Yahoo! WebRing — The Split Stack Problem

In February 2001, the Yahoo! WebRing system began having a problem I have termed "split stack".

Because this problem has continued beyond the initial report and because there are no current indications of the problem being solved, I've created this report. This report will be updated as soon as the problem is resolved.

Update: My most recent occurrence of this problem was on Friday, 20.Jul.2001. On that day the approval of a submission created a new U-Number. This problem appears to have been resolved following the spinoff of the Yahoo! WebRing system to create the WebRing.com system.

What Is The Problem?

The Yahoo! WebRing system operates through the use of JavaScript that invoke the actual HTML of the navbars. I have an article that describes how this JavaScript works in more detail.

One of the requirements of this approach is the assignment of a U Number. The U Number is part of the JavaScript. It is assigned to each page registered for membership in a Yahoo! WebRing.

If you already have a membership registered to a page, that page will be assigned a U Number. The next time you register that same page is must be assigned the same U Number. The entire Yahoo! WebRing system is based on this principle.

In March of 2001 a problem began to appear.

As a result of this problem, a given page is being assigned multiple U Numbers. This is incorrect. A given page should be assigned one and only one U Number.

When the page is assigned a new U Number, the system appears to lose track of the old U Number. All future registrations for that page receive the new U Number.

The result is that the given page has two stacks. One stack is for the page with the old U Number. The other stack is for the page with the new U Number.

I refer to this problem as the Split Stack Problem.

How Can This Be Solved?

	This is the new logo for the WebRing.com system, implemented in their changes of Oct.2006. It distinguishes this webring system from the other systems like Ringlink, RingSurf and Bravenet. See also my articles: WebRing.com Logos and Is Webring a Trademark?

At this time, it cannot.

Once the split stack problem occurs, there is no simple resolution.

The only known resolution is for the ringmaster to transfer all registered navbars from the old stack to the new stack.

The process for doing this is not complex, but is time consuming.

Using the List All My Rings page as a guide the ringmaster must:

1. Click on the registration for each navbar registered to the old U Number and appearing in the old stack. (Click on the name of the registered page, not on the name of the webring.)
    
2. Without making any changes in the registration, just click the Back button of the browser. It appears that just preparing the information for change will reassign the registration from the old U Number to the new U Number. This will transfer the navbar from the old stack to the new stack.

Is It Happening for Everyone?

Unfortunately, no. If it were, Yahoo! WebRing might be able to solve it. It is happening only to some and Yahoo! WebRing cannot figure out why.

What Can Be Done?

Right now, nothing can be done.

If it happens to you, there are only two solutions:

1. Place the JavaScript for the new stack on your page along with the JavaScript for the old stack, and
    
2. If desired, transfer the navbar registrations from the old stack to the new stack using the re-submit technique described above.

Ok. When Will It Be Fixed?

There is no way to know for sure. And no one wants to guess.

You can bookmark this page and check back.

Once it has been corrected I will update this page to reflect that.

Webring News and Announcements

WebRing.com Changes Big Time ---  It was October 2001 that WebRing.com came into existence following the end of Yahoo! Webring. Now, 5 years later, WebRing.com is changing again. Moving from primarily a free service to primarily a paid service, the system is undergoing massive change. Stay tuned.

Ringlink Activity  ---  While Ringlink has not released a new version since Version 3.2 on 21.Feb.2005, the system seems to be getting a lot of activity. Many people are discovering this great webring system and moving their webrings here. If you don't know about Ringlink, definitely check out this great webring system. I personally recommend it.

WoW  ---  The World of Webrings features the World of Webrings discussion list. It offers a forum for both webring owners (ringmasters) and webring members to discuss the latest hot topics about all webrings, including WebRing.com, Ringlink , Alt-Webring, RingSurf, Bravenet and others. If you belong to any webring in any webring service, you should join this list.

RingSurf Passes 3 Year Anniversary  ---  It was 3 years ago, on 16.Aug.2003 when the WoW list list noted that RingSurf's domain name registration had changed. Then the new owner came forward. A RingSurf Feature List was developed and debated. Then, on Thanksgiving day, 27.Nov.2003 the new owner posted on the WoW list that the new RingSurf is up! If you haven't checked it out lately, see what has happened in the last three years.

Article About Webrings  ---  Check out this excellent Salon.com article about the history of Yahoo! and WebRing.com: The Strange Saga of Yahoo and Webring . For some, it will bring back memories. For others, it will explain the history. Now, I wonder if they will update it to talk about the latest WebRing.com changes.

The Wazillion Navbars Project

Webring Sections and Subsections

The Webring Section is a large section of my website. I have divided it into four major "subsections".

• General Information
• The WebRing.com System
• Webrings I Own and Belong To
• The Wazillion Navbars Project

Each "subsection" has it's own special "logo".

As you travel in the various subsections you will find, near the bottom of each page, links to pages within that subsection and also links to the other subsections. To go to any subsection, just click on the "logo" or on the text link for that subsection.

Webrings: General Information

This subsection includes general information about webrings. Webrings can be hosted by a variety of different services. This section deals with the overall concepts and issues, not with any one particular "brand" of webring.

It includes my Webring FAQ, links to articles about webrings, and general help information. Click here or on the graphic.

The WebRing.com System

This subsection includes specific information about the WebRing.com system.

While not the only webring system on the net, it is the best known and the most used. I own many webrings in this system and belong to many webrings in this system. (I also own and belong to many webrings in other systems as well.) Click here or on the graphic.

Webrings I Own and Belong To

This subsection shows all the webrings I own and links to all the webrings to which I belong. This includes webrings in Ringlink, RingSurf, Bravenet and the WebRing.com system as well.

If you are looking to join one of my webrings, this is a good place to start. If you wonder about the webrings I belong to, this is the place to go. Click here or on the graphic.

Last updated:
16:46, Fri, 27.Jun.2008