denise: Image: Me, facing away from camera, on top of the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome (Default)
Denise ([staff profile] denise) wrote in [site community profile] dw_news2009-04-30 09:58 pm

Oops!

As many people have noticed, we had two problems appearing in our payment system that didn't crop up during our testing:

* People who were paying to create a new account were receiving an "invalid username" error when they input their email address for the account creation code to be sent to;

* Our PayPal configuration is using PayPal's express checkout, which does require people to have PayPal accounts, rather than the option that allows people to pay as "guests".

Both of these were our errors, and we're really sorry about them. We did test those workflows, but we didn't pick up on those problems.

We've fixed the "invalid username" error now, and verified that the fix is working. If you were paying to create an account, it will work now, and tomorrow morning's Seed Account sale will work without this problem.

The problem with PayPal requiring a PayPal account is a little more complicated for us to fix, because it requires some more sweeping code changes and testing. We know that we told you guys that we'd accept credit card payments without requiring PayPal accounts, and we know that a lot of people missed out on buying a Seed Account in this sale because their payments wouldn't complete properly.

To fix this, we're going to do two things:

* We will put the second batch of 200 Seed Accounts on sale tomorrow morning, 0900 EDT, as scheduled. If you don't have a PayPal account, but you still want to buy a seed account in that sale, you can choose Check/Money Order as your payment type and send in the check or money order to us.

* Because these two errors were serious enough that they interfered with the Seed Account sale, we'll hold another sale in one week's time. We will sell 100 Seed Accounts on Thursday, May 7 at 9PM EDT (GMT -4), and 100 Seed Accounts on Friday, May 8 at 9AM EDT. This will let people who missed out on buying a seed account because of our mistake (either the PayPal problem or the invalid-username problem) have another chance at buying an account.

If you had any other errors during the payment process, we're working through our payment support requests as quickly as we possibly can, and we'll get to your request as quickly as possible.

We're really sorry about the errors!


Edit: And, the next problem identified and fixed as well. If you were having problems using the account creation code you were emailed, it should now be fixed.
cleo: (BHR Charles and Julia smiling)

[personal profile] cleo 2009-05-01 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for the awesome work and the extra sale, guys!

[identity profile] rustyryan.livejournal.com 2009-05-01 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
I know I'm spamming the heck out of these posts, so apologies in advance!

I was able to purchase an account, but the URL I was given with an invite code in e-mail doesn't work-- it just sends me back to create.bml. :\
eagle: Me at the Adobe in Yachats, Oregon (Default)

[personal profile] eagle 2009-05-01 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
Edit the URL to change http to https and try that. This seems to work.

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revolutions: Text icon: "We need more good crazy." (Default)

[personal profile] revolutions 2009-05-01 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
If you were paying to create an account, it will work now

... not quite? I got invite codes emailed to me, but they don't work; the link just takes me to https://www.dreamwidth.org/create.bml - manually entering the code from the email doesn't work either. Am I just doing something wrong?

(Anonymous) 2009-05-01 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
I got the same error (and opened a ticket for it).

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ai: (dmg β–ͺ HELLO THERE~!)

[personal profile] ai 2009-05-01 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
I think it's great you're offering another sale on two alternative days to make up for the errors today. Hopefully those who missed out today and are unable to be here for tomorrow's sale will be able to make it through one of those alternative days.
inkstone: Tenjho Tenge's Madoka smiling (happy)

[personal profile] inkstone 2009-05-01 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
I second this.

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(Anonymous) 2009-05-01 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
I bought an account and got my email with my key, but it doesn't seem to work. I click the link and it brings me to a page asking for a creation code. If I cut and paste my code from that link into the code box and click preceed, it does nothing.
eagle: Me at the Adobe in Yachats, Oregon (Default)

[personal profile] eagle 2009-05-01 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
Try editing the URL in the e-mail that you received to be https instead of http and go to that URL instead.

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sid: (J/D Happy)

[personal profile] sid 2009-05-01 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry you hit snags, but I'll bet the Bushmills will still taste mighty good. :-)
mark: A photo of Mark kneeling on top of the Taal Volcano in the Philippines. It was a long hike. (Default)

[staff profile] mark 2009-05-01 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
I want to drink it so bad. I really do! AHHHHHHHHHHH

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kayloulee: Oh mah god, it full of mices - kitty looking in a jar (it full of mices)

[personal profile] kayloulee 2009-05-01 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
I know you're really busy, but I suspect a lot of people besides me will want to know this.

