Can you be more specific?

It's hard to be specific since resource usage isn't something that gets monitored the way storage and bandwidth do. They check activity in root ssh and get back lines of this:

| 425990 | bufforg_buffboar | localhost | bufforg_buffboard | Query | 0 | Sending data | select COUNT(post_number) from posts where post_date = '2003-08-19 18:04:14' AND post_number '>' 0 AND |

When they see a lot of them, they know something is wrong.

Did the changes help a lot? Just a little?

The changes helped a little. The new server helped a lot. The fact that the changes didn't make a dramatic impact is what's making me thing there's a glitch somewhere.

Oh and another thought I had. I know when we were discussing default things earlier, it was mentioned that the default number of posts per page is 10. Can we up that number? Because, while regular Buffistas will set probably their number to something higher, I'm thinking about the non-registered readers we get. For example, when we get linked to at Whedonesque or wherever and a bunch of people come over to see what Joss said. It might be better for us if they saw more posts per page and had to click next less.

Jon B's suggestion for QotD could be done, which'd mean that MySQL would be hit once a day, period.

Kristen, bots are blocked (or should be, if they play nice) from the thread pages. So they see the front page, the link page, the archives ... low load stuff only.

Also, as for connections staying open -- I can't imagine how one would keep a connection open across pages without totally hacking PHP. As of right now, the DB connection function looks like:

function connectAndQuery($query) {
  $db = db_connect();
  $result = mysql_query($query) or trigger_error("$query failed: " . mysql_error(), E_USER_ERROR);
  if (func_num_args() < 1) {
    db_disconnect();
  }
  return $result;
}

func_num_args() is < 1 at just once in the code ... while a post is being committed. Which means the connection is dropped IMMEDIATELY for every other database open. I'm flummoxed as to how that couldn't make a difference, or that could be changed.

Except by making fewer calls total, and shorter ones -- and yes, the SQL is going out to the askees soon.

Default posts per page? I can change that right now, for unregistered users. Gimme a sec.

I promise it won't hurt a bit.

If we did the random quotes in something other than SQL, would that help? I use a simple PHP random quote generator that's like two lines of code, total.

I think that as long as it's not opening a connection to the database, we're fine. So that might be a good idea. We can keep the generator without the database hits.

Oh and I wanted to ask...search isn't active right now, is it?

What's the size of the source file it pulls from? I was told that a non-SQL solution for a similar volume would be slower, since it's all file reads, whereas the SQL solution would use more RAM caching.

Of course, that's the problem, isn't it?

I think we should just go really light. But I never read the quotes.

Search is down.

Kristen is some amazing liaison. Instead of shooting the messenger, I'm inclined to offer her a cupcake. This Steven guy isn't looking too bad either.

brenda m -- what are your Amazon issues? Do you want to persuade us not to use them?

Quote of the Day

Jon B saves our cake and eats it too. This will in some ways even be better than the random quote function. It'll give each day a little theme. People will be like, "I was going to stay and gloat, but Ethan Rayne is reminding me today to do the damage and get out of town."

I'd take a fork in my neck if it'd help us with the rainy day dedicated server fund.

Like a kind of high-stakes dunk tank.

I'm feeling a little stupid right now (not that this is anything new) but, when I signed up I never quite understood the value of the message center. I always just went straight to the main page and read every thread in which I had any tiny bit of interest from wherever I'd left off before until I got to the end, at 10 posts per page, and then went to the next thread, going back to the main page in between reading each thread. Yes, the fault is mine.

So, I've changed my preferences to show 50 posts per page, but what should I be doing to minimize the damage when I want to keep up in a thread, perhaps post, and there are only two or three posts that I haven't read?

I really hope I'm not the only person abusing the system this way (only because, if it can be explained to me so that I don't abuse it, then maybe others will stop and there'll be no more problem). In case I'm not the only one, could an explanation of best use be put in the FAQ or something?

I think I'm still not getting it.

Are there sprinkles? Cause I could go for some sprinkles...

And yes, mad love to Steven and all his peeps at IH. Because, while I can get frustrated when shit goes wrong, they've been really great to us. They're holding it down. Keeping it real.

Big ups to Brooklyn. </rap mode>

Brenda, wrt anti-Amazon issues, we can certainly provide affiliate links to a ton of their competitors as well which would probably give them less Buffista business in the long run. I.e. buy(.com), walmart, goodguys, circuit city, barnes and nobles, staples, kb toys, babyuniverse, etc. (all links are to affiliate information for said site). There's a veritable fortune of money out there in affiliate links, (think of all the booze and corsets that could buy for the next F2F).

t /stumping for cash