We already have two forums here for random thoughts/games and some people bitch about them even existing as it is. I think the server drain on having these games is what most people are annoyed with (it’s not too hard to skip over obvious game threads)
I fail to see the math you used to come up with this. 
At the moment I type this, the most recent post in the SDMB is number 4391826. Number 4381826, which is 10,000 less, was posted on 12-21-2003. If those 9 threads account for 10,000 posts in 3 months, then they represent about one thirtieth of the traffic on the SDMB.
This whole thing is pretty stupid. There are a certain number of people posting at a certain frequency. Elminating one type of thread or limiting a particular thread’s length will have no effect on server performance because the Internet, like nature, abhors a vacuum. If you make it available, they will fill it up.
One thread ten pages long and ten threads one page long makes no difference in server speed. In fact, the latter may be more taxing in terms of server capacity. For each forum and for each thread, SQL stores a “header record”. And for each post, it stores a “detail record”. One ten-page thread with 500 posts is 1 header record with 500 detail records — 501 records total. Ten one-page threads with 50 posts each is 10 header records with 500 detail records — 510 records total. That’s a bit oversimplified, but it’s basically the case. There are other tiny data fetches, but they are nominal compared to these.
There is a hit to SQL every time there is a data request. And that happens everytime somebody clicks a link that retrieves a set of header or detail records. But only a subset of records are returned, depending on how many maximum threads or posts are permitted on a page. For a ten page thread, only one page at a time is fetched. Not all ten. And the pages are indexed, even if there is only one.
So the server response for returning data for a ten page thread or for a one page thread is basically identical.
Server capacity has to do with how much data the server can store, but server response has to do with how many users the server can accomodate. There is a capacity to that as well, but of a different kind. For the number of users, it is a matter of bandwidth. Whether the threads are one page or ten pages, if there are ten users trying to fetch records, it is more taxing on the server than if only one user is trying to fetch records. That’s because computers (at least this kind) can do only one thing at a time. Requests for data are queued up and handled on a first-come first-served basis.
As long as the computer has storage capacity, the existence of game threads or joke threads or flirt threads has practically zero effect on how fast a page loads for you. And there is no reason to assume that the number of posts in total will decline if you forbid people to play or flirt — that is, unless your actions result in a decline in the number of users overall who are saving and fetching data. But if the opportunity is there to post anything at all, in all likelihood someone somewhere will seize the opportunity and do it.
Libertarian, thanks for clearing that up for me. Sincerely. See, I have been an active and willing participant in The Fortunately/Unfortunately Game, and, reading this thread, was beginning to feel guilty about slowing down everyone else. But, if it’s as you say, then I will play on (until and unless the mods decide to shut it down), and feel no guilt!
I think one reason some people might not like these kinds of threads is that after a couple of pages, it’s mostly the same handful of posters, and it becomes sort of like a clique, and it’s hard to join in if you didn’t join in early on. YMMV.
This thread is just a big circle jerk for game thread haters.
We shuld also have moratorioums on the folllowing thread topics…
Bad/Stupid Drivers
Bad/Stupid Service
Bad/Stupid Bush
Bad/Stupid Clinton
Bad/Stupid Chick
Bad/Stupid Parents
Bad/Stupid Government
Bad/Stupid Colllege Administrators
Bad/Stupid Bosses
Bad/Stupid Ex’s
Bad/Stupid Customers
Bad/Stupid Dopers
etc. and so on
Lib, it’s my understanding the views are what cause the board to slow down. Since the game threads get a disproportional amount of views, it does slow the board down. There is no question about it. Almost all of the views are from a relatively small number of people too. Yes, it doesn’t matter if all of those people are viewing a one page thread in GQ or a 56 page thread in MPSIMS. Where do you think all of the views are coming from though?
Haj
Where indeed? Either very few people are participating and looking at the thread a few hundred times a peice or lots of people are reading the thread but not participating. How can you tell which is which? Judging by posts and views, game threads are quite popular. Do you really think because you don’t like it then nobody else does either?
