Want SEN to stop having downtime? Then please stop using the "Search" functionality on the site. Yes, I know, it's convenient, but from the looks of it, using search generally results in the following sequence of events happening:
1. Search ties up SEN's server for several minutes due to how much data it must dig through (also blame search implementation for being inefficient).
2. During this time, SEN is inaccessible. Frustrated users mash F5 as hard as they can to get their SEN fix.
3. Once the search query is complete, all the web requests sent during the freeze begin to be processed by the server. This flood of a ridiculously large number of backed-up requests causes errors like the following to occur:
Warning: mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: User starlite_starglo already has more than 'max_user_connections' active connections in /home/starlite/public_html/core/mysql.php on line 21
A Staredit Network error has occured:
MySQL Error: No connection to the server.
Please contact administration with all the details.
4. Users keep mashing F5 because either no one reads the error, or every person on SEN is an impatient fool. The number of requests sent to SEN's server increases dramatically and stays high because people keep mashing F5 in hopes that the situation will improve, when in reality the refreshes make everything worse. This results in the following error being displayed during attempts to view SEN, even for hours to come until people finally give up. The load on the server lightens and everything returns to normal...
A Staredit Network error has occured:
MySQL Error '2006': MySQL server has gone away
Query failed: SELECT * FROM sessions WHERE s_ip='xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx' AND s_id='asdfghjklasdfghjklasdfghjklasdfghjkl' LIMIT 1
Waited: 0.0371932983398 ms
Please contact administration with all the details.
5. Someone uses Search again, instead of just using Google and appending site:staredit.net to the query. Repeat steps 1-4.
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Why doesn't the search just use google?
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Why doesn't the search just use google?
Google search cannot discriminate between subforums, search by author, time, date, or use any of the more advanced features available in SEN search. Unfortunately, with SEN search as inefficient and SEN-breaking as it is right now, it would be nice if people could refrain from using it.
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What about going to a profile and viewing all posts? Any idea if that would cause similar problems?
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They both do crash the forums. You guys are a few months late to the party.
Why can't we just disable it? The search from the drop-down menu works perfectly fine. It'd be easier than actually trying to fix it...
The Search from the dropdown menu is the one everyone here is talking about. Yes, it works some times, but it also causes mysql errors other times.
Currently Working On: My Overwatch addiction.
I would bet that, like most other forums I see these weird numbers on, many of those guests are bots. While unrelated to the search (afaik anyways), on their own they can cause problems.
Show them your butt, and when you do, slap it so it creates a sound akin to a chorus of screaming spider monkeys flogging a chime with cacti. Only then can you find your destiny at the tip of the shaft.
I would bet that, like most other forums I see these weird numbers on, many of those guests are bots. While unrelated to the search (afaik anyways), on their own they can cause problems.
Interesting... Might you know offhand any ways to pick the bots from the legit guests?
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Well, if you can view the ips/actions of the guests that might make it a lot easier. I don't know what SEN's forum software would offer in that regard.
Depending on the bots, they could be crawling the forum like crazy or attempting to register to later spam it. Since (as least from what I see) SEN isn't getting spammed all the time like a lot of forums do, it either may not be those kinds of bots or they may not be able to register. :3 (An easy way to check is to look at the memberlist, like CC, and find the ridiculously large number of 0 post registrees with unusual names fitting a certain pattern).
As I don't have admin access on CC and haven't been on a forum with admin access for quite some time, I can't remember if it was as simple as looking at their IP's and seeing a very large range of guests on the same IP or not. But 72 guests to 6 users is veeery strange. This is something I see very consistently on SEN.
Show them your butt, and when you do, slap it so it creates a sound akin to a chorus of screaming spider monkeys flogging a chime with cacti. Only then can you find your destiny at the tip of the shaft.
The Search from the dropdown menu is the one everyone here is talking about. Yes, it works some times, but it also causes mysql errors other times.
I have taken down SEN plenty of times trying to search a user's topics/posts from their profile, bro.
Also, SEN is finally back up.
@Iskatu, There have been some spambots that have registered and mass PM'd users.
"If a topic that clearly interest noone needs to be closed to underline the "we don't want this here" message, is up to debate."
-NudeRaider
I think the "Find all posts by" is what's really doing
The Search from the dropdown menu is the one everyone here is talking about. Yes, it works some times, but it also causes mysql errors other times.
I have taken down SEN plenty of times trying to search a user's topics/posts from their profile, bro.
I think the "Find all posts by" is what's really doing
"If a topic that clearly interest noone needs to be closed to underline the "we don't want this here" message, is up to debate."
-NudeRaider
The Search from the dropdown menu is the one everyone here is talking about. Yes, it works some times, but it also causes mysql errors other times.
I have taken down SEN plenty of times trying to search a user's topics/posts from their profile, bro.
I think the "Find all posts by" is what's really doing
Why would I bother reading your posts?
Why bother reading any posts? They just get moderated anyways.
Bring it Devlin
Anyways, I think what someone was getting at earlier was that, why doesn't the SEN search just re-direct the user to trusty old google, with their search term and site:staredit.net appended already? Or can't we do this? Isn't CecilSunkure meant to be re-writing SEN in its entirety anyways?
None.
The Search from the dropdown menu is the one everyone here is talking about. Yes, it works some times, but it also causes mysql errors other times.
I have taken down SEN plenty of times trying to search a user's topics/posts from their profile, bro.
Did I make it seem like I was suggesting that only using Search from the Search page was causing the issue, bro?
Currently Working On: My Overwatch addiction.
Google search is terrible on forums. Just awful. Indie devs left and right rely on this and you can never find shit.
Show them your butt, and when you do, slap it so it creates a sound akin to a chorus of screaming spider monkeys flogging a chime with cacti. Only then can you find your destiny at the tip of the shaft.
That's because Google actually sells these 'google search' hardware boxes for use by companies. So they deliberately make their free offering gimped.
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