Author Topic: Slow forums >:( (Read 4385 times)

chrisb1220 · « **on:** 27 Nov 2002, 05:40:22 »

I don't know if this is happening to anyone else, but the forums just started to be very very very slow. It happens no where else on this site or other sites. Just now, it took me more then 10 minutes to get to the forums, to the comments, and then to write a topic. I don't think it's your fault, but it really sucks!

imemyself · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Nov 2002, 06:44:19 »

Same here, and I have a cable modem.

asmodeus · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Nov 2002, 06:53:13 »

Me too.... :-\ :-X

Robbo · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Nov 2002, 06:53:28 »

I've also got problems, sometimes when I access it runs perfectly normal other times like right now, major slowness
This has only started happening to me in the last week :-\

Robbo

Tomb · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Nov 2002, 17:46:37 »

I don't have any prob's at all, and i'm running on 56k fuel so my word counts!

My be all those porn sites you guys visit...

hidden add's & all that

;D j/k

chrisb1220 · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Nov 2002, 05:45:09 »

Nawwwww, can't be that. I clear my history and internet files after I do that.

toadlife · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Nov 2002, 08:36:09 »

If one of you guys can spare wolfsbane a 5000 bucks or so, I bet he could buy a faster box that would make the forums a bit faster, but until then, I doubt if there's is much he can do. :-\

Serving large websites with dynamic content takes lots of CPU power.

chrisb1220 · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Nov 2002, 17:04:26 »

Hey! Aren't you that guy that made that Operation Lojack mission? That mission's awsome! ;D

;D

Backoff · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Nov 2002, 21:16:22 »

Ever heard of peak time ?

I'm browsing through our forums for a long time now to say that this phenomenon happens to us each days, it is approximatively on 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm (gmt + 1) and it happens during the night again but i don't know exactly when as I'm usually sleeping

During the day (work time) there is a maximum of 10 users connected and it is very fast, obviously.

This effect could be due to the US visitors who just woke up and come visit us, or when the australians return from work.... who knows exactly... Even if you would have a 10 gigabyte connection to internet, it won't go faster during peak times. This is due to the number of request per second the server has to reply. That means we need more bandwith from our ISP, the bottleneck is not on your side but rather on our.

So, i'll join toadlife's arguments and say that we need to buy more bandwith (if it is even possible), but we already spent a lot for the hardware, Wolfsbane could talk about this for long. We are now looking to restore the patrons system as our ISP gave us written permissions to recieve donations from our members.

To temporary solve the problem, try to visit us on another period of the day, if it is possible, or just be patient, sorry :-\

chrisb1220 · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Nov 2002, 23:47:46 »

I don't think it matters when we're on, I'm sometimes on at midnight and it's still slow. All of this just happened a couple weeks ago.....

snYpir · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Nov 2002, 07:33:05 »

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I don't think it matters when we're on, I'm sometimes on at midnight and it's still slow. All of this just happened a couple weeks ago.....

There are peak periods, and off peak periods.

i am in Australia, and in the mornings (evening europe time) it is damn slow.

in the evening in Australia it is really, really fast. this trend has been happening ever since we launched this new site.

we receive a huge number of hits - huge - and everytime a page is loaded a couple of milliseconds of server time is required.

and the server machine is no powerhouse.

when a php page is requested, it must be compiled (interpreted?) by the server, and then sent back as html to the user.

this takes time, so when there are heaps of users that 'lag' is simply because you are in a que - when it is your turn your php page will be loaded, and loaded quite quicky.

that is why there will be a big pause when you first click on a link, and then BAM! the page will load in a hurry.

the only solution is to upgrade the server computer with a faster processor. anyone want to pay for this? :-\

Robbo · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 Nov 2002, 07:52:25 »

I'm in Australia and normally come on at around 3pm AEST, around then it seems to lag,

Quote

If one of you guys can spare wolfsbane a 5000 bucks or so, I bet he could buy a faster box that would make the forums a bit faster, but until then, I doubt if there's is much he can do.

Serving large websites with dynamic content takes lots of CPU power by toadlife

unfortunately even if i did have $5,000 spare in Australian currency thats slashed in half when exchanged to british or american currency. But no problem I can live with this, and the owners and operators of the site have done heaps to keep it runnning smoothly anyway so thankyou for that and i'll stop whining now

Robbo

Mandible · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Nov 2002, 11:29:38 »

hi,

well, I get the same problem with slow forums and even banned Ip's. But I agree to take on these little probs because there is one BIG thing you have to remember. It's one hell of a work Wolfsbane and all the others are doing to keep this site at the top and pretty much on their own. And I must say they really do some GREAT work.

asmodeus · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Nov 2002, 12:53:05 »

Here Here!!

Yes, they do perform great work. Didn't know it was a prob they were aware of.

oh yeah, the Fraggles scare me...

Salud!

:cheers:

@cero · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Nov 2002, 21:32:10 »

well guys, maybe the reason for that is to do with the time of the year, its colder in here cos we are in winter time, people stays at home more, so you''ll get a sudent lag from two weecks ago, you may want to say trhee weecks nstead ;D
I just watched in the news, that's how come I know.