And this “Don’t make threads I don’t like because it I don’t want to be inconvenienced” is pure self-centered, bullshit.
Flirt threads, on the other hand, are crap-- because I don’t like 'em. So everybody should stop inconveniencing me and only post to threads that have the Biggirl seal of approval.
I understand what you’re saying, and of course, every view is a hit to SQL. But they are being viewed because they are there. One of my points was that if you forbid them, they simply will be replaced by something else. The only thing that is going to reduce load on the server is reduced readership. As long as people have the board open, they’re going to click on something. All you will do is change what category of thread gets the most hits. It will change from games to, say, threads about “LOL my coffee sux00rs!”
Actually, in my experience, when we close a monster thread, the board performance quickens. Those 10 pagers DO contribute to lag. And maybe, just maybe, if we had fewer game and flirt threads, people would click on some General Questions and/or Comments on Cecil’s Columns. You know, the REASONS, supposedly, that we’re all here.
Exactly where the fuck did I say that? What does that have to do with anything anyway? All I said was that I think there are too many of those damn things and that they slow down things for everyone else (confirmed by Lynn.) Most of them have a very few people making hundreds and hundreds of posts each. It’s not a stretch to say they are using the resource disproportionately and not in a way that furthers the mission statement of the SDMB.
Haj
You didn’t exactly fucking say that. What you fucking said was that the game threads have lots of views and it was a few people viewing it. Thats what you fucking said. I fucking pointed out that maybe there were a lot of fucking people viewing the fucking thread because they fucking like it. Why the fuck did you assume only a few fucking people were fucking viewing the fucking threads?
A lot of threads are long with a lot of views. Lets close 'em all because you don’t like them. Why don’t we just go back to the way it was way back. Cecil and GQ and screw the community. Yeah, that’ll work. It would get rid of all the flirt threads.
I think that’s in great debates too. There’s been far too many “do you believe in god” threads, and nothing ever gets resolved there anyway. At least the mpsims gang has fun, and possibly gets laid while doing it.
No, my dear, I didn’t say that but I see your confusion. I said that most of the posts were by a small number of people. You can verify this yourself by clicking on the little number in the thread list. The implication being that you have to view to post so it’s safe to say that those few are doing most of the damage. I never said and don’t think that the whole thing should be eliminated, just that there is way too much now and it’s putting a burden on the board.
Haj
No, what you said was:
My “confusion” explained.
Yep, you’re right. I actually said “posts” earlier and got sloppy later.
Haj
The problem with flirt threads, especially when they morph into flirt threads from more general discussion topics, is that they are really only of interest to the flirters and the flirtees. They are not by nature good or interesting reading, and they tend to exclude other participants in the thread who may not be interested in flirting or being flirted with. My feeling is, “Hey, if you wanna do that, get a room.” A chat room, of course. Don’t fuck up a public discussion for your personal aggrandizement.
At the very least, flirth threads shold be clearly labelled as such so that those who don’t care to flirt don’t have to be annoyed by them.
Game threads are just boring and I could do without 'em, but they are easy to miss so they don’t bug me so much.
In short, I don’t care how the fuck ANY of you are doing.
Uh, could I have some more information on these fucking threads please? I like to fuck…
As opposed to the “Bush/Clinton is a rotten liar!” threads, where resolution is attained? 
Well, I can only speak for me. I do read all of the fora, and post in all of them, though I enjoy playing the occasional game. Also, there is the possibility that some people who come in here to play games end up also looking in GQ and such, and getting some of their ignorance driven out even if that’s not what they’re looking for, so to say.
Also, might I trust that I can participate in these game threads guilt-free, knowing that if and when it gets too long and is slowing things down, a mod will close it? If such is the case, perhaps you should consider putting a sticky in MPSIMS addressing the issue? (Not trying to run the show here. . .believe me, I don’t want your job:), just a thought).