(remember, folks, this is GQ, so let’s all act appropriately…)
I just had another typical SDMB moment, when the site stopped responding for a couple minutes. We are all used to this, so I don’t get mad any more, I just minmize the window and go surf someplace else till Cecil’s computer decides to let me back into the game. And then it occurred to me: that no matter where else I go, I don’t have the same problem with timed-out errors, etc.(The main reason Dopers don’t use the “preview post” button is that it’s so irritating-- you’re more likely to get stuck for 2 minutes of a locked up screen than to catch a typo in your post)
I know the Chicago reader has budget problems, etc, and may be losing money on this site. But there are millions of other web sites, and message boards, and some of them must be in the same situation as the Dope. But I never get shut out of any other sites.
So tell me, teeming millions:-- do many other sites on the web respond as irregularly as these esteemed boards?
The SDMB ranks 119th in total posts against all major messageboards, so your figures may be a bit hyperbolic. Many other boards either have sponsors with deep pockets, or have a lot more advertising. Under the circumstances, I think we are doing pretty well.
Actually, a number of messageboard-type sites I visit have a tendency to not just have the “freeze” issues, but to periodically plain and simply become unreachable and their admins/mods take them offline for maintenance. So I am not particularly vexed.
Back in the day (say in 2000), the SDMB was so slow that you literally had to choose your threads very carefully because 5 - 10+ minute load times were very common. I used to choose two interesting looking threads, click on them in separate windows, and then go to lunch. I knew there was a good chance they would be loaded before I got back. I am not kidding either. Everything since there has been like Vaseline coated lightning.
an additional question related to the OP: is a message board site generally slower than a regular web site?
Is the basic structure and technology different? A web site generally just displays info, and maybe sets a cookie, but doesn’t expect lots of input from users. A message board would seem to me to be more complicated, with lots of two-way traffic, with searchable achives, etc. Do these things make a message-board site inherently slower?
(and no, I ain’t complainin’…this is still the best place on the web, and even when it times out, it’s worth waiting for.)
chappachula - a vBulletin message board, like the SDMB, builds pages dynamically by retrieving text from a database and building the HTML file on the fly. If retrieval from the database is slow, then the time between your request to see the page and the time the page is sent to your computer will be greater.
Wow. Consider nescience, if not ignorance, well fought today. I had no idea that there were so many gigantic and bustling MBs out there. I’d had put the SDMB in the top 10 before clicking that link.
Consider yourself very fortunate! Sometimes, especially since the new server took over, it works just fine, as it should. Other times it reverts back to the way it was before, extremely slow, or it times out before a thread ever opens, or before my post gets placed.
I’ve been on other messageboards, even one using the same software, and never encountered any such problems (and it’s free, albeit much less traffic). And it definitely is not my connection, as the cable broadband is extremely fast.
Often it is so bad, just close my browser, reopen and go elsewhere. Too bad it is such a wonderful place, or I’d quit in disgust.
Ditto. As I’ve posted before, I still think many experienced problems are on the client side.
However, one tip that works for me: if an SDMB page doesn’t open within about 10 seconds, I hit the Back button, and then click back on the same link. 9 times out of 10, I get to the intended page in a second or two. It’s like sometimes, your request is waiting in line after some others … but if you “come back and try again” a few seconds later, you can get right through.
Second tip: 999 times out of 1000 … if the SDMB times out after you’ve submitted a post, the post has, in fact, gone through. No need to resubmit – it’s better to look down at your last few sites visited (Back button drop-down in IE), then click back on the main thread, then hit F5 (or Refresh). The thread will come back up with your post at the bottom.
From a database perspective, the SDMB is not a large database (based on row count for threads/posts/members stats that I have seen).
I haven’t seen stats on reads so maybe there is a ton of activity there, but in other threads the admin (can’t remember his ID) mentioned DB locking issues related to vBulliten.
While it has gotten better since the upgrade, I still encounter problems. For example, just 45 minutes ago, when I tried to get to Great Debates, I got no response for an extended length of time. While I was impatiently waiting I decided to click on the new member profile link, which brought up a page immediately, then I went back to try again to get to Great Debates and it hung up, so I went to get lunch.
It’s definately better than it was before the upgrade.
Lets look at the evidence to see if this is a logical conclusion:
Problem has been complained about by numerous posters for years on SDMB
SDMB admin is aware of DB locking issues in vBulliten but feels the pro’s outweigh the con’s compared to other message board software
In my personal experience, no other site that I go to presents any where close to the same symptoms (this is only message board I go to)
In my personal experience, this happens at home, at work, on the road, at new job, at other persons home, etc. etc. etc.
Granted. Thought it could be assumed that I meant “right now”, more or less. I am aware of past problems.
Maybe not … but why aren’t all users experiencing the same slowdowns? Perhaps something is going on between the SDMB server and the end users? Not necessarily client-side issues … but perhaps not server-side either.
Possible, but I’ve experienced the problem at numerous physical locations, different ISP’s, different types of physical connection, etc. Although mostly it’s west coast. At the same time I don’t see anything similar on other sites.
