[Closed] The community here is great, but the forum software and servers SUCK!

PM function? Not needed, people seem to email me from here easily enough

So it is 'official STW policy' to pander to the regular posters at the expense of newbies then....

Or we use a format that works for us and a majority of members, new and old.

Not having PM is a total PITA here.

not sure it is. my email is in my profile. you can email me if you want.

some people don't have an email address - they have elected to be un-PMable.

this only falls down if you have no email access. (on the internet? hmm?)

Your profile allows you too add:

Youtube ID

Email

Twiter ID

Flickr ID

So there's at least 2 ways people can get in touch with you if you add the info.

Sorry, you are wrong.

Post about racing? Racing forum.
Post about 29er wheels / frame? 29er forum.
Post about SS? SS forum.

It is called keeping things on topic.

It's my new 29er SS racing bike. Oh, it's made by Ragley, so I'd also need to post it in the "Manufacturers: Ragley" forum.

On here, the topic is bikes. So, I put it in the "bike" forum.

Jesus if people think this is big forum you need to get out on the Interweb more!

Jesus if people think this is big forum you need to get out on the Interweb more!

It's not as big as some but it's not a small forum by a long shot. Remember this isn't some cooperation running this it's still half a dozen guys and some volunteers.

Sure, may the issue is trying to host yourself - outsource to a host who can handle and scale?
Not sure what forum software you use but I've seen simple VBulletin message boards handle over 10m posts, 1-2m members easy.

So moderators can swear but the proletariat can't?

I'm starting to see the OP's point now and think a change in opinion is in order. If there was a sub division of a sub division which was them sub divided into the "what Mark said on the topic of swearing proles" then the OP would have been able to find Mark's comments quickly, easily and comfortably without getting twisted knicker syndrome.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it (referring to the division of forums not the server), and that's not a question of being a luddite.
Why would you want PMs, if I want to [s]stalk[/s] get in touch with someone, I can. If they want privacy, I respect that.

@OP, which of the opposing forums are you trying to promote?

Sure, may the issue is trying to host yourself

They don't host themselves.

Not sure what forum software you use but I've seen simple VBulletin message boards handle over 10m posts, 1-2m members easy.

Busy server that then with 10 to 5 post per member.

Other forums are available.

Indeed, and they have subdivided forums, which is one of a number of reasons why many of us post more frequently here.

I think quotes work really well on here as well - it encourages people to be selective. And please please no Private Messages. Why would I want a system that means I have to click on a link that arrives in an email and go to a website to respond? If people want to be contacted privately they add their details to their user info.

Why don't we start a thread with forum feature requests? Kicking off -
- forum takes you to last read post in a thread
- simple way of getting 'my threads' (ie all the ones you've posted to). You can get this with an advanced search but it's slow and clunky. Old forum had this....

simon -

simple way of getting 'my threads' (ie all the ones you've posted to). You can get this with an advanced search but it's slow and clunky. Old forum had this....

Its in your profile / forum activity

simple way of getting 'my threads'

Profile > Forum actvity

Not so hard is it?
🙂

EDIT
Curse my fat fingers, beaten by TJ!

simple way of getting 'my threads' (ie all the ones you've posted to). You can get this with an advanced search but it's slow and clunky.

Is that not just this: http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/profile/simons_nicolai-uk

Simon you can get....oh never mind.

They don't host themselves.

Oh ok - who hosts them?

Busy server that then with 10 to 5 post per member.

You can't really work it out like that since obviously there's member attrition - but any forum up at 10m threads is going to be busy from a retrieval point of view. And the point was that off the shelf software and decent hosts seem to handle it fine.

- forum takes you to last read post in a thread

Click the time under the freshness column and it does.

Its in your profile / forum activity

I like It as It Is. All it needs is a mobile version. Stripped back and resized so I can browse while bored at work.

faster forum costs more money, so that'll be more adverts, which take up more server space making things slower again. I like the layout as it is, it stops it being like every other boring forum. If MBR or whatever is so great, why post here?

websites crash sometimes, during these times i like to leave the house and ride my dandyhorse

Oh ok - who hosts them?

Not for me to disclose.

