# MPSIMS down? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 5, 2000, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338 "2000-04-05T03:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![coosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@coosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coosa)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/1 "2000-04-05T03:44:00Z")
Well, the entire board seems very, very slow tonight, so I hope it’s not gonna crash again. But I can’t get to MPSIMS at all, so thought I’d mention it here in case there is a problem the Message Board Gods need to be alerted about. * * * You’ve got a point there, brother - and one of these days I’m going to figure out what it is. - Cecil Adams ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/2 "2000-04-05T05:05:00Z")
I can’t get in either. I can go to any of the other boardds, just not MPSIMS. ☹ ~Bo~ [http://www.spacestar.net/users/flattum/horsie.gif](http://www.spacestar.net/users/flattum/horsie.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/3 "2000-04-05T08:39:00Z")
I was just in MPSIMS, but the time of the last post in the thread itself didn’t correspond to the time listed on the MPSIMS page. To clarify, I clicked on threads that had their most recent post stated as occurring between eight and nine, but the last post, when I read the thread, would be earlier. This was happening at about 3:40, Chicago time. I still don’t think that was very clear, but maybe someone else is having the same problem and can explain it better. ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/4 "2000-04-05T22:32:00Z")
It’s 6:30 Michigan time, and right now, I can’t get in to MPSIMS or GD. Got in here, & the Pit. Haven’t tried GQ yet. I came here because I was hoping someone would have started a thread like this. Thanks! I hate it when MPSIMS is down. It forces me in to doing something (eek!) productive, like cook or clean. * * * Cristi, Slayer of Peeps I made my husband join a bridge club. He jumps next Tuesday. (title & sig courtesy of UncleBeer and WallyM7!) ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/5 "2000-04-05T22:37:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Cristi: > \*\* > > I hate it when MPSIMS is down. It forces me in to doing something (eek!) productive, like cook or clean. > > \*\* I know it cristi! I am at work (its only 3:30 here) and now what am I gonna do? work? ha! …ive been forced to go to other sites all afternoon. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/6 "2000-04-05T22:47:00Z")
This seems to happen just about every day. Are the powers that be looking into it? ---
**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:** [April 5, 2000, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/7 "2000-04-05T23:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Random: > This seems to happen just about every day. Are the powers that be looking into it? Yes. See here. [More crashes than an air show—why?](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000957.html) ---
**Author:** ![coosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@coosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coosa)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/8 "2000-04-05T23:52:00Z")
Okay, it’s Wednesday evening and once again I can’t get into MPSIMS. Does it have something to do with internet traffic this time of day? Just letting you know. * * * You’ve got a point there, brother - and one of these days I’m going to figure out what it is. - Cecil Adams ---
**Author:** ![Lexicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lexicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lexicon)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/9 "2000-04-06T02:33:00Z")
whew! I am so glad I am not the only one. I was worried that some accomplished hack had mastersoned me. What a relief! ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/10 "2000-04-06T03:23:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by coosa: > **Okay, it’s Wednesday evening and once again I can’t get into MPSIMS.** Ditto. I can’t get GD either. (That might be for the best, though…) * * * _Eschew Obfuscation_ ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/11 "2000-04-06T04:18:00Z")
Five major versions of this BBS and it’s still crash prone and unstable? Ye gods! What’s happened to my profession? Is Infopop a division of Microsoft? Anybody with a few million handy to develop a **real** BBS system? I’m not kidding. About $250,000 for development (3 people for a year), the rest in marketing, sales and administration, and I could blow the damn doors off of UBB. Rock solid, with the capacity for a billion posts and a million users. * * * Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. ---
**Author:** ![Catrandom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@Catrandom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catrandom)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/12 "2000-04-06T04:28:00Z")
The company I work for is setting up message boards on its site – and they’ve contracted with none other than UBB! I wonder if they know what they’re getting into? Should I point it out? (They say they might let me be a moderator…) * * * ## Catrandom Go to a vet that’s also a taxidermist. Either way, you’ll get your cat back. _Sig courtesy of the amazing WallyM7_ ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/13 "2000-04-06T05:46:00Z")
If I were going to go looking for problems in MPSIMS, I’d start by killing the **Ogre** -generated thread on posting desktops. (I wouldn’t close it or archive it, I’d destroy it–then send very nasty letters to everyone who participated in it.) Of course, it might have absolutely nothing to do with the general problems in MPSIMS, but I figure that the MPSIMS problems could be a good excuse to destroy it. \< eg \> As of two minutes ago, MPSIMS was still closed to the outside world. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![coosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@coosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coosa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/14 "2000-04-06T09:51:00Z")
I couldn’t get into GD this evening either. Up till now, I’ve been feeling smugly superior to everyone complaining about crashes, inaccessible forums, missing posts, etc. because I have never, ever had any of those problems with the board. _sigh_ Pride goeth before a fall. * * * You’ve got a point there, brother - and one of these days I’m going to figure out what it is. - Cecil Adams ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/15 "2000-04-06T13:57:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by tomndebb: > **If I were going to go looking for problems in MPSIMS, I’d start by killing the Ogre-generated thread on posting desktops.** ::: **insert** that film clip they show on Monty Python of the huge crowd of women applauding::: 😃 * * * “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!” - the White Queen ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2000, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/16 "2000-04-06T16:53:00Z")
Wrong clip. I’d rather have the " this man is abou to die" clip from The Meaning of Life. That’s how I want to go. * * * Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/17 "2000-04-07T23:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Catrandom: > \*\*The company I work for is setting up message boards on its site – and they’ve contracted with none other than UBB! I wonder if they know what they’re getting into? Should I point it out? > > (They say they might let me be a moderator…) > > \*\* I’d mention it, Cat. Give 'em the full story. Go read the Infopop boards, get the flavor of what’s gone down before. Understand that even with the full story, they’ll probably go forward just the same. Unfortunately, the choices out there are just not that good as far as message board software goes and UBB gets a lot of business because while it is buggy it’s better than a lot of other stuff out there, and it’s not so expensive. There’s better systems, but at such a cost of software and manpower that it’s out of the reach of most companies. Like, say, the Chicago Reader. It’s one of those “best of a bad bargain” kind of things; UBB will allow you to have a board that (mostly) works for not a lot of money. your humble TubaDiva PROUD to be a UBB beta tester! ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/18 "2000-04-07T06:27:00Z")
How about we switch to OpenTopic it’s faster you know, and much the same as the current ubb. * * * If at first you don’t succeed you’re about average. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/19 "2000-04-07T13:22:00Z")
My personal (serious) theory as to why MPSIMS keeps crashing is that there are several threads in it now that have lots and lots of links (“post your desktop” springs immediately to mind) and that that is what’s slowing everything down to the speed of molasses in January. Everybody’s clicking on the links all at the same time, and the server just can’t handle it, gets a splitting headache, and goes back to bed. ## FWIW. 🙂 “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!” - the White Queen ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2000, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338/20 "2000-04-07T14:28:00Z")
Good theory, **Notthemama** , but actually it doesn’t work that way at all. The _UBB image tags_ and the _links to images_ tell _your_ browser to look on another server for the file that contains the actual image. Those files are never stored on the SDMB server and never pass thru the SDMB server. Each person’s browser reads the file from the server that the _image source_ or _link_ points to. The images in that thread that you mentioned may boog down your display, but that’s because your browser is pulling images from all over the web and trying to cram them through your modem to your PC. It isn’t an extra load on the SDMB server itself though. I would guess that the major load on this server is threads with high post counts because they are harder to sort or index and those containing large post because they use a lot of bandwidth sending them. That’s my take on it anyway. Jim [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-down/1338.md?page=2)