Loy descent or not.
If you’d like to start posting on the forum but still have questions on how to post there, drop me a line and I’ll help you get started.