It's not JUST me suffering poor running of the forum is it?

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 23 Jan 2008, 16:28

I'm fit to explode in sheer anger and frustration with it!!

I've been struggling with it for ages to the point where I REALLY REALLY
can't bear to try logging on or bothering with the 'new improved' version
of the forum...

IF IT'S NOT EASY TO USE, GUESS WHAT - NOBODY USES IT!

=END OF THE FORUM

Andrew

G4EIY · Unread post by **G4EIY** » 23 Jan 2008, 16:55

Well, I have just logged in with no problems.

First time in about 4 weeks though, been on holiday...

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 23 Jan 2008, 18:50

I could not get the site up this afternoon.. And it seems much slower than it was originaly..

But -- It is still the best site there is for Citroens, so it's worth the struggle sometimes.

.

mezuk04a · Unread post by **mezuk04a** » 23 Jan 2008, 19:10

Agreed, it does take at least four minutes to get in, although that doesnt sound long, in real terms its a lifetime hehehe....

Dont lose faith laddy

Stuart McB · Unread post by **Stuart McB** » 23 Jan 2008, 19:36

Can log on straight away but it seems much slower than other car forums I use.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 23 Jan 2008, 19:46

The problem is the exaggerated extremes on a totally random basis no
matter what computer/network/connection I use. The site just loaded now
fairly swiftly but the screens are still sluggish. Nothing like the hour and a
half it went belly up this afternoon insisting I didn't have sufficient access
pivillages or somesuch crap. I can tell the Bx forum must be suffering the
same issues and there's plenty of grumbling of unrest about it there.

The Xm and Cx forums are fine and a pleasure to use by comparison.

I've been on the forum no more than 20 mins in the last 2 weeks as I just
can't bear the ordeal, and I used to be logged on all the time before all this
recent upheaval before Christmas.

Andrew

Sturdybloke · Unread post by **Sturdybloke** » 23 Jan 2008, 22:05

Ive had problems today. First it would not let me enter the site without logging in and now this evening it is on the go slow and taking more than one attempt to make posts appear on the forum.

As you said Andrew its happened since the changover. Hopefully its easy cured

Cheers - Craig.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 24 Jan 2008, 22:25

Sturdybloke wrote:As you said Andrew its happened since the changover. Hopefully its easy cured

Cheers - Craig.

My thought is that the server this forum is now running on is a bit overloaded. I expect it is a virtual server somewhere that hosts a whole family of forums, all running complex PHP scripts that give the processor a hard time. PHP is an interpreted language, much like the old BASIC and takes a bit of processor resource to run it. You only need a few PHP scripts running simultaneously for the whole shebang to almost grind to a halt. The forum is slowest when running index.php to display the forum index. This is the most run script on any forum and also the one that does the most intense database lookup. In fact, the bottleneck could well be the database (MySQL) that sits behind the forum.

The only real answer to this problem is to move to a dedicated server, one that only runs the FCF. The down side is that it would cost much more than this one does. For us all, it is effectively free to use at present and is not spoilt by adverts. It does cost though and these costs are presently and very generously met by the owner of the FCF. Without his generosity, the FCF would not exist in its present form and the wealth of archive information may well have been lost forever.

Against that background, we should be grateful we have a forum, albeit a bit slow and troublesome at times. I know it's frustrating in the extreme but with patience it does work.

You can make it a little better by not calling up the main index any more than is necessary. Keep your login details cached in your browser so you don't have to log in each time and if you need to log in, log in via the PM page rather than the main forum. Also, to switch sub-forums, use the "jump To:" box at the bottom rather than calling up the main forum index again.

Copy any posts you make to your paste buffer (highlight all text and press Control+C) and if your post fails to post successfully, you've not lost your text. Repost and use Contol+V to paste your text back in.

We may also be able to help things a bit by turning off e-mail post alerts. This too is quite taxing on the processor.

Finally, this is a busy forum. After all, that's why the old host suspended us. It really deserves its own server but as I say, it would cost and would possibly involve either a subscription-based membership or donations to meet the cost of hosting fees.

Thoughts? I'll stick my neck right out here and state that I would be more than happy to donate in order to see this forum running well and continue to be successful. It has proved to be enduring and still attracting new members despite the problems.

James.UK · Unread post by **James.UK** » 25 Jan 2008, 00:27

I would also be quite happy to contribute to the forums upkeep.

Information is priceless..

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 25 Jan 2008, 00:37

I use PHPNuke for my airsoft forum, not only does it use a slightly retrofitted version of PHPBB as the forum and allow attachments, but it uses PHP for everything else, showing who's logged in, showing when the next airsoft skirmish will be, any news articles, photo gallery etc, and it's lightening fast.
The site is approx 700MB in size, excluding the database which is approx 50MB alone.

Unread post by **alan s** » 25 Jan 2008, 03:17

Well, I keep asking questions but am not getting any answers.

My suggestion was to go via the optional donation system, but again, I don't know what costs are involved nor how to collect and most importantly, how to swing across from one server to another and as an added problem, I'm on the opposite side of the world operating on a fully opposite time zone.
There are times of the day when I literally get booted off the forum I'm supposed to be the administrator, but it tells me to "re authenticate" myself to get access, then tells me my log in details are incorrect.

If you guys think it's frustrating, think of me literally spending hours here every day deleting these PITA spammers who at times will simply register several different log in names, however, the upside of all this is that I'm finding that very few of these low lifes are even bothering these days, possibly because of the long time delays to log on but when I get a plague of them who just happen to snag on when things are moving, it takes 5+ minutes a time to get rid of them; great fun.

All we can do is keep on trying to get something resolved.
Anders has also posted in the Citroen forum along these same lines.

Alan S

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 25 Jan 2008, 10:37

Don't support anyone has a copy of the database so I could test it on the back of the server I use for my airsoft forum?

Sturdybloke · Unread post by **Sturdybloke** » 25 Jan 2008, 17:55

citrojim wrote:<what jim wrote>

I cant pretend to know what you wrote as when it comes to computers im

I can believe that its due to the heavy useage, however even though the previous (provider?) had the hump with the number of visitors to the site *they offered a better service* until they got the hump

Obvious someone has to pay for our useage and as said if a whipround is held I would only be to happy to pop a few quid in the post for the chief in charge.

Cheers - Craig.

*This is my own view and not the opinon of FCF*

matt · Unread post by **matt** » 25 Jan 2008, 23:31

Its been slow for me since we were back online,i never raised it because i was just grateful to be back !!!!

Things do seem a bit quieter than before tho,maybe folks went elsewhere to chat? There are a lot of other forums on the web that are busier than this but still run fast so it seems a dedicated server is needed??

I wonder how many people would be happy to donate?its not just the cash tho its the mods time and effort too.

Regards,drunk matt.

den169 · Unread post by **den169** » 27 Jan 2008, 21:29

Crap for me half the time its not worth waiting.And the search doesn't work type in c5 suspension it brings pages of anything.