XF 2.2 Xenforo 2.2 Not Working in AOL Web Browser?

RobNH

Member
I just got a complaint from a member that ever since I migrated my forums from vBulletin to Xenforo, he can no longer access the forums using AOL's web browser.

I didn't even know AOL still had their own web browser. Suggestions?
 
How old is the browser?

My guess is it was stopped being developed years ago.

XF is only designed to work with recent versions of modern browsers.

Tell them to switch to a modern browser.
 
How old is the browser?

My guess is it was stopped being developed years ago.

XF is only designed to work with recent versions of modern browsers.

Tell them to switch to a modern browser.
I'm trying to find out.

Ugh...I think of AOL and I instantly hear that damn phone modem dialing in. It makes me cringe!
 
Yeah, that's what I figured.

Is the guy still using dial up and watching analog TV?
"I have had AOL forever. I have no idea the age of this browser."

That was the response I got. It explains everything.
Episode 7 Ugh GIF by The Bachelor
 
I've noticed an influx of users with low-end browsers and hardware. Some devices are on the older side (e.g., old, used hardware), but most are just cheap devices that can only handle Opera Mini or similar. There seems to be a correlation with the significant number of people who've lost their jobs as a result of 2020 being 2020. I'd be interesting in seeing first-class support for low-end hardware and browsers. It might make sense to call it "low data mode" or similar, since it would also be useful on slow connections. No extra fonts, minimal styling, all pictures hidden by default, no JavaScript--just the important stuff.
 
XF already has a no-JS mode, or more precisely, works with JS disabled, but functionality will be missing.
It doesn't really work properly on the devices I've received complaints about, in part because the screens are microscopic and the processors are weaker than your average coffee pot's circuitry. They basically need a text-and-link-only mode. It's not a terrible thing to have; I'd certainly use it while on-the-go with a weak cell connection. It'd be a huge undertaking, though, so I haven't formally requested it as a feature.

Edit: A good way to test is to use Opera Mini on an older device with a small screen. The devices in question are new, but they're often only capable of running Opera Mini or equivalent. Opera Mini is basically stuck in 2005.
 
RSS won't cut it if they want to post, though. I wouldn't be surprised if they're just running into performance or bandwidth issues. Maybe try having them disable JavaScript? Also, check their User-Agent to ensure they're actually using that Chromium-based browser; otherwise, updating may fix it. It sounds like AOL is willing to ship CDs to customers with the updated browser.
 
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