If it hasn't already been suggested, maybe we can take twenty volunteers to Beta test Search, really run it through a ringer, and see what's the what?

We could maybe have a "VIP Archive" page and simply email the webmasters of Fireflyfans.net and Whedonesque and ask for cooperation in making sure links go to that page.

I was kind of weirded out by the idea of having such an archive (Hey! Look at us! Important folks stop by cuz we da COOLEST!) but I think something small on the right hand side, "Nilly Goes to Hollywood!" for example, would be funnier and help.

I'm a tech moron, and maybe definately overthinking, but if the VIP archive was on a different part of the server than the rest of the site, would that then decrease the chances of outage due to linkage?

I think "Nilly goes to Hollywood' is a great idea, both as a thread and in real life. If it's a straight html page, it saves lots of wear and tear on the database.

Is there anything that can be done coding-wise to make search much less of a drain?

I'm pretty sure ita's plan is to set up search so that it only returns some set number of posts at a time, like a normal page view would, rather than returning every single applicable post, which is how it was previously set up. That should be much easier on the server.

I know there were social objections to a VIP page, but when it starts to be a tech issue, those may need to be reconsidered.

ETA: and, for the record, "Nilly Goes to Hollywood" is a f-in' great thread title.

I know there were social objections to a VIP page, but when it starts to be a tech issue, those may need to be reconsidered.

We probably do need to consider a combination of somehow blocking external links to specific posts within threads (and I have no idea if that's even possible), along with a static html page of any quotes from ME personnel or Tim. IIRC, the social objections were mostly about wanting to treat any ME personnel who happened to register not as VIPs, but rather as we would any other member of the community, i.e. treat them as friends as opposed to special guest stars. We had always done that with Tim, and it had usually worked pretty well. I don't think we ever actually expected Joss to post here, and for better or worse, every single word Joss utters is of great interest to the Buffy/Angel/Firefly fandom. And if he says it, they will come.

blocking external links to specific posts within threads

I don't know if that's doable. I know you can block all direct linking and make everyone go to the main page. I don't know how it works though.

If it hasn't already been suggested, maybe we can take twenty volunteers to Beta test Search, really run it through a ringer, and see what's the what?

Didn't we do that before we went live here? I thought we "passed" the stress test?

blocking external links to specific posts within threads

That's pretty easy to do. On showthread.php you check the referring URL and redirect if it's not buffistas.org. But what does it accomplish? Would the redirect use significantly less resources than bringing up a ten post page? Smart folks, once redirected, will just recopy and paste the desired URL and get to where they want in two steps instead of one. That would actually use more resources, not less.

I agree with Jon. Also, you're making the information functionally inaccessible.

How, then, am I going to find the discussion around Joss mentioning the movie? Search? Threadsuck? Paging through until I find it? None of those ease things up.

When I'm on the other side of this migraine, I'll try have actual ideas.

But Jon is also correct that the original search script has been tested. Right now, I'm looking at the MARCIE code, since that's first in queue.

I was wondering about MARCIE. Did Paul work that out? I haven't noticed him around lately, but there's lots of threads I'm way behind in.

I thought we "passed" the stress test?

We did. But it was on the test board. We won't know if search is an issue until it goes back into use. And, hopefully, it will all be fine and dandy. So we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Would the redirect use significantly less resources than bringing up a ten post page?

Well, I thought the idea of the Nilly Hollywood page is that it wouldn't use any database resources.

Paul sent me code. I'm the bottleneck -- trying to find time to fine toothed comb it.