[ukmicky]

This isnt a problem, but is there any way the forum software could be configured so it would be possible for the forum members to see which other members are logged in at any given time

[neilep]

quote:Originally posted by ukmicky

This isnt a problem, but is there any way the forum software could be configured so it would be possible for the forum members to see which other members are logged in at any given time

...and perhaps one of those java applet chat thingies might be nice too....perhaps....maybe...sort of []

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ukmicky]

Yeah some form of live chat would be handy.
maybe beyond the scope of this software though

[chris]

The problem with a live chat system is that it is precisely that - chat. Here all of the discussion is preserved for the benefit of others, and moderated to ensure reliable content. It's possible to build in a chat module, but I think that might be deleterious to the forum overall, except under certain circumstances such as live webchats with interesting people who are guests on the radio, for instance.

As to the 'who is online at any given time', that also is feasible I think, and a great suggestion. I'll have to look into that. I believe there's a mod for it.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[another_someone]

I had included a URL within a post of the form http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict1&Database=*&Strategy=*&Query=mutation.

This url was wrapped in url start and end tokens (i.e. url within square brackets) so:

http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict1&Database=*&Strategy=*&Query=mutation


It seems as if the asterisks in the url, while they are still there when the post is edited, seem to break the url when it is simply viewed.

Looking at how this post is displayed, it seems as if the url without the wrappers works ok, but actually breaks because of the wrappers.

[neilep]

At least 5 or 6 times a day I find that when I return to view the page of active topics (which I leave to update automatically) that I'm faced with just a blank page....also, often, when posting..it takes ages to respond and finally says that ' the host is not accesible ' etc etc..the inability to access the site lasts around 3-5 minutes..sometimes a little longer.

I think the site is finally trying to tell me something (uh oh...paranoid mode)

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ukmicky]

yeah ive had that posting problem.

Michael                 HAPPY NEW YEAR                    

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by neilep

At least 5 or 6 times a day I find that when I return to view the page of active topics (which I leave to update automatically) that I'm faced with just a blank page....also, often, when posting..it takes ages to respond and finally says that ' the host is not accesible ' etc etc..the inability to access the site lasts around 3-5 minutes..sometimes a little longer.

I think the site is finally trying to tell me something (uh oh...paranoid mode)

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

Yep, had that.  It seems to be suggesting that the system is overloaded, and the ASP scripts are taking too long to execute.  Either speed up the ASP scripts, or increase the timeout value in IIS (IIS is assuming the ASP script might have got itself into a permanent loop, but given the script works later, I suspect this is not the case, and is simply taking too long to execute).

Also, sometimes have had timeouts when posting a reply.  Went back, and resposted, and it worked OK.  The system simply appears to be overloaded.

[neilep]

another_someone..I am sure you've hit the nail on the head there !.................don't know what the hell you said but it sounds good !!....actually...I've heard Chris mentioning overloading a few times...so..I reckon the odds are good that you're right...I bet two carrots at 3 to 1 that another_someone is right.

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[chris]

Yes, the problem is that we're running from an access database which is not stable at high loads. All it takes is a few search engine spiders to start tucking in, and a few users too, and the whole thing grinds to a halt. On one particular day a month or so back three search engines arrived simultaneously and the whole thing just collapsed. Part of the problem was the gut-bustingly large zetacap thread ! Once Neil administered a liberal dose of forum-slimming liposuction (aka the delete button) everything calmed down again.

We're actually going to migrate over to a much more stable mysql db at some point, but I'm currently just too overloaded to be able to do it.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[DoctorBeaver]

I was going to suggest MySQL but you beat me to it.
I've often thought a "Who's online" facility would be nice.
As for chat, why not just create a room on 1 of the established chat sites like Lycos?

[neilep]

Do I win the carrots then ?...I have this itching to make sooup !

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ukmicky]

quote: Once Neil administered a liberal dose of forum-slimming liposuction (aka the delete button)

Neil i don't know what you got, but your way with words is definitely spreading

Michael                 HAPPY NEW YEAR                    

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by DoctorBeaver
I've often thought a "Who's online" facility would be nice.

Fairly meaningless.  I never formally logout, so the system will permanently show me as logged in.

Any web based protocol has no real notion of someone being online.  It knows when someone has logged on, when they choose to log off, and when they last posted.  It is then a matter of guesswork if someone who logged on 3 days ago, and has posted within the last hour, is still sitting at their PC (or even if the PC is still switched on).

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by chris

Yes, the problem is that we're running from an access database which is not stable at high loads. All it takes is a few search engine spiders to start tucking in, and a few users too, and the whole thing grinds to a halt. On one particular day a month or so back three search engines arrived simultaneously and the whole thing just collapsed. Part of the problem was the gut-bustingly large zetacap thread ! Once Neil administered a liberal dose of forum-slimming liposuction (aka the delete button) everything calmed down again.

We're actually going to migrate over to a much more stable mysql db at some point, but I'm currently just too overloaded to be able to do it.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

Why are you so wedded to Microsoft technology?

There may well be arguments in it favour on a desktop, but for a web server, I would have thought Linux/Apache/MySQL would be far superior to Windows/IIS/Access.

OK, the even bigger problem is that Access is a single user database, and totally unsuited to a server based application where many people can log in at once.  Even Microsoft does have multi-user databases in its product catalogue, but they cost significant amounts of money, and don't really give any advantage over the open source equivalents (MySQL and PostGreSQL).

[ukmicky]

We need a chat facility

Michael

[neilep]

Is it just me but I get sooooooo frustrated because the site becomes unusable....I keep on getting the famous 404 error log or it just time outs, or something similar..........usually 3 or 4 time an hour. I have to be so careful doing long posts , having to use a text editor, but there are times when I just ' go for it ' ...all to my cost because I would say 1 in 5 time after pressing ' submit' it just halts and all is lost. It usually takes a few minutes and then it's up and running again.

Thankfully, I now use word to create posts in

[ukmicky]

No its not just you the site has got very slow recently

Michael

[neilep]

It's really bad..happening all the time !!

[ukmicky]

Chris please do something, the forum is getting really slow,it keeps timing out, people are losing replies and its generally becoming so annoying it could prevent new members from taking part.

Michael