# It's been nearly six months, TubaDiva, where is the "more better stuff" you promised? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 7, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612 "2006-10-07T16:32:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/141 "2006-10-19T04:20:58Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] I’m saying that Guin doesn’t fail to chime in whether it’s rain or shine. [/QUOTE] Oh ok, then we’re in agreement. I thought there was a slight element of sarcasm in your last post but I guess not. I don’t remember when Guin was sniping from the other side of the aisle but I don’t really need a cite for it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/142 "2006-10-19T04:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] I’m saying that Guin doesn’t fail to chime in whether it’s rain or shine. [/QUOTE] And amazingly it always matches the general consensus of what everyone has been saying for dozens of posts. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of those content free posts didn’t add to the data storage issue. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/143 "2006-10-19T04:31:08Z")
[QUOTE=wring] you prefer “administration”? [/QUOTE] Maybe I misread your post. Were you saying that I was part of the problem, “…believing that the complaints only come from chronic malcontents, they’ll continue to miss the fucking point” ? Maybe you were talking about someone else, or in general? ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/144 "2006-10-19T04:38:09Z")
[QUOTE=Sierra Indigo] Could you do a search for Admin Salary and perhaps get a hit? And for god’s sake, please I’d just like to be able to read the board for more than ten minutes without it timing out on me All. The. Fucking. Time! I don’t even post that often, I mainly like to read. But when it takes 20 attempts to open the one fucking thread (Believe me, I counted) then that’s just taking the piss, really. [/QUOTE] You might be able to change the connection timeout time in your browser. Increase it and while it won’t make the page load faster, it will be more patient and you won’t get error messages and have to re-try. I don’t remember how I did it in Firefox…maybe in “about:config”? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/145 "2006-10-19T04:45:27Z")
in general. I’ve been a long time poster. for most of my history here, I was often (I believe) accused of being a mod suck up. I usually supported staff here. the issue presented by this thread, however, marks a substantial shift in my position. there certainly are malcontents here. but it would be a big mistake to believe that the only complaints come from those. I would generally suggest to folks that if long time supporters were beginning to suggest that stuff wasn’t okey dokey, the PTB should take a good long hard look. frankly that’s been the case for more than a year. and I’ve not seen any change. as long as I get 10 bucks (or so) worth, I will continue to be around. the line is getting closer, fwiw. one would have thought that if an entity was loosing support from its base, that self reflection would perhaps start thinking that maybe their actions should change. but then, I’ve always been an optomist. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/146 "2006-10-19T05:09:19Z")
[QUOTE=wring] in general. I’ve been a long time poster. for most of my history here, I was often (I believe) accused of being a mod suck up. I usually supported staff here. the issue presented by this thread, however, marks a substantial shift in my position. there certainly are malcontents here. but it would be a big mistake to believe that the only complaints come from those. I would generally suggest to folks that if long time supporters were beginning to suggest that stuff wasn’t okey dokey, the PTB should take a good long hard look. frankly that’s been the case for more than a year. and I’ve not seen any change. as long as I get 10 bucks (or so) worth, I will continue to be around. the line is getting closer, fwiw. one would have thought that if an entity was loosing support from its base, that self reflection would perhaps start thinking that maybe their actions should change. but then, I’ve always been an optomist. [/QUOTE] I know you read most of the posts concerning this board and its’ operation. I know you as a poster that I value. In another thread, Jerry the TechGod posts > [@](#): > > This idea that Reader Management is unaware of the complaints and the frustrations of some on the SDMB and doesn’t give a shit about the membership is not correct. I read the SDMB almost daily checking ATMB for issues and concerns, I read it at home for personal enjoyment, I experience the occasional timeout while using it. I’m not unaware of what is going on. I also don’t have the attitude that I don’t give a shit about the membership. > > Who is responsible for the running of the SDMB and makes technical decisions about the hardware and day to day operation? I am. Here is my contact information: > > Jerry Davis > Information Systems Director > Chicago Reader, Inc. > 11 E. Illinois St. > Chicago, IL 60611 > > Phone: (312) 828-0350 > E-Mail: [jdavis@chicagoreader.com](mailto:jdavis@chicagoreader.com) So, the answer is, none of the mods/Admins can solve these problems. All we are are visible targets. Jerry invites you to email him. Will you get an answer? I don’t know. Will it help? I don’t know. Will continuing to berate mods/Admins for the problems of the board help? My answer would be–NO. BTW, have you emailed Jerry with any of your concerns? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/147 "2006-10-19T11:11:42Z")