You can't really work it out like that since obviously there's member attrition - but any forum up at 10m threads is going to be busy from a retrieval point

"600 database queries performed every second during normal conditions." is a lot of retrievals. 10m post doesn't mean it's going to be busy if there's 2 million members with 5 post each that's not busy now really.

The issue are being looked at software and hardware wise.

Oh ok - who hosts them?

Looks like http://easily.co.uk/ at first glance.

faster forum costs more money

There's no major problem with speed / performance, when it's actually up.

Forums with endless categories and sub-divisions are good for the occasional posters/new members because topics can be browsed effectively.

Yes, having a [i]Components:Headsets:Threadless:StarFangledNuts:Installation[/i] forum means a new member would know exactly where to ask his question (assuming they were familiar with the terminology), but he/she wouldn't get an answer because no one is going to idly browse that forum on a regular basis.

Ask about star-fangled nuts on the Bike Forum and you'll get an answer within 3 minutes, probably from people that didn't specifically come here to talk about star fangled nuts!

Not sure what forum software you use but I've seen simple VBulletin message boards handle over 10m posts

bbPress, as per Drac's link, and they are apparently the biggest bbPress based forum!

Looks like http://easily.co.uk/ at first glance.

I think they just do the domain. The hosting is from [url= http://www.webfusion.co.uk/ ]Webfusion[/url] using the Tristram Centre in [url= http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=(Tristram+Centre+Leeds&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Tristram+Centre,+Brown+Ln+W,+Leeds+LS12+6BF&gl=uk&ei=ZmtJTfrjLYnPhAen1oT1Dg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ8gEwAA ]Leeds[/url].....possibly.

GrahamS - Member
This is not a particularly big forum..
Isn't it?

Chat Forum: 1,114 pages
Bike Forum: 2,054 pages
For Sale: 2,796 pages
Wanted: 96 pages

40 thread topics per page = ~242,400 threads some of which are hundreds of posts long.

It is quite a big forum.

Mods: actually is there any reason all the "For Sale" thread are currently kept? I guess it is nice being able to check a seller's history, but perhaps that could be handled some other way. e.g. a classifieds feedback on the profile page.

The features I mention are still standard on every other forum, both bigger and smaller which would still suggest the problem with implementation the standard features I mention are indicative of another problem with the forum rather than an issue that they are too costly to implement.

Another annoying feature I just though of the fact that the reply box is only at the bottom of the last page rather than on every page. It just makes the use of the forum more `clunky'.

The issue are being looked at software and hardware wise.

I think part of the problem is a lack of transparency. An official sticky thread (can we do that?) saying "we're aware that there's a problem, this is what we've found, this is what we're doing, this is when we expect things to be resolved" would stop this sort of thread appearing every couple of days.

If it works it works, if it's down it's down. Not a biggie to find something else in life to do, unless this is life! 😕

we're aware that there's a problem, this is what we've found, this is what we're doing, this is when we expect things to be resolved" would stop this sort of thread appearing every couple of days.

That is a fair point, I'll fire something off to those that have a better idea me. My info is even a week or so old.

Cool. Thanks.

All it needs is a mobile version. Stripped back and resized so I can browse while bored at work.

Looks fine to me:

[img] [/img]
(STW on iPhone)

Hang on a minute, is STW built on Wordpress with BBPress forum plugin?!

...and we're back.

1 million posts ain't that big in the grand scale of things.

bbPress, as per Drac's link, and they are apparently the biggest bbPress based forum!

This could be the biggest issue if the software has not been tested with these sorts of numbers.
Better software and hardware with more scaleability is the answer.......... all that's needed is a cheque 😐

Edit: Haha...... finally managed to post this. Is that irony?? 😀

Well that's tonight's tea sorted.

[img] [/img]

1 million posts ain't that big in the grand scale of things.

It's over 1 million on the bike forum alone.

Graham, you should turn your bluetooth off when you're not using it. Saves battery! 😉

How did you get the iPhone screen shot BTW?

How did you get the iPhone screen shot BTW?

Hold home and sleep button at the same time.

Edit: Damn the iPhone 4 has a lot more res than my old 3GS 🙁

[img] [/img]

It's over 1 million on the bike forum alone.

