It took me 3 minutes to get logged on (kept getting diverted to various ads & sales offers before log in completed) & when finally in, every atempt to load a game malfunctioned, showing, variously, "want to observe multiple games" message; a listing of a game in progress (listed just above thedraw/resign buttons ---although no names were displayed at the board itself; offers/challenges to play friends (altough those were never initiated, no matter what I tried.....ARGH!!!!

That went on for almost 15 minutes before I gave up & posted this.

Oh well, soon mended.

p.s. May I draw your attention to premium membership? really good value and no ads!

http://www.chess.com/membership.html?c=icon

Maybe this chess and computer stuff isn't your thing yet, ghostmirror. Give it some time.

Ya, ya.

While I understand the virtue of paying for a site that's already well spported by advertising, I simply can't afford that currently, esp for a site that seems to regularly have some operational bugs & which offers costly memberships with the suggestion (reinforced by some members) that actual funtions are better if you pay. Note: I don't mind ads, per se, but when one's attempt to log in is interrupted, transferring one to other pages requiring several clicks to get back to orig page, that is a severely mis-judged "enticement" to buying anything !

FWIW, even the typing of this post was interrupted with an ad...

As for the occaisional smug comments (such as beinzle's above) from members who somehow think this site doesn't have any flaws, I can only suggest that you get real.

I did finally get in for a game, after a few more minutes of the earlier

 I would've used a graphic comical response but the emoticon option wasn't working. To quote Ricky Ricardo, "Ey, yi, yi !"

The fact is, though, that this wasn't a computer-based or Net traffic situation (everything elsewhere worked fine); it was problems with the site's operation.

It was not intended as a smug comment. You do not have much experience with chess, nor do you understand some of its vital rules yet (as you expressed in a multitude of threads before this one). The same appears to be relevant for your Internet usage. My advice is to be patient with it, and to be patient with yourself. These things will become clearer in the future! :)

Dear Mr. PrawnEatsPrawn

Thank you for so generously promoting our website.  Your recruitment fee will be paid into your account shortly.

Regards

Chess.com

Have to agree, never had the problems ghostmirror is having. As to a costly site, the gold membership is $5/month or $29/year. Not much more than a pack of smokes, a gallon of gas or a bottle of beer once a month. If you can't afford it, that is one thing, but it is far from costly. 

If I get a paid membership, will it eliminate the ads from the mobile version as well?  The ads on the site itself are not so bad, but on my phone (android) they are so intrusive and take over the whole screen.

Hey Greco;   I noticed that PrawnEatsPrawn mentioned above that membership is a good value (from England). I only mentioned in my post that the gold membership is not a costly way and compared it to the cost of some everyday things. Hard to see how this is materialism.

And I don't see anyone saying anything against nonpaying members. I thought the membership suggestion was simply offered as an option to avoid advertising.

Have a good day.

'Ya Vol, Mein Fuhrer!'

Greco;    Sorry if you saw any of my postings as being antagonistic. I have always tried to be polite and gentlemanly. If some of my humor is misunderstood, I apologise. Sometimes we have to give each other a break and not look for motives that are not there.

Shame.  You poor thing.  It must be terrible for you.  I don't know how you cope under such an onslaught.

Just for a minute, pull your head out from whereever it is and take a moment to try to understand the sheer complexity and monumental difficulty in maintaining a 24/7 website with live interactive and ever evolving content with thousands of simultaneous users.

For those of you who have no concept of how complex software development is, and in particular a website that has to support multiple versions of multiple browsers, each with its own subtle interpretation of HTML etc., may I humbly suggest that you just say thanks and enjoy the 99.9% up time that you get from chess.com.

Alternatively, go do some study, get 5 or so years experience in a real world commerical environment and then maybe, just maybe, you'll have the right to complain about something you get for f$$king free.

And if you don't pay, good for you, but that's why there's advertising.  Pay, and it goes away.  It's only $30 for the year for f$$k's sake.

YES!!!!!!!!!!

There's advertising here? 

Oh, right (I'd forgotten, as I've become used to Firefox's "Ad Block").

sftac

ghostmirror needs to run a through virus scan on his PC, update his OS and browser to the latest versions and start grokking the concept of browser extensions to block pop-up ads and/or various freeware programs designed to work with various browsers to block popups and unwanted ads.

I've been a premium member for awhile so I have no idea how many ads popup for the non-premium members, but 3 minutes worth sounds excessive and the result of malware.

BTW peeps wanting tech assistance also need to grok the concept of telling total strangers what OS/version, what browser/version they're using and what they've done (if anything) to rectify their problems (ie tried using another browser, rebooted their PC etc)

"grok" -- wasn't that a science fiction term used back in the fifties (or was it the sixties)?  I'd suspect the OP might not be old enough to 'get it'.

sftac

Sorry I wasn't thinking (as usual) that a lot of other peeps wouldn't know grok from grog but I still consider all of my suggestions valid nonetheless ie doing a virus scan, updating the OS and browser etc etc 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok

If an american can"t afford $2 per week for diamond membership ( all benefits - no ad"s ) The term WORLD POWER is a pathetic joke !