Technical Help
Cache Problems
Some visitors to my websites have problems viewing regularly updated pages (particularly weekly and monthly horoscope pages). It is likely that this is a caching problem, please read on for further information and help.
When your web browser downloads pages from the Internet, it stores them in an area called the ‘cache’. The next time you access those pages, the browser picks up the pages from the cache. If those pages have been updated since they were last viewed on your PC, then the browser should pick up the updated version. However, because of different browser settings this does not always happen.
To resolve this problem, click the ‘refresh’ or ‘reload’ button on your browser. If this is unsuccessful, hold down the control key and click refresh. Your browser should then pick up the updated page (if one is available). If neither of these options work, try clearing the cache.
Cache Clearing Details
In addition to your browser, some organisations or Internet Service Providers also cache or save Web pages and supply them to the next one of their subscribers who tries to browse them as a way of saving Internet bandwidth and making the page load faster. The page is saved on a disk or in memory of a machine within the organisation. This permits many hits to be served from one occasional download of the page by the organisation’s server. Sometimes I have updated pages and had browsers complain that I have not. If your organisation has a “proxy server” or another server that caches files, or if you are with AOL or another ISP who uses caching, you may well be seeing old pages. Fast, efficient, but possibly old. For some pages I do not update frequently, including this one, it will seldom matter, but for my Horoscope pages it can make a big difference. All of my frequently updated pages have the Latest Update date at the bottom.
On some systems with caching, cached pages can be updated just by hitting your Reload or Refresh button. On others you may have to ask your system administrator how to update the cache. You can also use one of my alternate domain addresses:
- http://shop.astrolutely.com
- http://penny.astrolutely.com
- http://thornton.astrolutely.com
- http://pennyt.astrolutely.com
These get you to the same pages (files) on the same physical machine as https://www.astrolutely.com but the difference in the URL will fool the cache unless some other user has done it last week!
Further Information for Internet Explorer Users
Your browser may be set to check “automatically” for newer versions of stored pages. If this is the case then you won’t necessarily receive the latest version of a page. To change this, (Internet Explorer version 5.5 and above) choose “Internet Options” from the “Tools” menu. In the “Temporary Internet Files” section (on the “General” tab) click the “Settings” button and select “Every time you start Internet Explorer”.
To clear the cache, choose “Internet Options” from the “Tools” menu. In the “Temporary Internet Files” section (on the “General” tab) click “Delete Files” and then click “OK” to confirm (do NOT tick the option to “Delete all offline content”).
If you continue to have difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact my Webmaster at: webmaster@astrolutely.com
Cookies
In order to use the Astrolutely.com Shop, you must have your cookies enabled. This is the default setting for most browsers.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is personalized data that we use to maintain the contents of your shopping cart. Since the cookie contains this type of information, and not programs that can run, a cookie cannot contain a virus.
Why use cookies?
I only use cookies to maintain the items in your shopping cart until you checkout.
Are cookies safe?
I don’t give your cookie information to other organizations and no one outside this website has access to it. A cookie cannot be used to extract information from your system.
How to Enable Cookies:
If cookie acceptance is currently disabled in your browser, making it difficult for you to receive the best service possible, please follow these simple instructions. To enable cookie acceptance, you need to make a simple adjustment to your browser settings. If you are unable to turn cookies on, you are able to make a manual payment to Penny Thornton.
Virus Information
Penny Thornton has a stringent anti-virus policy, training and procedure ensuring all machines have up to date anti-virus scanners. All email that enters our secure email server is vigorously checked before being either sent or delivered.
Due to some clients operating computers without adequate virus protection you may receive empty emails with attachments claiming to have been sent from Astrolutely.com. This is a result of a client being infected with a virus.
The virus sends itself, using its own SMTP engine (email server), as an attachment to email addresses collected from various files on the victim’s computer. When it distributes itself via email it forges the sender’s email address, making it difficult to know who is truly infected. Therefore infected clients which have sent Penny Thornton an email or have Astrolutely.com in the address are able to send virii as attachments in emails appearing to originate from Astrolutely.com to the other email addresses listed on their computer.
Astrolutely.com advise all clients to ensure that they have adequate anti-viral protection, ensuring that the signature files are current and scans are performed routinely.