[Bombayduk]

So now, with this useless bot software BS (as if we actually had a bot problem to start), when typing a PM, you time out and your message is lost when you try to send it.  Evidently, the BEA thinks its members are not smart enough to compose thoughts past a short paragraph.

[wolpertinger]

made the same experience!
A special nuisance when writing PMs, since you cannot save your text anywhere before sending. Besides you save your work internally (CTRL a, CTRL c).
Why this "Bot-Check" is repeatedly performed I cannot understand at all!

[Bombayduk]

made the same experience!
A special nuisance when writing PMs, since you cannot save your text anywhere before sending. Besides you save your work internally (CTRL a, CTRL c).
Why this "Bot-Check" is repeatedly performed I cannot understand at all!

Agreed, has anyone seen evidence that "bots" have invaded the BEA?  Has anyone seen a bot post?  Did the bot pay the $9.99 fee?  This program seems to be more of a harassment program aimed at BEA members as it serves no practical purpose that anyone can see and no one has offered a rationale for imposing it.

Yes, I spent in excess of two hours composing a PM and found it entirely wiped out when I hit send, with no way of returning to copy and paste or retrieving my work.  I have no idea how long this incredibly stupid program allows before you "time out" but it isn't very long; I was reading past posts on a thread and though I was obviously scrolling (just like I was obviously typing in my PM), I "timed out."   There was no reason for it, yet it appears we now only have a short window for attention spans, and my friend has suggested that we need to take out composing of messages elsewhere. 

[wolpertinger]

Anybody else problems to download attached pictures?

Well it was never too easy to download pictures from the BEA. But now, when trying to download attached pictures I only get an error message: first for an eyes' glimpse "download running" and shortly afterwards "download failed" with some (for me) cryptic explanations if I click on the "details"-button.

Did anybody else make similar experiences?
I wonder whether this is the new way, how the BEA wants to deal with its members in the future: first that "Bot Check" BS and now "Downloads forbidden"?
What comes next?

[Bombayduk]

I am assuming you mean like "copy" or "save as" when right clicking, both are now apparently blocked by BEA software.  I used to be able to do this just a year or so ago.

[wolpertinger]

^
yeah, the problems occured when I've tried to add this pic of Beshine to my "collection". (Following this link is part of a 'workaround' I've found!

[Bombayduk]

I composed a 5 sentence response this morning, but because I had to pause twice to check references, each time maybe a minute or two, I timed out and the entire thing is lost.  Obviously, if the objective is to get people to stop posting, it's working; I didn't bother trying again.  Occam's razor suggests this is the most likely explanation for installing this bot thing because there has never been any evidence of a bot problem and when you think about it, it isn't even rational that there would be.  Name another forum that seeks to eliminate "bots."

[wolpertinger]

I composed a 5 sentence response this morning, but because I had to pause twice to check references, each time maybe a minute or two, I timed out and the entire thing is lost.  Obviously, if the objective is to get people to stop posting, it's working; I didn't bother trying again.  Occam's razor suggests this is the most likely explanation for installing this bot thing because there has never been any evidence of a bot problem and when you think about it, it isn't even rational that there would be.  Name another forum that seeks to eliminate "bots."

(all, the "Bot Check" allows) 

[wolpertinger]

Bot Checks successful?
Most online (per day):
Jan 2026: 12924 (most online ever)
Feb 2026: 10164
Mar 2026: 5552
Apr 2026: 477
May 2026: 409
Jun 2026: 332 (per today)

don't believe in any statistics you didn't falsify yourself