Shoutbox Removed

[ivor]

Hi Everybody,

I have to remove the Shoutbox temporarily, maybe permanently.  Unfortunately the Shoutbox consumes a lot of resources and ultimately slows the site down.  I am going to see if I can find or make a Shoutbox that supports caching but it may be a bit.

Thanks,
MB

 

[Vita Curator]

Ah shoot, MB, I liked the Shoutbox.   


Plus, my font size is like HUGE this morning, is it supposed to be like that?

[ivor]

I know.  I like it too.  It'll be back some time.  I have to whittle the site down so the site fits in the bounds of the hosting service CPU and Memory limitations. 

I noticed that too. You are using IE6 aren't you.  I am looking at that right now.

[Vita Curator]

Yes I am, I am not very computer literate  , did I do something wrong?  Can I change it back to the way it was?  I feel like an 80 year old woman who has to buy those extra large font books because I can't see!   

[ivor]

You didn't do anything.  There's something in the shoutbox style sheet that is fixing the fonts in IE6.  I just have to figure out what it is so I can remove the shoutbox style sheet.

If you refresh your browser it should be okay now.  The font size may fluctuate a bit while I fix it.

[Vita Curator]

Thanks MB!

[ivor]

You're welcome Vita and thank you!  It makes me feel good to do something that people appreciate.

The font issue for IE6 should be gone now.  You may need to refresh your browser.

Thanks,
MB

[Vita Curator]

Yeah!!  It is back to normal, I don't feel like I'm 80 anymore!!

You are the best!!!

I hope you know that we do all appreciate all of the work that you put into this website.  We should have MB Appreciation Day, like once a month.

[ivor]

LOL! Thank you!

If you look at the very, very bottom of the page there's a load time.  Just taking the shout box out dropped the load time from like .33 seconds to like .05 seconds.

[Vita Curator]

I know that what you are doing is for the betterment of the site, I'll just miss ye old shoutbox tis all!   

[The Meromorph]

I virtually always go unwrapped, so I don't even notice it's gone... 
And, Yes MB rules!

[ivor]

Thanks Mero!

If anyone would like, please try the monstery wrapped so I will know if it's fixed or not as I have trouble reproducing the errors.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Thanks Mero!

If anyone would like, please try the monstery wrapped so I will know if it's fixed or not as I have trouble reproducing the errors.

Since I fixed my internet hook, I haven't seen a single issue--and I almost always go "wrapped".  I like the look-and-feel of the wrapper better.

I still use FireFox exclusively.  Windoze built-in Firewall.  Windoze Defender. SP2, etc.

No issues at all-- and I also would like to extend my thanks for all the thankless work you do.

[ivor]

Since I fixed my internet hook, I haven't seen a single issue--and I almost always go "wrapped".  I like the look-and-feel of the wrapper better.

I still use FireFox exclusively.  Windoze built-in Firewall.  Windoze Defender. SP2, etc.

No issues at all-- and I also would like to extend my thanks for all the thankless work you do.

Thanks Bob!

FireFox is such a good browser.  I have to use IE6 to make sure everything is working because it misbehaves so often.  If nobody used IE6 I wouldn't have much to do. 

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

FireFox is such a good browser.  I have to use IE6 to make sure everything is working because it misbehaves so often.  If nobody used IE6 I wouldn't have much to do. 

So do I, whenever I'm getting my semi-weekly updates to windoze. (I'm on a manual update cycle, currently.  It's a control-thing )

Actually, I just checked, and somehow or other, I'm on IE7, now. I don't remember when it switched over-- likely that d!mn windoze update thingy.  Is it any WONDER why I'm on manual control?

-----------------

ANYONE wanting to SWITCH AWAY from the 'evil' micro$oft IE6/IE7, let me know and I can do you a "step-by-step" if you like.

It's painless, easy and won't cost you a cent (US$ or otherwise).

Moreover, you get to keep IEx if you like. 

[ivor]

Actually, I just checked, and somehow or other, I'm on IE7, now. I don't remember when it switched over-- likely that d!mn windoze update thingy.  Is it any WONDER why I'm on manual control?

Micro$oft made IE7 a critical update so if you were on auto update you got it.  I thought that was a terrible way to force IE7 upon me.  Luckily I saw it and tried to cancel it before it installed.  I actually had to dig around at Micro$oft and find a patch to stop the update. 

I don't want IE7 because it breaks so many browser hacks that make IE6 work correctly.  I heard that this site looks okay on IE7.  If it does it is quite accidental.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Actually, I just checked, and somehow or other, I'm on IE7, now. I don't remember when it switched over-- likely that d!mn windoze update thingy.  Is it any WONDER why I'm on manual control?

Micro$oft made IE7 a critical update so if you were on auto update you got it.  I thought that was a terrible way to force IE7 upon me.  Luckily I saw it and tried to cancel it before it installed.  I actually had to dig around at Micro$oft and find a patch to stop the update. 

I don't want IE7 because it breaks so many browser hacks that make IE6 work correctly.  I heard that this site looks okay on IE7.  If it does it is quite accidental.

