you should've called for draw.

I mean you make the moves and click 'draw'.  The draw is announced right away.

you have to actually claim it on the interface.

You have to hit the "draw" button to claim the draw, you won't getthe draw automatically. This is consistent with OTB play where you would have to notify the arbiter before executing the move that would repeat the position for the third time.

That said, there are quite a few bugs on chess.com. I have noticed two players where the number of current games did not match the games they currently played and one player where the rating adjustment was considerably off after a finished game. So still lots of work left to get the software in sync.

Do you?  What happens if you lose on time in the process?  Doesn't stopping the clock in an OTB game where it is your move amount to resignation?  If not, anyone could just stop their clock and go have a little chat to the arbitor for no apparent reason and then return to the game in order to get a break from time pressure...

Every time this has happened to me, no arbitor was needed, both players just shake hands, write down ½ - ½ on their scorecard and get on with their lives!

i hope you dont have to press draw when its your turn since that would been very inconsistent with OTBplay. how can you do a move and move the coursor to the drawbutton before your opponent moves and press it when your opponent is just waiting to let go of the piece or maybe even premoves

I think these points are valid. Is there a reason why games aren't automatically declared drawn when a threefold repetition arises?

A draw by repetition needs to be called by someone in OTB play.  Its the same philosophy on here.  You need to claim the draw by pressing the draw button.  A game doesnt just magically stop because of a repetition of moves.

if you dont have to do it on your turn you are right:)

 On chessmaster it does :D

The draw which is automatic in chess is stalemate.  For threefold repetition, the 50-move rule, or insufficient mating material, the draw must be claimed (there is no such thing as "perpetual check" for a draw, it actually must become either repetition or a 50-move case - unless agreed to by the players).

Draw by agreement requires the agreement, of course, but is often a quicker solution than an actual claim.

Don't know about chessmaster, but I remember many of the old chess computers like Fidelity and Mephisto used to automatically record threefold repetition draws - probably the machines were programmed to automatically make the claim when it appears, and since they are also their own built-in arbiters, it is granted instantly.

It often happens that a player will not agree when the opponent is in severe time trouble, and that's part of the game, the reason there is a clock at all.  So you have to keep score and make the claim when you can force it if the opponent wants to play it out (just as you must checkmate a player who won't resign).

 You just have to press the draw button, no matter whos turn it is.

great:) i guess my "problem" never existed

In Online Chess, I've heard that the Offer Draw button changes to a Claim Draw button after a threefld repetition.  In Vote Chess though, I've been involved in a game where the button did not change, but the draw was declared by the interface without either side voting for it.