;D

Later all.
@CERO

Wolfsbane · « **Reply #15 on:** 29 Nov 2002, 22:41:18 »

I'll be the first to admit that our Server does suck.

I'm not going to reveal the statistics on it, but I would be very surprised if anyone visiting this website had a machine that ran at the same level as this.

It is a piece of shit.

However...

I shelled out over Â£400 on some new hardware, which would have been some serious kit had it actually worked..

Instead, I find out that upon arrival at the server location, that something out of the new components is frazzled (Most possibly the Motherboard).

So I now need to return said item for a return to base, and hope that we can get a replacment.

The Donations system will be opened again, so that we can in some vain hope, attempt to get the server really kitted out to do justice to the site and it's visitors.

I also firmly believe, that the server being a piece of crap, is heavily affecting not only Visitor Morale, but Staff Morale, so the sooner we can get this resolved, the faster things can improve around here.

Anyone wishing to make a Donation of any size, please IM me and I'll send you details of what part of the site to go to.

We do need your support, I've spent nearly every penny I can spare on the server, to still no good, until we get this problem fixed.

toadlife · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 Nov 2002, 23:01:43 »

Quote

So, i'll join toadlife's arguments and say that we need to buy more bandwith (if it is even possible), b

Not bandwidth, CPU power!

Quote

when a php page is requested, it must be compiled (interpreted?) by the server, and then sent back as html to the user...the only solution is to upgrade the server computer with a faster processor. anyone want to pay for this? :-\

Exactly. To give you guys an idea of just how much CPU power a dynamic site like this takes, I run the server where I work that handles on-line classes. There are about 4000 students enrolled in 60 classes. Everything is dynamic like this site, only it's perl, not php. The server duties are similar to the ones for this this site (messageboards,uploading/downloading files, Messaging, Chat, online testing, ect.).

The recommended server for the load we carry is a dual 800mhz processor server with at the very least 2GB of ram. That kind of harware is NOT cheap!

The server we had before was a Dual 500mhz CPU machine with 1GB of ram and it experienced the same problems that ofpec has right now during peak times.

The problem in our case was lack of memory and not lack of CPU power. I don't know what the OFPEC server is so I can't speculate on what exactly is the problem. It's good that donations can now be accepted again. OFP is going to be around for a long while yet, so I think we should start giving again(if we can of course).

Quote

unfortunately even if i did have $5,000 spare in Australian currency thats slashed in half when exchanged to british or american currency.

I'm american, I was talking in american money. I forget that most of the OFPEC community is not from the states.

Tomb · « **Reply #17 on:** 01 Dec 2002, 01:20:22 »

If donating will be some bank account where ya can give ANYTHING, even yer grandma's goldteeth,
then we could collect a useful amount of Â£...

example - I'm studying at the UNI of Copenhagen and have to work daytime just to
be able to feed my two kids

but if ofpec accepted as little as 1 Â£
then 289 donators would be = 289 Â£
PLUS the Â£ from the 10 guys who can (and will) affort bigger donations

I could spare 2-300 dk Kr. (thats some ....uuuum...sh|t)

;D

well, I don't study math. but 1 Â£ is 15 Dk Kr. you figure

And alotta ppl don't have netbank accounts (like in my case)...
My point is, I don't care if it'll cost me 50 dkkr to send 250 dkkr.
300 would be the gold I could spare, and the 250 would reach the adress.

chrisb1220 · « **Reply #18 on:** 01 Dec 2002, 05:57:15 »

I guess I can donate somethin. I'd give almost any amount of dough to speed this forum up. So Tomby, what are ye studyin for? I'm just curious. And bored.

Tomb · « **Reply #19 on:** 01 Dec 2002, 12:58:47 »

cats and their sexlife!

but thats off topic, so skip it plz

;D

hubba · « **Reply #20 on:** 02 Dec 2002, 11:44:26 »

Well folks,

in a valant attempt to make your lives less horrible i just butchered my own workstation so now the Ofpec is running on a P3 667 Mhz with 256 Megs of ram. This is temporary while i try to figure out what the *insert explicitive here* is wrong with the motherboard. (If any of you guys are experts on Tyan Tiger Dual Athlon MB's then send me a PM =)

Regards,
HuBBa the Friendly Admin (he he he he)

Ps. oh.. tomb.. so thats P.u.s.s.y love then? =) (couldnt stop that one

Ds.

asmodeus · « **Reply #21 on:** 02 Dec 2002, 21:43:42 »

WOW Hubba!

That's real cool of you!

Wish I could be of help to you with your motherboard... I might know a couple people that do though.. I'll look into it.

Oh yeah...

Quote

Ps. oh.. tomb.. so thats P.u.s.s.y love then? =) (couldnt stop that one
Ds.

ROTFL!! ;D Look out cats!

Asmo

Tomb · « **Reply #22 on:** 03 Dec 2002, 18:48:51 »

*I knew it... they all start naggin as soon as they spot an honest citizen*

Bah...

(wonder if the admins would take cats blebs?
I've heard that they're worth quite a few Â£ at pet hospitals)

chrisb1220 · « **Reply #23 on:** 04 Dec 2002, 01:21:30 »

Your kinda weird Tomb. Your starting to scare me....