Yes, and in the grand scale of things it's not [i]that[/i] big. Let me put it like this, I have a [older than I'm happy with] server in my office that's running a database of over 5 million records for one client and I don't think that's big at all.
We don't have the same number of requests by any stretch of the imagination (but that's dealt with by hardware and load balancing) but it gives you an idea of scale.

Hold the power button and press the home key iirc.

I think they just do the domain. The hosting is from Webfusion using the Tristram Centre in Leeds.....possibly.

Nice spot. I think you're right. The server might not be there physically, it could be routed anywhere internally, but that seems to be where everything's pointing.

Hang on a minute, is STW built on Wordpress with BBPress forum plugin?!

This is the problem.

Good luck!

Yes, and in the grand scale of things it's not that big. Let me put it like this, I have a [older than I'm happy with] server in my office that's running a database of over 5 million records for one client and I don't think that's big at all.

Yes it's not but this isn't large company, it's a forum from a magazine, it's way bigger than it use to be. Also it would have many more posts but they were lost 2 years ago.

We don't have the same number of requests by any stretch of the imagination (but that's dealt with by hardware and load balancing).

So it may have more info but less people accessing it.

A bit like having NYC libary but having a 100 members compared to Todmorden local libary and 100,000 members sometimes it's going to get jammed.

Drac - Moderator

"This site goes down with monotonous regularity."

As in sometimes on a Sunday evening unless there's maintenance going on to make it stable.

2nd time today, it's been down, possibly more, but you keep believing that Drac

Hence the humble pie.

Yes it's not but this isn't large company, it's a forum from a magazine, it's way bigger than it use to be. Also it would have many more posts but they were lost 2 years ago.

Yes but the IT people should have been thinking about future scalability and upgrade paths. Whoever picked a beta of BBPress (which it must have been at the time) over something established with years of development behind it (such as VBulletin etc) wants firing!

Yes but the IT people should have been thinking about future scalability and upgrade paths. Whoever picked a beta of BBPress (which it must have been at the time) over something established with years of development behind it (such as VBulletin etc) wants firing!

Ah right I'm sure they'll appreciate your thoughts.

Based on the limited information we've either been given or reverse engineered, I don't -think- that the choice of site software is related to the stability of the site. </speculation>

Besides, given the jerking knees whenever someone suggests having three subforums rather than two, I'd respectfully suggest that changing to different software would be about as popular as a Gary Glitter concert at my local créche.

A bit like having NYC libary but having a 100 members compared to Todmorden local libary and 100,000 members sometimes it's going to get jammed.

Absolutely, I was just saying that 1 million records isn't that bid. So it's likely to be a hardware problem.

Yes it's not but this isn't large company, it's a forum from a magazine, it's way bigger than it use to be. Also it would have many more posts but they were lost 2 years ago

Exactly and this is part of the problem. STW presumeably don't make much money from the forum. So the question is whether it's possible to move the forum to a company that can offer better levels of uptime/service because the finger of blame must be pointing at the current hosts/hardware.
I suspect that if some time was put into research it a better host could be found without too much trouble. But then I'm quite often wrong 😉

Well I reckon it's hosted by www.donhost.co.uk on a couple of servers in Uxbridge on Webfusion' backbone.

If we're guessing at these things.

So it's likely to be a hardware problem.

I think the reason that it's likely to be a hardware problem is that in another thread, Tom said (and I'm paraphrasing slightly), "it's a hardware problem."

The bottom line is, and I know the IT bods don't give a flying fudge about my opinion, that the hosting company is costing STW money in lost ad revenue due to consistent downtime. If it was my business, and yes I know it is not, I would be kicking off as this has been going on for a while now.

if i was paying for the service i would want my money back.but it's free so no complaints that the site goes down every lunchtime (which is probably it's peak usage period.)

Tiger > I'd be interested to see where you're getting that from. (email in profile if you don't want to post it here)

if i was paying for the service i would want my money back

...but STW are paying for this service.

I think the reason that it's likely to be a hardware problem is that in another thread, Tom said (and I'm paraphrasing slightly), "it's a hardware problem.

I also mentioned once or twice in this thread but hey ho.

The bottom line is, and I know the IT bods don't give a flying fudge about my opinion, that the hosting company is costing STW money in lost ad revenue due to consistent downtime. If it was my business, and yes I know it is not, I would be kicked off as this has been going on for a while now.