Do you have any sort of a timeline for when the Paypal thing will be fixed? I'd send a cheque, but I'm in Australia and it's not worth the bother of getting a bank cheque that'd get to you guys in a week.

[personal profile] markovchaining 2009-05-01 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
Seconding this! I really don't want to send a check/money order, and am eagerly awaiting an ETA on when the PayPal credit card situation will be fixed.

I currently have a screenshotted (in case it goes away :( ) seed account in my cart, and am kind of afraid to do anything with it right now.

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rainne: (Calvin !!)

[personal profile] rainne 2009-05-01 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
I just made a comment in your last post that you ought to do just that. Thank you, Denise.

[identity profile] rustyryan.livejournal.com 2009-05-01 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
Looks like I'm already at the https. :\ Didn't work for me.
eagle: Me at the Adobe in Yachats, Oregon (Default)

[personal profile] eagle 2009-05-01 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
The problem appears to be that the http link in the e-mail will redirect you to https but it loses the code in the process. Try editing the link you're given to be https and go directly to it.

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girlnamedpixley: Angelface (F-No bad place to sleep)

[personal profile] girlnamedpixley 2009-05-01 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
There were bound to be some significant problems show up in the first couple days. I'm sure most people expected it and will understand. It'll get easier, it'll work more smoothly...you will eventually be allowed to sleep again.

The whole Dreamwidth team is doing great...errors happen and beta is where they're supposed to happen. *hugs*
swordage: rotf Soundwave (Default)

[personal profile] swordage 2009-05-01 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
errors happen and beta is where they're supposed to happen.

This. So much this. I think the combination of disappointment and being so used to catastrophic errors that are caused by the service not caring is making people a little trigger-happy. I am very glad that [staff profile] denise and [staff profile] mark DO care, and I am confident everything will smooth out. And yes, someday they'll be allowed to sleep. XD

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(Anonymous) 2009-05-01 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
I was able to purchase, but the link to create takes you to a page asking to enter the code. I copy/paste code from email, and it refreshes asking for a code again. From the main page I click enter code and enter the code, and it takes me to a page to enter the code.
Have tried in IE, Firefox in Windows and Safari on a Mac, no luck.
eagle: Me at the Adobe in Yachats, Oregon (Default)

[personal profile] eagle 2009-05-01 02:07 am (UTC)(link)
You'll need to edit the http in the link you were sent in e-mail to be https instead and then go to that URL. The URL in the e-mail message loses the code when it redirects to https.
swordage: rotf Soundwave (Default)

[personal profile] swordage 2009-05-01 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much for being so on-top of this. I can't imagine how hectic it is for you - your fast response makes me think you're a superhero, though. :D I hope everyone can calm down and realize that yes, a sudden influx of hundreds of people might lead to unexpected bugs being revealed.

I'm so glad so many people are so excited about Dreamwidth that they want to be in right away, and so glad that you're handling errors so gracefully. Thank you for being so awesome.
kiwikiwi: (Become Invisible)

[personal profile] kiwikiwi 2009-05-01 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
this

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gblvr: crop of 'The Morning Star' by Alphonse Mucha; woman in flowing gown with hand to forehead in greens and golds (Default)

[personal profile] gblvr 2009-05-01 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
You guys = awesome!
wide_worlds_joy: (Default)

[personal profile] wide_worlds_joy 2009-05-01 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
I want to make sure that if I give you an extra 180 in a weeks time that the 20 I just paid will be counted as part of the 200 I need for a seed account. Please?

We are on a poor week right now and I might get some cash in in a week, two weeks definitely.
alchemy: Raja (Default)

[personal profile] alchemy 2009-05-01 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
This sort of quick and fair response is why I love you guys.
beet: a beet (Default)

[personal profile] beet 2009-05-01 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
I think you guys are doing a great job--even in dealing with the bugs. It's good of you to offer some more seed accounts, too.

If you have a chance, you might post this to the Dreamwidth home page. Right now it is totally blank and unless they read it earlier and remembered, visitors won't know about the seed sale tomorrow or the new one May 8th. When you have a chance, maybe. :)

ETA: I guess it's just the logged in home page that's blank, not the main home for non-members.
Edited 2009-05-01 02:30 (UTC)
sunfell: Half-vulcan b/w (Default)

[personal profile] sunfell 2009-05-01 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
It's the ol' firehose thing- you don't know where the leaks are until you test it under user pressure. Same with new site features.

