Take me straight to my last post please!

Originally posted by BO XIAN
I realize that FREEREPUBLIC.COM's founder and son are programmers and have written their own software.

However, it handles a LOT more posts than ATS and very efficiently.

Building a custom framework provides a number of different options. We're running on a legacy discussion board system, with tons of changes. At some point in our future, we anticipate a total-rewrite, but not for now.

As seen in the media portal addition, we're always considering improvements and features, and when possible, we see implementation.

As to cookie storage of the data, that'd be one big cookie (over time) and as it grows, would slow down every page-load for active posters.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
ATS hit that milestone of millions of posts and hundreds of simultaneous users years ago. We began cutting back on complex features...
- we once had a "your last post" button for threads you replied to
- we once had a "last read post" for threads you viewed
- we once had a thread views counter
- we once had a site-wide mood meter
- we once had individual mood meters for members
- at one time, guests saw full-thread views with avatars and signatures

And now, we have over 6 million posts in our database (the tally is officially 5.8 million, but that only counts the publicly viewed posts) and average nearly 800 simultaneous users at any given time.

If your posting volume (and therefore revenue) are up that much, can't you consider ploughing some of that money back into your infrastructure to improve functionality to its previous levels?

Is there any way we could "pay" for the privelage? maybe a pay membership.
Or can it be something we can buy from the ATS store?

[edit on 16-3-2009 by nixie_nox]

Originally posted by Retseh
If your posting volume (and therefore revenue) are up that much, can't you consider ploughing some of that money back into your infrastructure to improve functionality to its previous levels?

It's not a direct 1-to-1 scenario. Some things are so processor intensive that no realistic amount of money sufficiently solves the problem.

For example, even with our load-balanced web-server cluster running on a screamingly-fast 16-core database server, tracking and recording thread-views had become a significant load under traffic patters of a few months ago (which are even higher now). Tossing more hardware at the problem would indeed work, but we're currently at the highest-end of leased systems available from server providers. A cluster of database servers would be the next logical step for a site of our size, but the up-front cost exceeds $30,000 (hardware, software, rack, expert help, etc.)... a chunk of cash we simply don't have.



Not to mention that a cursory glance at industry news indicates online advertising rates and campaigns are falling off due to the economy.


[edit on 16-3-2009 by SkepticOverlord]

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Tossing more hardware at the problem would indeed work, but we're currently at the highest-end of leased systems available from server providers. A cluster of database servers would be the next logical step for a site of our size, but the up-front cost exceeds $30,000 (hardware, software, rack, expert help, etc.)... a chunk of cash we simply don't have.

My bad, I figured that kind of cash would not be an issue. I'm obviously over-estimating your revenue stream.

Either way, thanks for keeping the site up and running.

Originally posted by 44soulslayer
reply to post by SkepticOverlord

 

Is there any way this storage could be delocalised to each users' own computer?

For example a complex cookie that stores the "location" of each post the user makes (on their hard drive), and can take them back there at the click of the button. It wouldn't be a "live" adaptive system, but rather a simplistic one which just records the last post made in any thread as a function of location... ie the user's computer logs the post using some sort of geographic map like "post made in thread xxxx, page 13", and autolinks to that page when the button is clicked.

Just an outlandish suggestion, not even sure if what Im saying makes much sense considering my total lack of an IT background

If you right your mouse and click on CREATE SHORTCUT it will post a shortcut to your desktop. That will atleast get you to the right page your want.
As to the post its self you will still have to scroll down for it. And each time you will have to make a new shortcut and trash the old one. That is about as close to what you are talking about that there is right now. I too would like the this happen.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


MUCH appreciate your kind explanation.

Also your explanation about the monster cookie [compared to the Cookie Monster?]

I already do the shortcut creation business but that's rather clunky, too.

I also assume the video/media portal cost a pretty penny. Yet, I applaud that.

Nevertheless, IF AND WHEN . . . such requests have been a long standing need and frustration. I hope you provide something toward such ASAP.

Blessings for all you do, regardless.

Thx.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
A cluster of database servers would be the next logical step for a site of our size, but the up-front cost exceeds $30,000 (hardware, software, rack, expert help, etc.)... a chunk of cash we simply don't have.

Well, I promise if I figure out a way to beat the Mega Millions Jackpot and get out of the poorhouse I'll send you a check for the latest and greatest.


Yes, I do remember the days of more features, but I also remember days when the pages didn't load as screamingly fast as they do now. I think you've done an excellent job of keeping this site running soothingly and tweaked to load fast.

As has been said people can bookmark their last place if they're that anal, but with pages loading as fast as they do I don't find it a problem the way it exists - though I do wonder how many unnecessary pages I call up to get to where I'm going and how that adds up amongst us all.

Perhaps somebody (an ATS user) can write a little tool for people to download that would do an automatic ATS bookmark on an extra toolbar for each thread you visit.


[edit on 18-3-2009 by verylowfrequency]

The locating of one's last post would be a superior addition to the site, I wonder
how difficult it would be though to do that. Perhaps if is an expensive proposition
there could be an annual fee associated with it!

[edit on 18-3-2009 by EarthShine]

Originally posted by BO XIAN
I also assume the video/media portal cost a pretty penny.

While the "man hours cost" wasn't significant to our bottom-line, it was to me nearly three solid weeks of 5-7 hours a day spent with the myriad of server-side tweaks associated with converting and delivering online video and the code of the actual portal. But the bottom-line costs now are all bandwidth related. We opted for what is essentially the same delivery method as the major providers like YouTube, a globally cached content delivery network with unlimited bandwidth and optimized for streaming media.

Hey all budding application developers out there!!!

I would really like to see this Idea as well... How's abouts someone, or a team of peoples develop a firefox add-on that does this... For ATS and any other forum boards??

I would love to have a go, but right now I don't have the first clue about developing add-ons for fire fox... I'm going to have a look to see if there is some sort of developers tool kit or something easy to use - I'm guessing there would be.

[edit on 19/3/2009 by Now_Then]

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
we're currently on a cluster of five enterprise-class servers, one with 16-cores

You have Enterprise-class servers???

Then replicate me an earl grey tea, engage the 16 cores, and make it so number 1!

I would just like to say that I (and many other users) run on IE explorer not Firefox. A firefox add on would be no good to me!