What makes you think they haven't raised any issues or concerns?

Jamie > if it were my company, I'd have turned up on the Host's doorstep with a screwdriver in one hand and a two foot length of 3x2" in the other by now. (-:

What makes you think they haven't raised any issues or concerns?

That'd be that transparency thing again then.

earlier today at STW towers:
[img] http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSDfbKnKgQxfIlAwJz2F3547tqQiJgRP4rYSNGPp-ROlAUKlprfXg [/img]

(not dead, just a bit sleepy)

What makes you think they haven't raised any issues or concerns?

Because nothing has been done?

Actually, I take that back, it's not really anything to do with us.

Point is, we don't know what's going on, so we're going to do what spods do when there's a problem on the internet, which is piss and moan about it. 🙂

Graham, you should turn your bluetooth off when you're not using it. Saves battery!

Mleh, I'd just forget to turn it back on again. It makes it to the end of the day easily enough.
(48% at 3:20pm and I've been on here all day)

Edit: Damn the iPhone 4 has a lot more res than my old 3GS

Yep. Twice the res (four times the pixels) same size display.
Males a huge difference to the clarity of text and photos.

1 million posts ain't that big in the grand scale of things.

It's over 1 million on the bike forum alone.

German MTB forum is pushing 8 million, and a fraction under 200,000 members. Now that's getting a bit more sizeable in the grand scheme of things, but I'm sure there's much bigger out there. ANd in true Germanic style has to regiment everything into 100 sub-forums so you realistically have to hit "show all new/updated threads", and get it in a format essentially the same as STW 😉

VBulletin is pretty well supported, but not without its (stupid) faults (many of which I fix c/o greasemonkey, due to slack admins that cba to fix those faults), but it costs money (not sure how much).

format = perfect.. those other youth attracting multi sub-sect nonsenses are very dour..

function = not 100% lately

that is all

I'll be posting an update on the sticky thread shortly.

I'll be posting an update on the sticky thread shortly.

You must hate us Tom 😉

- forum takes you to last read post in a thread

Click the time under the freshness column and it does

er, takes you to the newest post, not the last one I read. Useful but no banana.

er, takes you to the newest post, not the last one I read. Useful but no banana.

Ah. Sorry about that, misread it.

Drac: more to the point, why does [url= http://bbshowcase.org/forums/view/top100 ]that bbShowcase[/url] site say STW is American? 😯

A bit like having NYC libary but having a 100 members compared to Todmorden local libary and 100,000 members sometimes it's going to get jammed.

OK OK IGMC

We all are American, Graham. What you mean you are a limey sonofabitch?!??!

Get him! Go for his tea! That's where the British keep their power!

Drac: more to the point, why does that bbShowcase site say STW is American

51st state, innit?

Because nothing has been done?

Ah right ok.

Drac: more to the point, why does that bbShowcase site say STW is American?

My guess the box is in America.

Been down three times today now (so far).

At least split the Bike forum into:

* Bikes and Equipment
* Riding

It is common knowledge that people (in general) don't like change and sequel like stuck pigs about it, and then a week later can't remember what all the fuss was about and are happy with the change. Don't be conservative reactionaries! Be revolutionary!

At least split the Bike forum into:

* Bikes and Equipment
* Riding

[img] [/img]

and sequel like stuck pigs

Heh.

7hz - you are flogging a dead horse. Its only a tiny minority want the forum split - nothing to do with a dislike of change but we prefer it this way

The debate has been done a load of times and that is the view of the vast majority every time it is debated.

Its one of the things I like about this forum - the lack of subdivisions.

Oh FFS, the server has eaten my new thread...

It is common knowledge that people (in general) don't like change and sequel like stuck pigs about it, and then a week later can't remember what all the fuss was about and are happy with the change. Don't be conservative reactionaries! Be revolutionary!

Can you bring back the coffee forum, whilst you're at it look for Shaun as well.

Lol bruneep

TandemJeremy - that's it, I challenge you to a race! On coastkids hidden trail. You on your tandem 🙂

Sequel like stuck pigs? SQL like a stuck pig! LOL.

That's it, I'm buying out the mag and changing things to how I like, it's what us idle billionaires do you know...

🙂

Shaun is prolific tweeter - not hard to find !