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Stop logging user errors

Started by Sir Osis of Liver, June 28, 2018, 01:02:55 AM

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Arantor

But if you move all the things that are minor and not really errors out of the error log, you don't see the number creeping up so much anyway, and people will actually look at what's in there more.

Me personally, I don't really care if people ask to remove it or not, I don't have to help them :P (and it's not like I'm gatekeeper for SMF any more, only for my fork where this behaviour isn't changing any time soon)

Sir Osis of Liver

Quote from: Arantor on June 29, 2018, 12:39:19 PM
But if you move all the things that are minor and not really errors out of the error log, you don't see the number creeping up so much anyway, and people will actually look at what's in there more.

Is that a big deal?  Last thing devs need right now for 2.1 are any major changes.
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend,
 we were all equal in the end.

                                     - R. Waters

Arantor

Not really, it's not like there aren't already multiple other logs that could have entries be put into them and already have proper methods for calling (moderation, admin logs)

And the changes the devs did make lately mean error log entries now take 2-3x more space per entry than they used to...

GigaWatt

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on June 29, 2018, 12:34:08 PM
You're going to see a lot of people asking to remove the counter.

Exactly what I was thinking ;).
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

Arantor

You might as well just stop logging errors at all in that situation, if nobody can be bothered to fix actual problems and shove them under the carpet, go big on that mentality and just turn all errors off, problem solved.

shawnb61

I think the original/core point here is valid.  There are a couple of things being logged as errors that are just normal stuff.    Invalid passwords being # 1.   Probably 80% of my log.

The other one that's kinda in the same category is the youre still awaiting approval one.  Probably 5-10% of my log. 

Those two, imo, are just part of normal operation.  Not errors, and not suspicious.

Ideally, we would just log apparent floods.  But those aren't logged....   I think we should log those instead.

Not a high priority, but I do think a couple simple changes like these would make the error log more focused on errors and suspicious activity. 
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

GigaWatt

Quote from: shawnb61 on June 30, 2018, 02:52:33 AM
I think the original/core point here is valid.  There are a couple of things being logged as errors that are just normal stuff.    Invalid passwords being # 1.   Probably 80% of my log.

Yeah, mine too ::).

In which case, it should be a category of it's own :D.

Quote from: shawnb61 on June 30, 2018, 02:52:33 AM
The other one that's kinda in the same category is the youre still awaiting approval one.  Probably 5-10% of my log.

If you have member approval on your forum, I haven't tested this one, my members just have to check their mail :P :).

Quote from: shawnb61 on June 30, 2018, 02:52:33 AM
Not a high priority, but I do think a couple simple changes like these would make the error log more focused on errors and suspicious activity.

Agreed ;).
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

Sir Osis of Liver

Quote from: shawnb61 on June 30, 2018, 02:52:33 AM
make the error log more focused on errors and suspicious activity. 

^ This.
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend,
 we were all equal in the end.

                                     - R. Waters

aegersz

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on June 30, 2018, 05:32:36 PM
Quote from: shawnb61 on June 30, 2018, 02:52:33 AM
make the error log more focused on errors and suspicious activity. 

^ This.

please define 'suspicious' activity logging ~ it sounds interesting and i want one already ...  :)
The configuration of my Linux VPS (SMF 2.0 with 160+ mods & some assorted manual tweaks) can be found here and notes on my mods can be found here (warning: those links will take you to a drug related forum). My (House) music DJ dedication page is here

Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen

Quote from: shawnb61 on June 30, 2018, 02:52:33 AM
I think the original/core point here is valid.  There are a couple of things being logged as errors that are just normal stuff.    Invalid passwords being # 1.   Probably 80% of my log.

The other one that's kinda in the same category is the youre still awaiting approval one.  Probably 5-10% of my log. 

Those two, imo, are just part of normal operation.  Not errors, and not suspicious.

Ideally, we would just log apparent floods.  But those aren't logged....   I think we should log those instead.

Not a high priority, but I do think a couple simple changes like these would make the error log more focused on errors and suspicious activity. 
Agreed. :) This would make it a lot better.
Slava
Ukraini!
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