Questions typed in thread are gone after signing in?

Well, if you sign in before starting a question (actually, that field will wind up as the subject of the thread, not the actual question), then you won't have that problem.

I'd suggest you submitting this to Apple since we're all other users here. FWIW, the site is run by Jive software.

http://www.apple.com/feedback

You seem to be saying two different things:

1. "You type a question into a particular thread and it prompts you to login"
2. "When you hit the 'submit my question to the community' button and it prompts for your login credentials"

In my understanding:

1. is a REPLY to an existing thread message
2. is creating a NEW Question - you create the Title AND the original post = this then posts the new THREAD tot he forum

"disappearing messages" are an intermittent and totally random glitch in the forum software - I call them "Phantom Posts" = you KNOW they are there by any number of means, but they are invisible to YOU and not others(maybe them too, but not relevant)

I have never seen a New Question disappear, but I do not create many

I have seen hundreds of Phantom Posts (as most here have)

1. Replying to a message requires that one be logged in to even SEE the Reply link - IF you have been idle for 30+ minutes while visiting a particular thread, you could see the Reply link and actually be timed out - thus, it would prompt you for login
2. similarly, if you are timed out, the system should prompt you for login credentials - BUT - it seems that there is something 'special' about the New Question creation that, in the past, would allow you to go through the motions and, in the end, be presented with an error message

If #2 is truly your experience - it just goes "POOF" - then this MAY indicate that the AppleJiveTeam is attempting to "fix" that glitch and is getting unexpected consequences of being timed out

If #1 - AND - Phantom Post(s) - I know of two workarounds:

• type any character into a reply and post = voila! they appear''
• change your Discussions View Preference from whatever it currently is on > https://discussions.apple.com/user-preferences!input.jspa > SAVE > RELOAD the thread page

A way to avoid being timed out while visiting a thread is to open a reply pane and do nothing - this autosaves every minute or so and resets the 30 minute timer each time

I understand timing out is important - when signed into ASC you are also signed into any Store portion of Apple.com via the [BUY] button - oddly, one is NOT logged into one's Apple ID management portion 😕

This other feedback link is specific to Apple support, including these forums:

https://www.apple.com/support/feedback/

Under the Topic area pulldown, select "Discussions."