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Temporary forums
Qhimm:
I've switched forum software to SMF, currently running a default install. This will mean there are a whole bunch of new features you can use, but which I strongly recommend against using (moderators can step in if you do). The point here is to try to minimize server stress, because quite frankly it looks like we've gotten a bit too big for my hosting account to handle (MySQL-wise).
Currently all accounts and posts are intact, but I will sometime soon take steps to move older topics to some archive of sorts, again to minimize server stress. Memberlists will also be culled, search bots will be blocked, etc. etc. Also the forums themselves will be customized whenever I have time, to reintroduce things like warnings, etc. Note that all old warnings are still intact, so you have not gotten a clean slate because of the switch. ;)
Also the subject requires some further explanation. These forums are temporary, and if it turns out the server is getting overloaded (again), they can be disabled without warning. Good luck to us all, because the next level of hosting is 3-4 times more expensive than my current hosting plan.
ice_cold513:
hay thank you Qhimm you dont know how much i missed the forum
rmco2003:
SMF huh? They seem to be popular type these days
Sad Jari:
--- Quote from: Qhimm on 2006-05-08 09:09:06 ---The point here is to try to minimize server stress, because quite frankly it looks like we've gotten a bit too big for my hosting account to handle (MySQL-wise).
--- End quote ---
Can SMF cache static pages?
I'm going to assume that the account has way more space than you know what to do with, and there seems to be about 10 thread views for one reply, on average. So, I suppose that if the forum cached the static page created during the first view and then displayed it, that should cut down the SQL-activity quite a bit.
Wordpress certainly benefits from creating static pages and caching them, but it is a blog.
--- Quote from: Qhimm on 2006-05-08 09:09:06 ---Memberlists will also be culled, search bots will be blocked, etc. etc.
--- End quote ---
Limit searching for members only?
It's very annoying, and guaranteed to generate dead accounts, but it should decrease the server load. I assume that searching is the activity that creates the most load?
And/or limit searches to x times in 10 minutes, for example.
--- Quote from: Qhimm on 2006-05-08 09:09:06 ---Good luck to us all, because the next level of hosting is 3-4 times more expensive than my current hosting plan.
--- End quote ---
Have you shopped around? There might be cheaper alternatives.
...and your salary is at least 3-4 times greater than it was during the old forums, is it not? :P
Awww, spellcheck doesn't work.
Qhimm:
--- Quote from: Sad Jari on 2006-05-08 13:53:13 ---Can SMF cache static pages?
I'm going to assume that the account has way more space than you know what to do with, and there seems to be about 10 thread views for one reply, on average. So, I suppose that if the forum cached the static page created during the first view and then displayed it, that should cut down the SQL-activity quite a bit.
Wordpress certainly benefits from creating static pages and caching them, but it is a blog.
--- End quote ---
I'm going to have to look into that. As feature-packed as SMF is, it should, otherwise there should be a mod for it somewhere. And yes, I have way much more space than I have MySQL server resources. :)
--- Quote from: Sad Jari on 2006-05-08 13:53:13 ---Limit searching for members only?
It's very annoying, and guaranteed to generate dead accounts, but it should decrease the server load. I assume that searching is the activity that creates the most load?
And/or limit searches to x times in 10 minutes, for example.
--- End quote ---
I'd like to avoid blocking guest searching unless really necessary... ironically on phpbb the critical issue was not the searching itself (that is just a quick lookup into a search word index, 1-2 queries), but rather the maintenance of said index, which had to be updated whenever some post content changed. Not horribly performance-intensive (just space-consuming), but it did add 1-2 queries to whatever action you ever took which modified the content.
Oh, and I also expect the blockage of search bots will bring the SQL traffic down by 50% or so. It'll mean less people will find their way here, but hey, at least there'll be a "here" to speak of. :)
--- Quote from: Sad Jari on 2006-05-08 13:53:13 ---Have you shopped around? There might be cheaper alternatives.
...and your salary is at least 3-4 times greater than it was during the old forums, is it not? :P
--- End quote ---
Hush! :) It's actually about 2.5 times greater, then again my fixed expenses are also 2-3 times greater. And I'd much prefer not having to spend what little remains on additional web hosting just so I can have even more unused space and traffic allowance. Unless more people donate...? (nudge nudge say no more) :P
Jokes aside, I have not looked around at other hosts yet, mainly because allowed MySQL server load is not really something they state on their pages, and moving just to find out that you'll get shut down again is a bummer. And semi-/dedicated hosting is going to get expensive no matter where you look, and very definitely overkill just to power a medium-sized forum (hey, I guess we're not "small" anymore! yay! and d'oh!).
I also quite like the overall "feature set per dollar" of my current host. That, and I have pre-paid current hosting for about $100 worth. :)
--- Quote from: Sad Jari on 2006-05-08 13:53:13 ---Awww, spellcheck doesn't work.
--- End quote ---
Aww, I hadn't checked but I had a feeling it wouldn't... the necessary programs are installed, but possibly they're not setup correctly. I'm going to have to check if I have access :)
EDIT:
I also hear talk of using AJAX techniques in the newest SMF, to further reduce server load. For those of you who think soccer or cleaning when you hear "AJAX", in this context it refers to page scripts communicating with servers directly and exchanging data without reloading the entire page. For example, one could imagine editing your post (in a popup window, or inline in the topic) and when you're done only your post is reloaded (the rest of the page stays the same). Plenty of browsers support techniques like this, it's helpful to reduce server load, and when you get down to the details it's quite cool to work with as well. :)
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