Upgrade Downtime

[CountryBoy]

Re: Upgrade Downtime-DONATIONS to TBN...

I am serious.... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I will give $50(a year).Thats not a whole lot,but it is all I can afford at this time.
I love this forum,but I like it better the way it was the other day. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Lets have the address Muhamaad......................
Make it payable to TBN ?
And if you get more than enough money give some to our moderators. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Garry,

I couldn't resist teasing you about that when I read your post. As I write this I see your post total at exactly 1500. That is impressive for anyone and incredible for someone who doesn't have his machine as yet. When you actually get one you'll probably be nipping at Bird's tailfeathers for a post total.

 

[Muhammad]

<font color="blue">I like the old way a hundred times better. Does this mean we are stuck with this new way?</font>

For the time being, the speed advantages to having the main index without the new post counts, are significant enough for us to keep it this way.

There's a chance that we will bring it back at some point, but for now we need to leave it off.

From our perspective, we're going to lose more users to slow loading than we are to not having the new post counts on the main index.

Believe me, if it were possible and sensible at the same time, we would do it.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

Re: Upgrade Downtime-DONATIONS to TBN...

I prefer the old look also... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Golfgar4]

Hey Gary, it's no problem! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I've had other guys make similar comments. I'm getting use to them.....more or less. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Speaking of the number of posts. You should talk. You're over 2,000!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Of course, it does help if you have a tractor, doesn't it?
/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I wonder what that says about me? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Either I'm really pathetic and need to get all this information well before I get my tractor, or I just need to get a life! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I choose the first one!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif And just think - once I get my tractor I'll know everything, so I can just make posts about all of my screw-ups! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[pruntyc]

I'm too new to have a say, I know. But why can't we put it up to a vote, what the users would rather have speed or the old way. And let the majority decide which they would rather have. I mean it is a site for all, isn't it. I know you can't please everyone, that is imposible. But maybe you could please the most. Then no one would have any right to complain. Just my thoughts, right or wrong. And like is often said, I've been wrong before.

 

[Muhammad]

Here's a bit of a timeline:

2000: When we implemented this version of the discussion forum, we had about 20 posts per day. Our database was tiny, and the site was fast.

2001: After about a year the site became fairly slow and overloaded. We had to cut back a couple features in favor of speed. After that, we outgrew our old server and got a new one. The site was again fast.

2002: After another year the site became fairly slow and overloaded again. We upgraded our server and tweaked our software. The site was again fast.

2003: After this last year, the site became fairly slow and overloaded again. We upgraded our server and tweaked the software, and made a sacrifice of two features in favor of speed. The site was again fast.

At a certain point, the size and traffic of the site makes it impossible to offer some features that are not designed for high-traffic sites like this one. In order for those features to work properly, you need much more powerful servers than what we're dealing with right now.

Our traffic ranks us in the top 2,500 websites in terms of page views, and on certain days we come close to the top 1,000. Most sites in that range, have a lot more money to throw at their server than we do (corporations, magazine-backed sites, venture capital, etc).

Frankly, a feature is not working properly if it's causing pages to take 10x longer to load, and no website operator with usability in mind would make that trade.

There's a chance that sometime this year we will get a new server, and maybe then the feature might return. But at this time, a compromise has to be made.

To me, the compromise is not that great, since you can still see which forums have new posts in them.

 

[MadReferee]

At first I didn't like the changes, then after a little bit I got used to them and now like this way better.

In my software consulting business I deal with speed and response time for database applications on a daily basis. I hate to tell you how many db schemas and stored procs I have analyzed in an attempt to get better performance for the clients applications.

I will take speed and its associated performance any day over a few creature comforts that can be easily substituted for.

 

[MossRoad]

Re: Upgrade Downtime-DONATIONS to TBN...

<font color="blue">And if you get more than enough money give some to our moderators. </font>

Then I'd lose my not-for-profit status /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Muhammad]

Re: Upgrade Downtime-DONATIONS to TBN...

Somebody sent me an e-mail this morning titled 'TBN Funding' and I accidently deleted it with a group of spam messages before reading it. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif If you could, please send it again. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif