The Latest on our Server

Well, we're growing fast and our little server is taking a pounding. We're currently doing about 25,000 pages / day. This is so incredibly exciting, considering we've only been around for 5 months. The people who frequent this site are fantastic and it just keeps bringing more and more great people on-board.

For most of us that means more friends, more socials (yes, we ARE working on the next one), more group-rides, more trackdays... yada yada yada.

For me it means that along with all the benefits the rest of you enjoy I have to start anticipating problems before they happen, not reacting to them when they catch me off-guard. Our server is doing as well as it can, considering what it is. It's starting to look like we need more, though. There are two ways to handle our needs: throw money at it (I'd love to, but there is none), or get creative about maximizing the existing resources. I have no choice but to opt for the latter.

Lately people have been running into problems uploading photos so I'm turning that off temporarily until I can find a solution to the problem. I'm sorry - those of you who've been around for a while can testify that this is not something I wish to do.

Another possiblity is actually yanking photos from older threads. I'd really really hate to do that, and if I did I will DEFINITELY link the pics back into the threads. The fact is that our database is so large now that I can't make comprehensive backups... they have to be done in bits and pieces now, which I get to spend the day tomorrow trying to script.

This will only slow the impending problem. I thought a solution existed to address the problem more expediantly but I was mistaken. It looks as though I'll be spending the weekend researching subtleties of Linux, Apache, PHP, and MySQL that will, hopefully, solve the problem for us.

The other solution, and one I prefer, quite frankly, is to build out our server and separate the processes onto multiple machines. This is the "mo money" route. If sticker sales continue to do as well as they have been this is also a viable option. Kudos to each and every one of you who have purchased stickers so far, it's greatly appreciated and I think you're getting something that is not only pretty damn good looking, but also symbolic of your support for this site.

So there are a number of levels from which I need to weigh our options. Please be patient with me, I'm giving it everything I can (and then some) so we'll be up and running just as before as soon as humanly possible. I have a billion other things I'd like to say but long announcements tend to get annoying.

Scattered Summary: No file uploads for a while (no more than a week, I'm hoping). I'm working on it. Growth is a good thing. You all rock! I never imagined we'd get so large and I'm loving every minute of it.

-Steve

(Hope I caught all the typos)

Steve - Thank You Man for barf! This is w/o a doubt the best place because of your idea and hard work. I am all down for a fund raiser, donations or whatever.

server farms, raid striping, fiber to your front door.

I know you love it!

Ya right! You're just trying to kill that whipping boy thread. Really, we all understand. This was inevitable. (How bad did I butcher that word?) I'd be down for kicking in a couple bux a month when I can. Kinda like a non-manditory membership fee. Anyone else? You know, $5 bux this month. $7 next month. month after that might be tight so no donation. Month after that you have extra so you give $10. Just whatever you can afford.

Again, thanx Steve. BARF is 10 kajillion times better than SBn! Can I get a yup yup? <insert homy smilie>

Donations???

There seem to be quite a few tekkies who frequent this board. I'm sure that once you figure out which way you want to go, post a list of needed parts and I'm sure that we all have hardware laying around that can donated.

I'd be down to donate, do a fund raiser - whatever it takes for us to help you, since you do so much for this awesome board Maybe at the next big BARF social we can have like a donation theme??? Just an idea and my measly $.02.

Oh and I hear ya Jack my bruda "Yup Yup" [throws WC gang sign]

Steve, If you decide to go the upgrade route, let me know, and I will what I can't do to help you get the equipment....

Steve
Set up the "PayPal" thingy or something, for donations,
Call it the BARF bucket
SAS

P.S. PLEASE save me a couple <5> stickers

sasquatch said:

Steve
Set up the "PayPal" thingy or something, for donations,
Call it the BARF bucket
SAS

P.S. PLEASE save me a couple <5> stickers

Click to expand...

BARF Bucket

Steve,
Your work is very appreciated..
I love the site and it is extremely unique. I for one would not mind throwing a little doe out for what your doing either.
Charge a little more for stickers or add a little different sticker design tha cost more , but means your a $$$ supporter of the service that you are providing for FREE! I was cruising the member last night and saw that there is definatly a core that post often and on that I assume are the ones who use it most.
T-shirts for server power !!!!
Keep up the great work..look forward to meeting you in person.

I'm in for helping out. My other fav board (cbrworld.net) has a donation link for ezboard to help the owner out (but still voluntary).

Paypal or doing it at a social, don't matter much to me. I'm in to help out.

All the effort Steve and co. put in to the board is greatly appreciated here.

BTW, I 2nd the "BARF Bucket." Has a nice ring to it.

JackTheTripper said:

Ya right! You're just trying to kill that whipping boy thread. Really, we all understand. This was inevitable. (How bad did I butcher that word?) I'd be down for kicking in a couple bux a month when I can. Kinda like a non-manditory membership fee. Anyone else? You know, $5 bux this month. $7 next month. month after that might be tight so no donation. Month after that you have extra so you give $10. Just whatever you can afford.

Again, thanx Steve. BARF is 10 kajillion times better than SBn! Can I get a yup yup? <insert homy smilie>

Click to expand...

I'm in for this idea.


btw how much do i gotta throw at u to become an admin???

I'm down to help

BTW, Steve has talked to all of the mods about this before and said if we did set something like this up all funds would be strictly for the web site and the web site alone. No money would go to any of the mods directly. We'd keep strict books and wouldn't be afraid to show them if there was any question. I just wanted to get that out of the way before any skeptics chimed in.

Why not hit up some of the local shops offering some advertising
banners along the top of the page, like SB.N does??

Since alot of peeps on this board frequent the local shops anyway,
I think the local shops owe a little bit from the free advertising already
given through personal recommendations...

My $.02

hey steve...i am willing to help out with $$$ to....by any means...this is one of the best websites the bay area riders could have.....i would dearly miss it if it was gone.....so you got my support....

Well Steve keep up the good work. Just don't miss too much riding because of it and For those interested here is a link re: the barf bucket Link

link??? i am down to donate 20 right now just hook me up with 2-3 stickers

I also will dish out some donation for the greater cause. The "Barf Bucket" is actually becomming a very real possibility.

I definately give it up for Stevo for creating BARF, a killer idea that seems to have progressed by leaps and bounds. If Financial aid is required I think a fund raiser is a good idea, hell we all use this forum, it only makes sence to kick down a little.

Can I contribute with food stamps? but it will have to wait till the First of the month.

Steve,

You are doing an awesome job. I know first hand what its like to keep a server up and running smoothly.

Keep up the good work and I'll definitely pitch in whatever I can to help keep thing going.

Jel