[TrialBid]

When I get any browser-rendered pop-up from the Flash version (for news or scores, etc.) until I "Open in new window" I get an empty window. As far as I can tell, the reason for it is that MS Edge cannot (unless by registry manipulation IDK) be forced to display mixed content.

BBO Developers, I think that this means you need make https links for this to be seamless. The workaround for now is to avoid Edge, but I, for one, actually like the clean look and good performance of Edge and I haven't ever been an MS browser fan.

[barmar]

There shouldn't be any mixed content in these popups. It's all HTTP.

[TrialBid]

barmar, on 2015-August-17, 12:09, said:

There shouldn't be any mixed content in these popups. It's all HTTP.

The Flash app is loaded via http. Can you state for sure that Flash itself is also communicating by http? Actually I would hope not because that would make mischief at the user's end easier via intercepting unencoded hand information.

[barmar]

TrialBid, on 2015-August-17, 19:04, said:

The Flash app is loaded via http. Can you state for sure that Flash itself is also communicating by http? Actually I would hope not because that would make mischief at the user's end easier via intercepting unencoded hand information.

It uses a custom protocol to communicate with the BBO server. HTTP is used for some tools, like getting table lists and results, but the main game play uses our protocol.

And no mischief is possible because nothing about the other players' hands is ever sent to the user's computer. The user receives just their own hand, and when the client sends a card play the server checks that it actually exists in their hand.

[TrialBid]

barmar, on 2015-August-18, 09:34, said:

And no mischief is possible because nothing about the other players' hands is ever sent to the user's computer. The user receives just their own hand, and when the client sends a card play the server checks that it actually exists in their hand.

Well, that's a rather narrow view of mischief. If the data stream is clear text, it makes it comparatively easier to build an assistant that can keep track of and display all the cards played and fill in exact cards unseen when the suits and hand are counted out. Surely it's clear how that would be an advantage in playing speed games for BB$, for example.

BTW, something has changed between my original post and today. Now I do see news or scores come up in the frame window without having to "Open in new window" while using MS Edge. Anyone have a clue why it's different now?

[barmar]

TrialBid, on 2015-August-19, 23:38, said:

Well, that's a rather narrow view of mischief. If the data stream is clear text, it makes it comparatively easier to build an assistant that can keep track of and display all the cards played and fill in exact cards unseen when the suits and hand are counted out. Surely it's clear how that would be an advantage in playing speed games for BB$, for example.

I thought you were talking about someone using the data stream to cheat by seeing other players' hands. If someone wants to keep track of the cards that have been played, they can just do it with a pencil and paper. Yes, automating it makes it easier, but it's not so hard to do it by hand that someone wouldn't do it if they wanted.

Unfortunately, online bridge allows many forms of cheating like this. You can talk to your partner by phone or skype, you can look at your convention card, etc. When online bridge is used for "serious" events, human proctors monitor the players to make sure they're not doing things like this.

In casual play, we know we can't prevent this. Instead, we deal with reports after the fact, and if we're convinced that someone is cheating we ban them.

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BTW, something has changed between my original post and today. Now I do see news or scores come up in the frame window without having to "Open in new window" while using MS Edge. Anyone have a clue why it's different now?

Nothing changed at our end.