Since I'm stuck with IE7, anytime you need a test for something or other, PM me, and I'll be happy to oblige.

I'd even let it remember my login and passcode for here.

[Griffin NoName]

HAH !  So behind the times here, critical update has not yet imposed IE7 on Britain - or at least not on my w2k platform.

Maybe we need an Aaaaaaaaaargh! Box not a Shout Box?

I've been using unwrapped - now you've solved the problem maybe I'll go back to wrapped - except.... it's scary having the arcade around as it seems to have sent some Pirates even madder than they were and I expect it's catching.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

HAH !  So behind the times here, critical update has not yet imposed IE7 on Britain - or at least not on my w2k platform.

Maybe we need an Aaaaaaaaaargh! Box not a Shout Box?

I've been using unwrapped - now you've solved the problem maybe I'll go back to wrapped - except.... it's scary having the arcade around as it seems to have sent some Pirates even madder than they were and I expect it's catching.

Actually, you will NEVER have IE7 imposed on your W2K platform--even if you WANTED to.

IE7 won't run under W2K, needs XP or Vista at least, to install.

[ivor]

HAH !  So behind the times here, critical update has not yet imposed IE7 on Britain - or at least not on my w2k platform.

Maybe we need an Aaaaaaaaaargh! Box not a Shout Box?

I've been using unwrapped - now you've solved the problem maybe I'll go back to wrapped - except.... it's scary having the arcade around as it seems to have sent some Pirates even madder than they were and I expect it's catching.

I haven't actually fixed the problem.  It seems to be the worst with IE6 despite what the poll says.  I can always reproduce the problem with IE6, only occasionally with FireFox.  Supposedly however the problem is with sessions getting killed because there is too much activity on the site according to dreamhost.

DreamHost gives you tons of bandwidth and diskspace.  The don't however; give you enough memory and cpu time to use it.

I highly recommend FireFox Griffin.  It's a much better browser. 

FireFox seems to be able to recover from the session getting deleted.  I don't know how or why.  I am still looking at the problem.

I am toying with the idea of making a content management system that caches to static html with a little PHP in it for the things that can't be cached.  I intend to use FCGI for this.  I have a little test site to play with.  FCGI is way faster.

Now that I understand a little more about FCGI I think I will try using it here.  The site may explode today. 

[ivor]

FCGI is on!  I fully expect DreamHost to shut it down today.  I'll be watching it.  Let me know if you see anything wrong.  Email me at admin@toadfishmonastery.com.

[ivor]

Wow!  I think the site is a hundred times faster than it was. 

[Opsa]

Hasn't crashed yet, either! Good show, MB!

[ivor]

Thanks Opsa!

The session verification bug is still there.    I am beginning to think it is not performance related as DreamHost says it is.

[Vita Curator]

Okay MB, the computer illiterate goof-ball needs to be tutored.  What the heck does wrapped and unwrapped even mean???   

[The Meromorph]

Okay MB, the computer illiterate goof-ball needs to be tutored.  What the heck does wrapped and unwrapped even mean???   

Not what I thought anyway! 
The first time he said he was posting unwrapped I thought he was 'skinny-surfing'

I reacted badly... 

[Vita Curator]

Okay MB, the computer illiterate goof-ball needs to be tutored.  What the heck does wrapped and unwrapped even mean???   

Not what I thought anyway! 
The first time he said he was posting unwrapped I thought he was 'skinny-surfing'

I reacted badly... 

Hee hee, me too Mero.  I picture unwrapped as sitting in front of your terminal "sans" robe and wrapped as sitting there staying warm as the low went down to 8 degrees F last night, but then I'm a true goof-ball and you are the brilliant poet!

[ivor]

Okay MB, the computer illiterate goof-ball needs to be tutored.  What the heck does wrapped and unwrapped even mean???   

Not what I thought anyway! 
The first time he said he was posting unwrapped I thought he was 'skinny-surfing'

I reacted badly... 

Hee hee, me too Mero.  I picture unwrapped as sitting in front of your terminal "sans" robe and wrapped as sitting there staying warm as the low went down to 8 degrees F last night, but then I'm a true goof-ball and you are the brilliant poet!

Let me try some 'splaining.  I'm not very good at it so bear with me. 

I am using a content management system for the site called Joomla.  When you browse the home page you are seeing a Joomla page. The forum software is Simple Machines Forum.

If you are wondering why I am using a content management system, it's purely a matter of convenience.  I don't have time to build sites from the ground up. I wish I did sometime.

Joomla is a flexible and powerful content management system.  Joomla allows for components to be created and used to extend Joomla.  The Museum is a Joomla component called zOOm Gallery. 

zOOm Gallery is tightly integrated with Joomla because it is a Joomla component.  Simple Machines Forum (SMF) is not a Joomla component and therefore requires a "bridge" to integrate them together.

Since SMF is not a Joomla component, SMF can be viewed outside of Joomla from this URL. Viewing SMF from a link like this is what I mean when I say "unwrapped."  When you view from this URL, SMF is "wrapped" in Joomla.

