Re: [Lynx-dev] help with ff.net.

[Karen Lewellen]

Hi Thorsten,
I  may have a door into cloudflare, although it is not them who are in 
attack  mode, but ffn itself. I did write to the ffn support email 
address, please do the same  if you do not mind.  that address is
support@fanfiction.com
If you do not mind, I want to be sure I understand you.
Using Firefox, what platform?,
You get the same cloudflare error, not even getting a captcha to solve. 
Is that right?
I have also tried links+  even elinks, same situation.
What is w3m?
Now, depending on your setup, there is a fanfiction dowloader program that 
might work for you.
Share your platform, and I will share how to check it out, it does work in 
Linux.
I cannot use it though, I am not running Linux itself, but a shell I reach 
from   DOS.
That Firefox is having problems is something I want to share with 
fanfiction list  members, so I appreciate your confirming my 
understanding.
Indeed, I am also a member of ao3.  To be honest, it works better for me, 
I can download and read off line with little fanfare.
Because of the captcha used all over ffn, I tend to  save lynx bookmarks 
with author's m.fanfiction.net pages  and use lynx p option to save 
chapters.
Rather a dance yes, but as you noted, many many writers only exist at ffn.
Thanks for letting me know I am not alone.
Cloudflare has a phone number...I am calling after the Holidays.
cheers,
Karen



On Thu, 24 Dec 2020, Thorsten Glaser wrote:

> Hi Karen,
>
> I’ve got the same problem. There is, unfortunately, no way to enable
> FFN for lynx at all, not even by trying to solve the CAPTCHA in Firefox
> and porting cookes, because the Cloudflare idiots are currently in a
> “we’re under attack!” mode in which they block all “unknown” browsers.
> Firefox users aren’t even shown the CAPTCHA, only lynx, links+, w3m etc.
>
> I even tried to mimic the Firefox HTTP request with cURL only to be
> denied, so they even check the order in which the HTTP headers arrive
> and evil things like that.
>
> I’ve tried to reach Cloudflare to complain on their website and via
> Twitter and have yet to get some response at all, and others whom I
> asked said I better not hold my breath for it.
>
> It should be possible to read stories using archive.org though.
>
> I’ve currently switched to reading manga, and to reading fanfictions
> on AO3 instead, which is… less satisfying, due to the different amount
> and focus of those available there.
>
> Since you’re an actual user in America with accessibility problems,
> maybe you can have a letter written, perhaps by a lawyer even,
> complaining with some non-discriminatory act, ADA or something,
> as base, asking them to fix that. As I reside in Europe and can’t
> claim relevant disabilities, they’d just laugh at me should I try.
>
> Good luck,
> //mirabilos
> --
> If Harry Potter gets a splitting headache in his scar
> when he’s near Tom Riddle (aka Voldemort),
> does Tom get pain in the arse when Harry is near him?
>         -- me, wondering why it’s not Jerry Potter………