Constant pop-up help boxes in the "new" Dashboard - they never go away

[eu5j3xht]

Ever since I was pushed to the new Arlo portal (I use the desktop web site only), the introductory pop-up "Help" boxes never go away. It's been months now and I figured they would go away, but every time I go into my Dashboard/Portal, it's a constant barrage of these help boxes as I try to navigate my Arlo portal. How does one get them to go away permanently?

[BrookeN]

Can you please send a screenshot of what you are seeing?

[eu5j3xht]

I was going to try and close the issue or edit it to say the issue is closed, but there's no way for me to do that on the Arlo forum.
I'm not sure why, but all of a sudden the pop-ups went away. It's as if after I posted my forum message, my Arlo dashboard read my message and turned off all the popups. I know it doesn't make any sense.

I see now I have the "Accept as Solution" button on your question, so closing this issue.

[BrookeN]

I can close it for you, thank you for letting me know. Have a great weekend. 

[Scottdoc]

These are the very annoying popups that keep occurring.  If it's been awhile since you last signed in, they come back, even if you dismissed them the last time you signed in.  There are about 4 or 5 of these with the updated website.  Then they will disappear until the next time you sign in.

If we've been using the website long term and know how to navigate the site, these can be quite frustrating.

[eu5j3xht]

Actually, the pop-ups are back so this issue isn't resolved.

Looks like others have noticed, as well. 

Here are two screen caps.

[jguerdat]

When I see these, a simple click on the "x" clears it and it never returns. That's not the case with you?

[BrookeN]

Are you perhaps using incognito or clearing your cache/history daily?

[Scottdoc]

The problem is an issue with your website, not on my completing a cache-clearing every day.  And no, I am not using incognito mode.

These popups are a nuisance, but they can be cleared on a particular day of usage only to return the next time you login.

[BrookeN]

Thank you for providing that information. I am going to reach out to the development team and let them know your feedback regarding the pop-ups. I will reach back out to the community as soon as possible. 

[eu5j3xht]

I do clear my cache frequently on all browsers. I also use a VPN any many other privacy features.

However, I agree with this post that it would be poor design if that's how these pop-ups determine behavior since cache history is ephemeral and should be assumed as such.

[Cherrytree80]

I too am frustrated with the constant barrage of pop-ups.  They do go away once you click on the X for that session, however, they come back the next day after you have exited your browser (and in my case, cleared the cache).  It should be a setting in the Arlo dashboard to say that you don't need the pop-up help anymore. 

[BrookeN]

Are you still seeing this same behavior?

[eu5j3xht]

As of about two days ago, I was still seeing this behavior.

[Cherrytree80]

They're still there as of 3/14 (and still as annoying).

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Well, since you clearly cache regularly, then the site assumes it's a new install/start. All websites do that by asking you to accept cookies etc. 

Why do you clear cache daily? Cache speeds up the loading of websites and retains customisation. It's not be to be cleared frequently.

[eu5j3xht]

I appreciate you interest in my comment, but I'm not inclined to discuss my internet usage habits with a rando on the internet. 

That being said, your suggestion that "every web site does it" [read the cache] is true. That's the purpose of the cache, after all.  My suggestion is the design of the Arlo site appears to have a flaw if that's the way it's determining if I'm a "new" user. I'm not inclined to discuss the technicalities of the problem - it's true on face value and that's quite enough. Read this forum to see users having the issue. Also consider I've been using web sites for 20+ years and it's only the Arlo web site that's ever had this issue. It's not condemning the Arlo developers (I'm a developer myself) - it's a simply design issue that needs resolved.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Chill, mate, no-one is forcing you to discuss your internet usage habits. In fact, they're not of interest to me either, since you're "a rando on the internet", too - it was more of a question to suggest the cause, with an explanation that followed, rather than a question about your habits.

It's a user forum and you came here for help, so that's what we're trying to do here.

How else do you propose that they should establish whether you are or are not a new user on a specific device. Genuinely interested in the solution.

[BrookeN]

Clearing the cache daily will indeed bring the pop-up boxes back after opening it back up. 

[Cherrytree80]

To clear a browser's cache at the end of a session is a user preference.  I do it to reduce tracking by websites.  Caching was a good tool in the days when internet speeds were lower than they are now.  Caching allowed websites to load faster.  Since I have the benefit of a high speed internet connection, I am okay with the two or three seconds longer it takes to load a website.  Remove the previous cache provides a fresh load of a website to ensure you have the most current version.

According to the notable cybersecurity company Kapersky, "As you use the web, browsers collect data about your preferences, searches, and internet history. To keep your browser running optimally, it's a good idea to clear your cache and cookies periodically."

What we users who delete our cache are asking is that Arlo consider having an option in the setup that turns off the pop-ups rather than relying on reading the cache to determine if we are a new or return user.  Many software products allow users to customize the assistance level based on user expertise.  It's as simple as that.  Right now I an others are finding the constant barrage of pop-up "help" panels to be annoying and we would ask that there be a way to eliminate those for advanced users that doesn't rely on reading the cache.

Thanks.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Can't you run your websites in the incognito mode. Alternatively, if you wish to reduce the amount of tracking, get a pihole or AdGuard on a RPi; you can then fully decide on what's being tracked or not.

A 1s loading time appears very short (though an eternity by modern computing standards - mine take 19ms), but you didn't include in this the user intervention, which involves accepting cookies, ensuring customisation, deleting cookies etc. 

There have been calls on here to have an expert mode on Arlo, even to just change WiFi channels of base stations and smart hubs. Not sure what the justification is for not having this kind of mode, but the way this comes across is that Arlo assumes that its users are non-technologically orientated. 

[Steve82759]

When is this issue going to be resolved? This is a huge inconvenience every time I use the app on my PC. I don't intend to quit using Ccleaner just so these pop ups temporarily go away. Seems like Arlo has no interest in resolving an issue that annoys subscribers that have are forced to pay monthly for their service just because they bought an expensive camera system.

[BrookeN]

@Steve82759 if you are clearing cache every day this is expected behavior and there will not be a fix for it.I can add a feature request to the development team. However, what you are seeing if you are using some type of cache cleaner is expected. 

[Steve82759]

I would definitely put in a request to the development team. I am positive I am not alone in cleaning my cache on a regular basis, even if it's monthly. The help popups are annoying, and it makes no sense for them to continually pop up based on the cache. People already know how to use the app after a short time and don't need reminders on how to do something and have to close several pop ups to perform their task(s). One would expect the help menus to be there for a period of time, but after 30 or 60 days of using it, they should just go away.

[Cherrytree80]

I completely agree with Steve82759 that the popups are annoying. You should not be dependent on the status of your cache to determine if you need pop-up help or not.  That is just simply poor programming.  There should be something in the software setup that allows you to accept or not accept the pop-up bubbles. 

Arlo is not the only provider of camera systems.  My original Arlo cameras are getting to be almost 10 years old (and going strong), however, I know that I will need to replace them soon.  With this new software update, I now have to pay for the cameras for each location (I have two houses that I monitor).  Under the old system, you could just pay a flat fee for up to 10 cameras.  Now, I am paying in excess of $300 per year for an Arlo subscription.  I will have to do some serious thinking about what camera system I will be using for the next ten years if I am not satisfied with the software that supports it.