Over the past couple weeks, I’ve had very sporadic reports that Quizlet was completely failing on some computers. This afternoon I spent an hour on the phone working with a very helpful Quizlet user who was able to help me find the problem.
As I understand it, Quizlet was causing some older computers to freeze as soon as they tried to load the page. They were using Internet Explorer, but I’m not sure what version (this user was using it on Windows ME). This was happening since I introduced Space Race and along with it the shiny new expandable buttons. It was not happening on IE 7, and not the majority of IE 6. But it was causing problems for enough computers to be very annoying!
I started by disabling some of the compression features on Quizlet, but they still crashed the computer. Next I transfered the HTML onto a separate test server and had him reload the page and tell me whether the computer crashed or not. I narrowed it down to an external file, then to the main css file (with 1,800+ lines), then to the bottom half of it, then down to a single rule block, then finally to a single CSS rule: white-space: nowrap. Why that single rule would cause a problem in Internet Explorer is anyone’s guess, but it does cause it to crash, and removing it made the site work fine again. This problem has been documented, but it’s so obscure that most developers probably don’t know about it. This is the kind of bug that’s impossible to predict.
So long story short: Welcome back Internet Explorer users! I’m very sorry you couldn’t use the site for the last couple weeks.
Last quick message: this is just one more reason to switch to Firefox, which very rarely has problems like this and should always work with Quizlet (and every other site). Its completely capable of replacing Internet Explorer, and I personally recommend it all the time. You’ll like it! 
I use firefox, but great job finding the bug.
Thats cool. I use internet myself but luckily i had internet 07 so i wansnt affected
thanks! i know that alot of people at my school that use Quizlet have been having trouble with it, they just didnt know why! but thanks a bunch!!
GO FIREFOX!! :>
the previous blog entry thing is like blocked-it won’t let me on it
o, and thanks for putting the on button things back on
Thnx Andrew. I use firefox on my laptop, but i wuz having trouble with my PC. Now i know!
Okay i had trouble. Now its solved thx
Yea..i use internet a lot on my computer, so I am soo glad you got the bug!! Go INTERNET O7!
firefox is the best
thx for fixing it cause i was having trouble on it thx for finding the bug
Thanks, Andrew; your patience with the enormous amounts of files, data and code is amazing! (I’m getting a headache just thinking about it)
Fortunately, we don’t have that problem (IE 7), and I use Firefox Portable from my USB flash drive. Nevertheless, a big thank you to you, good sir.
great job Andrew!!!
I despise firefox… i wish it didnt exist!
GO IE7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow, dab, you are completely insane
yea dab, wow
THANKYOU soooooo much, See It froze for me and i couldnt get onto Quizlet for a week and I had a test to study for, It was hard writing three pages full of vocabulary, Thank you
safari is the way to go!!
Firefox owns all other Internet browsers. Period.
-It’s easier to print with
-Less problems (like Quizlet problem)
-Look and features are completely customizable to your tastes
-It blocks everything and anything that you want it to… and if not, just right-click it and click Adblock Image
-It has a really cute mascot… http://www.foxkeh.com (Though that doesn’t really matter)
-I suggest going right to mozilla.com and downloading Firefox to anyone who’s still using IE.
-I’m not being paid to say this junk. I promise.
And back to the topic (sorry I got a little carried away) thanks for fixing the problem. I know some IE fans who were given grief.
Puella29
Thanks 4 fixing it =]
I cant get onto the blog before this one. Something pops up and when i exit out of it or click ok it switches to a page that says it cannot display it. If somebody knows how to fix this or what is wrong please tell me. Also, thanks Andrew for fixing that I didnt have any trouble and have no clue what internet thing I have but it helped alought of other people
good thing i was not on the past few weeks or i might have gotten the bug.
dab u dont know firefox
i found firefox before anyone of you i basicly inventid it whit my uncle
ya…
Thanks for fixing it.
Is anyone else having trouble, that in the learn mode, it is marking it wrong, even though you checked the four boxes to the right?
Cuz that is happening to me. Like the only difference will be the case.
Just wondering.
I use firefox, and it was still giving me some troubles, but now its working perfectly! THANKS!!!!
)
(i luv firefox, but firefox wont let me get on YahooLive…
I think it may have been just my old computer and not quizlet tho….
Hey Andrew! Thaks for fixing the prob. You have great timing! SOLS(big tests you cram for) are a week away!I can’t see the blog below this one either, like the some other pple that write to you. God Bless you!
blooberri pi
p.s. they call me blooberri pi, because I like blooberries and the color blue, and i like math.
MAC+Safari=Quizlet
I couldn’t tell.
No one in my class had the problem.
I have IE 7 anyway so it couldn’t affect me.
hey that is awsome thanks 4 fixing it
Does Quizlet feature the same kind of spaced repetition algorithms used in products like SuperMemo?
NEVER USE INTERNET!!!!! (only firefox)
I use Firefox at school, Internet explorer 7 at home, and safari on my iPod touch. Safari tops all browsers.
never have i used firefox and i dont know what it is:}
before launching a website, you need to test on all versions of all Internet browsers.
woooow! i love james
savvy10s right
yep
unfortunatly
and a frikin retard
Don’t swear on Quizlet. If you want to swear, go on Myspace
firefox never works 4 me. lol.
Stfu, anon. I’ll swear when I want to swear.
Safari Rocks! Firefox wishes it were Safari.
you idiot death. Internet is firefox just a different name! Like trying to teach a dead dog to play fetch…
Hey Andrew,
Love the new design. I was wondering, what kind of HTML program did you use to create the site? I sorta looks like ColdFusion but i don’t know.
Thanks in advance,
Xaturukumutuxat
yo
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