On a recent ride a participant wondered if there was a way to stay logged in (not having to key in his credentials every time) to the VBC website while using his smartphone. I passed this inquiry on to our webmaster, Paul Jensen, and here is his reply. I thought it was worth sharing with everyone in the event you have the same question. Paul's response:
"Two things are going on here. First, ClubExpress sets the login session timeout, and we can't change it. It used to be longer, but CE shortened it after the DDoS attack to minimize exposure. So, everyone's session will eventually expire.
"Second, the "remember me" function is actually "Remember this device." When it's checked at login, the site saves a token on that device, and even after the session expires, tapping "Member Login" logs you back in automatically. That's why it feels seamless on your iPhone. The box must be checked separately on each device and in each browser.
"One trap: some password managers autofill and submit the login form instantly, skipping right past the checkbox. If that happens, tap the box first, then let the password manager fill in the credentials.
"If he's checking the box and it still doesn't stick, one of these is usually the cause on Android:
- The browser is set to clear cookies on exit, or he's browsing in Incognito mode. Privacy browsers like DuckDuckGo or Firefox Focus do this by default.
- A cleanup app such as Samsung Device Care is clearing browser data automatically.
- He's reaching the site in different ways each time. A link tapped in an email opens in that app's built-in browser, which doesn't share cookies with Chrome. For best results, open the site in the same browser every time, ideally from a bookmark or home screen shortcut to vbc-usa.com."
Tom Eggers for Paul Jensen