wrt the attitude, I guess the biggest thing for me was the thread that spawned this, specifically the exchange between catsix and Tuba. That wasn;'t a Jerry issue. my experience w/most of the mods have been more positive than negative. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/148 "2006-10-19T12:35:19Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] My understanding was that the limit came from the database software, not vBulletin, but I could be mistaken. [/QUOTE] Not really. Something Awful has, as of now, 43,730,890 posts on their vBulletin-based message board. Except for a couple of parody subforums, the posts are fairly intelligent; definitely not one-liners in IM-speak, but as close to SDMB quality as you can get with a predominantly twentysometing userbase. Membership at the SA Forums is $5 for life, with additional fees for enhanced features like avatars and access to archived messages. At the SDMB, it’s $15 per year, or $7.50 for charter members. As a message board admin, technical issues are always going going to rear their head. For a while last month, I went through hosting hell; the VPS host where my site was based was sold, taking my site offline for two days. I had to jump to three different VPS hosts before I cound one where there weren’t any problems. The site was on and off for a three week period. Still, through it all, the users were patient and supportive. However, I had a temporary forum set up for the times when the site was offline, and there is no membership fee. There are higher expectations from users when they pay for membership, though. I’m sure if I charged a membership fee on my site, users would be upset and playing armchair accountant, just like on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/149 "2006-10-19T13:22:30Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] And you know what? When this board gets humming again, and all’s right with the world, you’ll be the first to chime in with a bazillion posts about how great every-fuckin-thing is and why are people bitchin.’ Been there with you, done this, tired of it. (As a personal poster. Not as a mod. ) [/QUOTE] So she complains when there’s problems, and when there’s not problems she says things are going well. That seems kinda appropriate to me, I guess I’m missing your point here. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/150 "2006-10-19T13:41:05Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] My understanding was that the limit came from the database software, not vBulletin, but I could be mistaken. [/QUOTE] MySQL does not have this limit. Note that I’m not commenting on the specific installation of the SDMB. There may very well be some quirk or difference which is limiting things. However, there is no limit that I know of in either MySQL or vBulletin which should be causing this under normal operation with proper sizing of partitions (as elmwood pointed out). I’m not second-guessing the SDMB tech people, just saying that this problem, whatever it may be, is one which larger sites, including free ones, have been able to deal with. And from a database standpoint, internal to my company we have a MySQL database which has more than a billion records in one table, and a single table size that would dwarf the entire SDMB, so I know the capability is there. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/151 "2006-10-19T14:22:57Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] Yes, but the amount of data in database would depend on a large part of the size of each post also. And some posters in Great Debates can be quite verbose. One post by them probably corresponds to 1000 posts saying “omg! lol!” [/QUOTE] Someone please step in and correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s my understanding that the amount of text in each post is really negiligble in terms of space in the database. What really eats up space is the information used to index and reference each post. In other words, 1,000 words in a single post will take up far less space than 1,000 words divided between four posts, because the information used to identify each individual post is stored too. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/152 "2006-10-19T16:31:52Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] MySQL does not have this limit. [/QUOTE] Did you mean “the latest production version of MySQL does not have this limit” or “The version of MySQL used by the SDMB does not have this limit”? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/153 "2006-10-19T16:34:11Z")
[QUOTE=XJETGIRLX] Someone please step in and correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s my understanding that the amount of text in each post is really negiligble in terms of space in the database. What really eats up space is the information used to index and reference each post. In other words, 1,000 words in a single post will take up far less space than 1,000 words divided between four posts, because the information used to identify each individual post is stored too. [/QUOTE] Well, I wouldn’t call it (the space taken up by the data vs. the indexes negligible). I would guess it’s at least a 25 - 30%, judging from the databases I’ve seen. And it’s not just the nuber of the words that deterine the size of the index, it’s the length of the words. e.g. a post like this: “OMG! WTF? LOL! xxx” would not be indexed at all, because the words are all to short. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/154 "2006-10-19T16:51:20Z")