The session verification problem mostly happens when "wrapped" in Joomla.  The problem has something to do with the bridge.  Everyone I talk to says some other thing is at fault.  That's why I am having so much trouble getting things fixed.

There are a couple of other sites that I run that are setup very much like this one and don't seem to have this problem.  When I compare the sites I don't see much difference.  DreamHost says I am having problems because of traffic.  I would like to test this theory at Sedona View if anyone is interested. 

If you would like to help out we could all get together at some specific time and use the discussion forum there and see if we can reproduce the problem there.  I have never been able to.  If we cant reproduce the problem then it must be some difference in host.   If we can reproduce the problem then I can start digging much deeper into the code. 

There are a couple ways to reproduce the errors.  One way is to start a new post and let it sit for a while.  How long?  I am not sure.  Sometimes it's five minutes.  Sometimes I can go for thirty minutes and it still works.  The other way is to log in and let your browser sit for a long period of time, like more than thirty minutes or an hour or something, then hit the log out button.  If you let it sit long enough you get the session verification failed error.  I don't think I am getting the second problem in FireFox.

If there's anything else you want to know just ask!

Thanks,
MB

[Griffin NoName]

Re wrapping, also you can tell if it's wrapped or unwrapped cos it will look different. If you click the "forum" link on the Monastery Home Page (wrapped) the forum will appear similar in visual style to the Home Page. If you type the forum http address into your address bar and go directly (unwrapped) to it without using the Monastery Home Page then it looks a lot different - not like the Monastery style.

MB, I am going to let my browser sit here logged in unwrapped for a couple of hours and see if I get the session verfication issue - I haven't had it since my time delay (unwrapped) disappeared so there may be a clue in that.

[ivor]

I have turned the shoutbox back on for the front page. 

[Vita Curator]

Hugs to yo MB!!!!!

[Griffin NoName]

I have turned the shoutbox back on for the front page. 

Hooray!! Does that mean the host issue is irrelevant to shouting?

I can't get session verification issues any which way !!

[Opsa]

Sedonia View is a nice site, MB. Your work? I wish i was there today, as it is 59 degrees there and freezing here!

Yeay for the return of the shoutbox!

I get the session timeout when I ruminate too long while writing a post. I'll sit and try to conjure up the appropraite phrasing for what I'm trying to say (especially if it's something dear to my heart, like in the philosophical brainstorming areas of The Reef) and when I try to post I get the little red sign saying I've been logged out. Arrrggghhh!

It's not that I've been neglecting the site, it's just that I haven't shuffled pages on it for ten minutes or so. It's too bad it can't see me typing away.

[ivor]

Hi Opsa!

Sedonia View is a nice site, MB. Your work? I wish i was there today, as it is 59 degrees there and freezing here!

Thanks!  It's a site I am trying to make a commercial success by selling advertising space.  Alas my Google skills are not good enough.

Yeay for the return of the shoutbox!

Yes.  It appears that performance issues are not causing the session verification errors.

I get the session timeout when I ruminate too long while writing a post. I'll sit and try to conjure up the appropraite phrasing for what I'm trying to say (especially if it's something dear to my heart, like in the philosophical brainstorming areas of The Reef) and when I try to post I get the little red sign saying I've been logged out. Arrrggghhh!

You're using Camino on a Mac with dial up access right?  Do you have any type of firewall on? 

If you get a chance and would like to help could register at SedonaView.com and see if you have the same problem there?

It's not that I've been neglecting the site, it's just that I haven't shuffled pages on it for ten minutes or so. It's too bad it can't see me typing away.

Where is it that you can't see your typing?

Thanks,
MB

[Opsa]

Hi MB!

I can see me typing, but the site can't see me AS I'm typing, and thinks I have fallen asleep at the screen or something. That's my theory, anyway.

Firewall, hmmm. I thought that Macs had built-in firewalls, but that may be my own luddite assumption. Where would I look to see if I have one, and where do I get one if indeed I don't?

It could be my carppy Netzero server, too.

[ivor]

Hi MB!

I can see me typing, but the site can't see me AS I'm typing, and thinks I have fallen asleep at the screen or something. That's my theory, anyway.

Firewall, hmmm. I thought that Macs had built-in firewalls, but that may be my own luddite assumption. Where would I look to see if I have one, and where do I get one if indeed I don't?

It could be my carppy Netzero server, too.

Oh! You mean even though you are typing a post the server still thinks you are gone?

I have no idea where to check for a firewall on a Mac.  I wish I could channel a Mac power user.

Do I have your config right so far?

[Opsa]

My config right? Oh dear! Now I'm looking for my fig leaf. Could it be that I'm... UNWRAPPPED?!

Nope, just a little unglued, perhaps.

I have been typing long messages here today and have not yet been cut off. Maybe it's better.

[ivor]

My config right? Oh dear! Now I'm looking for my fig leaf. Could it be that I'm... UNWRAPPPED?!

Nope, just a little unglued, perhaps.

I have been typing long messages here today and have not yet been cut off. Maybe it's better.

I mean Camino on a Mac with Netzero. 

Try typing a test message and leave it sit for like an hour, then come back and try an post it.  That would be a good test.