Been there, done that- had to soothe a Legislative body until we got our own site properly patched up.

I can wait to buy my subscription. Hang in there.
aunty_marion: Vaguely Norse-interlace dragon, with knitting (Default)

[personal profile] aunty_marion 2009-05-01 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
I tried to buy a Seed Account, but the system made me open a PayPal account to do so - I wanted to pay by card. And although I had - apparently! - an account in my 'cart' for half an hour with no way of confirming it, when it refreshed it had vanished. I've not had any sort of confirmation e-mail, and I'm in the UK, so I can't easily send a cheque by post. I've raised a support request (#303) - I really did want that account.

[personal profile] markovchaining 2009-05-01 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Clicking the paypal "cancel this and return to previous page" thing clears out your cart -- I figured that out the first time, but luckily there were still seed accounts available when it happened, and now I'm turtling with it until the issue's resolved.

If you're able to (since you're in the UK), you can try picking up one of the second batch of 200, and just leave that in your cart (screenshot it for proof maybe?) until the problem's fixed.

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ext_92388: (Default)

[identity profile] star54kar.livejournal.com 2009-05-01 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
I just wanted to say thank you to you Denise, for your fast response to my support request during what I know is an extremely busy night for you. I appreciate the speed with which you've addressed these issues, and I hope that my second attempt at purchasing a seed account will be successful.
ten: stylized image of a black kitten (Default)

formerly tenchan.insanejounral.com

[personal profile] ten 2009-05-01 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
All problems fixed and I got my dream name!

Thank you very much for your hard and quick work and the consideration for the Seed account buyers! Rock on!
katieastrophe: selfie photo of katie in krakow, poland - wearing a black coat, black tshirt, & red trousers, & smiling (Dreamwidth: closed beta survivor)

Re: formerly tenchan.insanejounral.com

[personal profile] katieastrophe 2009-05-01 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Welcome to Dreamwidth! <3

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wistfulbreaths: (Default)

[personal profile] wistfulbreaths 2009-05-01 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, guys, not to be rude or anything, but READ the comments first before asking a question to see if it has been answered. I have seen the same exact question, over and over again.

[personal profile] markovchaining 2009-05-01 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
Ironically, the people who need to hear this aren't going to read your comment before asking their question.
ellie: (Default)

[personal profile] ellie 2009-05-01 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
There are going to be glitches. No worries. You are doing a fantastic job!
kriski: (Default)

[personal profile] kriski 2009-05-01 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
thank you for the additional chances to get a seed account.

does this mean i have to make another attempt at buying one even though my error/problem was not that i did not have a paypal account? i mean, how do i know it'll work the next time?

i already logged two support requests for this, tickets 300 and 374.

please clarify for me if i have to have another go at the next sale or if my error/problem falls under the category you mentioned earlier, where people should email you so you could straighten it out.

also, will my paypal account be charged (twice) now, because i DID get all the way to confirming both purchases. i'm a little worried here, because two times $200 ist'n exactly the kind of playing money i have lying around in my paypal account...

please advice.
stormy: βͺ ππŽπ“πˆπ‚π„ ❫ 𝑫𝑢 𝑡𝑢𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬 𝑴𝒀 𝑰π‘ͺ𝑢𝑡𝑺 ⊘ (Default)

[personal profile] stormy 2009-05-01 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
If you fully confirmed, you'll have a Paypal Payment notice in your email. Definitely check that, if you don't have it -- you shouldn't be charged.

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stormy: βͺ ππŽπ“πˆπ‚π„ ❫ 𝑫𝑢 𝑡𝑢𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬 𝑴𝒀 𝑰π‘ͺ𝑢𝑡𝑺 ⊘ (Default)

[personal profile] stormy 2009-05-01 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
I was able to snag my name and all the account errors are all fixed that I was facing. I'll be popping over to my openID to close the support request.
dreamingpixels: (sparkle sparkle!)

[personal profile] dreamingpixels 2009-05-01 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
Oh my god, I love how quickly you guys resolved things. This is going to be an amazing site when it's done with beta. <3
revolutions: A seagull in flight, against a blue sky. (flight)

[personal profile] revolutions 2009-05-01 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
Seconding this! I am very impressed.

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