Official "Slow Down" error thread
So you are a legitimate user and you started to experience a frustrating "Slow Down" error which makes you wait for a cool down period before you can continue using the site...
I'm here to try and figure out what is going on.
Please help me help you:
let me know when the first time (date and time of day) you experienced the issue (please be exact as you can)
were you on a specific part of the site or does it seem to happen everywhere?
collect URLs to all reported cases (threads, petitions, etc) and PMing me the URLs replying to this thread with the URLs
Please also let us know the name and full version of your browser and a complete list of add-ons and extensions (in FireFox you can see this by looking at the "Add-ons window\" under the "Tools" menu).
I've asked that this issue be escalated so I can get some help troubleshooting the issue.
I'll see what I can do about resetting the cool-off times (that would only cure a symptom and not the problem). I don't know if I can do it right away because it might erase the only data I have to troubleshoot at this time.
This is a sticky so please don't spam this thread with "bumps" or arguments or complaints; informational posts only please. We know this issue is frustrating and we're trying to find out what's wrong so we can fix it.
Update! (August 11, 2009)
Here's what we've come up with so far:
The users who have been flagged as "page refreshers" and scripters appeared to have a giant peak of site usage over the course of one day _and_ have told us they had a 3rd party toolbar installed (almost all of them are/were using FireFox).
Also, we can not support 3rd party toolbars. If your account is warned, banned, or you lose your trading pass due to the malfunction of a third party browser add-on, you are technically in violation of the ToS.
A Mod has full discretion to decide what to do with your account.
On the bright side, I've made the "Slow Down Buddy" checker a little more lenient so users aren't likely to see that message unless they are really abusing the site.
Update! (August 13, 2009)
Warnings are down to almost none (compared to before). I'm "unsticky"ing this thread.
We were able to modify the Treasure Chest code so it doesn't count against a user.
The warning message will stay (it's there to prevent bots and we aren't going to remove it).
If you are a heavy user of the site, please try and practice moderation when you use the site.
Please keep replying if you get a "Slow Down Buddy" warning immediately (within 1-2 minutes) after login.
Update! (Sept. 09, 2009)
Navino and Deathly Dreamer
Skype recently updated their extension(s). This is causing an issue with Google, Facebook, Myspace, and other Ajax using websites. and
Deathly Dreamer have identified a likely culprit for some users' "Slow Down Buddy" warnings (and some trading pass disables too).
If you have the any of theseSkype / eBay / "The Browser Highlighter" browser "add-ons" or "extensions" installed for
any browser on any computer you use, you might be spamming our servers. Please disable and/or uninstall them for a few weeks to protect your account from being identified as a bot (which you technically are if you are running these add-ons).
Instructions for Windows:
http://www.west-wind.com/Weblog/posts/871907.aspx
Reviews suggest that this add-on is installed when users click "accept" in the Skype (either the application or the browser add-on) update prompt:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/reviews/display/11808
Update! (Sept. 11, 2009)
One of the admins created this Support page:
https://www.gaiaonlinehelp.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=5694&task=knowledge&questionID=628
Support Article
What could happen to my account if I don't uninstall these add-ons?
It's possible that your trades could be disabled or that your account could be banned as a result. If you believe this has happened, please report your issue to a Gaia Moderator for investigation. Please note, the Gaia Mod will have to report your issue, they will not conduct the investigation on their own. Your patience is appreciated.
Always Remembered...Never forgotten!!