In any case, let me add this: I am pretty sure that in the past, the 2 GB limit came from some database limitation, not disk space, but I don’t have any cites. Whether or not this is the case now, I can’t say. However, I would advise this: If you think that the SDMB server is underpowered, and wish for it to be upgraded, mentioning it on this message board is probably not the most efficient way of making your concerns known to the people who have the power to make a change in the situation. If I cared about the subject, I would contact the Chicago Reader directly (e.g. organize a letter-writing campaign). ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/155 "2006-10-19T17:13:27Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] (e.g. organize a letter-writing campaign). [/QUOTE] Is that a suggestion or permission? Curious because another board I’ve been a member of a while doesn’t really encourage such a thing (it’s a bannable offence, actually) … so an organized letter-writing campaign is not against the TOS here? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/156 "2006-10-19T17:16:45Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] I know you read most of the posts concerning this board and its’ operation. I know you as a poster that I value. In another thread, Jerry the TechGod posts So, the answer is, none of the mods/Admins can solve these problems. All we are are visible targets. Jerry invites you to email him. Will you get an answer? I don’t know. Will it help? I don’t know. Will continuing to berate mods/Admins for the problems of the board help? My answer would be–NO. BTW, have you emailed Jerry with any of your concerns? [/QUOTE] Oooh, am I a poster of value?! I’ve e-mailed Jerry and got a prompt, polite reply. [QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] If you think that the SDMB server is underpowered, and wish for it to be upgraded, mentioning it on this message board is probably not the most efficient way of making your concerns known to the people who have the power to make a change in the situation. If I cared about the subject, I would contact the Chicago Reader directly (e.g. organize a letter-writing campaign). [/QUOTE] I think the server is underpowered. I regularly have two windows open, and the SDMB is always the slowest. Even when I was watching the recent World Chess Championship, it was quicker. (I would guess that site was getting a miilion hits per hour easy.) I care about the subject, because this is an excellent board (and I pay for it). I have to say that I am disappointed in your suggestion of a letter-writing campaign. Aren’t you Mods appointed with the approval of a Chicago reader representative? Can’t you summarise the feelings of the members to that person? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/157 "2006-10-19T17:40:08Z")
[QUOTE=glee] I care about the subject, because this is an excellent board (and I pay for it). I have to say that I am disappointed in your suggestion of a letter-writing campaign. Aren’t you Mods appointed with the approval of a Chicago reader representative? Can’t you summarise the feelings of the members to that person? [/QUOTE] And what would be more effective? One person saying a thousand people are unhappy or a a thousand letters each saying that you are unhappy? ---
**Author:** ![jdavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f6c823/32.png) [@jdavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdavis)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/158 "2006-10-19T17:40:19Z")
A new server was ordered the middle of last week and is probably in my office awaiting my return from vacation on Monday. The process is in place to improve the performance of the SDMB. The database limitation causing the need for deletion of old threads/posts will be addressed during the build of the new server. The deleted threads/posts may be brought back in some archived form at that time or possibly even further in the future but so there is no misunderstanding about my intent please note I just said “may”. I don’t want people to assume it’s a given because it isn’t. Jerry ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/159 "2006-10-19T17:42:29Z")
[QUOTE=Mynn] Is that a suggestion or permission? Curious because another board I’ve been a member of a while doesn’t really encourage such a thing (it’s a bannable offence, actually) … so an organized letter-writing campaign is not against the TOS here? [/QUOTE] [You have to get permission first.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=279511) > [@TubaDiva](#): > > We do sometimes allow email or website campaigns, usually in charitable causes. However, the OP must get permission in advance. Wonder if they’ll grant permission in this case? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612/160 "2006-10-19T17:53:47Z")
[QUOTE=jdavis] A new server was ordered the middle of last week and is probably in my office awaiting my return from vacation on Monday. The process is in place to improve the performance of the SDMB. The database limitation causing the need for deletion of old threads/posts will be addressed during the build of the new server. The deleted threads/posts may be brought back in some archived form at that time or possibly even further in the future but so there is no misunderstanding about my intent please note I just said “may”. I don’t want people to assume it’s a given because it isn’t. Jerry [/QUOTE] Hooray for the new server. Enjoy the vacation. Here is one plea to try and bring back the old posts. Just to make people happy it would be well worth it when you get the chance. Thank you for letting us know, Jim [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-been-nearly-six-months-tubadiva-where-is-the-more-better-stuff-you-promised/375612.md?page=9)