I have a feeling many of you are experiencing the same thing I am on these Forums - excruciatingly slow response times.

Since the Forums (and www.LighthouseKeepers.com) and www.HarbourLights.com are on the same server with the same web-hosting company, I've got to lay the blame on their door step.

Months ago, when the sites were moved to a different server (now a Silicon Graphics machine), I was promised that the speed would be inherently faster, but I think that that server must now be loaded up with many other sites as well and we're sharing one CPU.

I'm seeing way too many "Server Temporarily Overloaded...." messages at other than what I would expect are peak Internet load times.

Since much of my email comes through the HarbourLights.com site, when this crawl effect happens, I can't access any of the three sites I have have nor get my email. This can sometimes go on for 15-20 minutes. I am able to access other Internet sites, just not my own.

I've brought this stuff to the attention of the web hosting company several times in the past, to not much satisfaction.

The main curse seems to be programs on the site (cgi scripts) that taxes the CPU on any server. With the Forums, CGI use is highest compared with a straight HTML call.

One alternative seems to be to 'lease' a dedicated machine so that ONLY these sites would be using the machine. And processor speed and redundancy with very large storage space would also benefit and speed things up. So is that true? Does anyone have experience using a 'leased' Internet presence on a dedicated machine?

I presume many others are experiencing these same slow responses. I'd appreciate your posting your experiences and times (converted to Eastern Time). And if you have had great service from another web-hosting company, I will begin the process of investigating alternatives to the one I am now using.

Now I'm starting to look at alternative hosting companies and options.

I have frequently been getting the server temporarily overloaded message. I received it at least five times yesterday, twice while trying to post replies.

Just an FYI, this was a brand new thread and it showed up as a yellow folder instead of pink.

Ha, just got the message again just now after I hit submit reply.

Joanne

Yep,I agree.
The capper was this morning after writng up the results of last nights rumors at the signing - I lost the whole report trying to post!
Yeah I know what I should have done but I was pressed for time. AND I'LL TAKE IT AS MEANT TO BE!

Bob, that is one reason that I try to write my post in Microsoft Word, then I can spellcheck the post and then cut and paste it in the forum edit window and click on submit reply. That also gives me a copy to keep for my memoirs.

Saint WackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

Like you needed us to tell you Bob -- but anytime I'm about to post a longer reply, I copy it all to my clipboard JUST IN CASE.

Well I've traded messages with my rep at the web hosting company several times today. Yes, indeed, the SGI machine we started on has been loading up with many other high volume sites which means the CPU isn't as available as we'd like when we want it.

They offered to move us to another new SGI machine, but that would be a short term solution.

They also lease servers so my 3 sites would be the only ones on a 450 MZ P/// with 6GB of disk space. But the cost is about triple what it costs now. We shall see. They are moving some of the other sites on the server we now share to other machines, so that may help.

Keep telling me what happens and the time of day converted to ET.

Has been running slow here on the cable connection too, for roughly the last week. Not too bad during mid-day while everyone is at work. Feels like I'm back on the 28.8. Hang in there John. I'm sure you'll work something out. Pink folders have been working fine here.

Good things are worth the wait, though!
[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 02-02-2000).]

Slower that diggin in frozen dirt with the butt end of a shovel! I was able to go make a sandwich to tide me over while waiting for the General Forum to load, so I guess it does have it's benefits. As for the Overload warning, oh yes, It's made its appearance here way too many times in the last couple of days.


Digger

Response time apppears normal most of the time. I have never received the 'server overload' message, however at times I get NO response at all. Tonight, Wed. some time between 8:30 PM and 9:00 PM, after reading many messages in about 10 different forums, I was unable to continue. I would select a main forum but nothing would happen. I tried to select 'search' - no response. I too have lost some replies and have sometimes been unable to access the smilies legend.

Also I always see 'yellow' folders, never 'pink'. I have deleted the cookies several times and selected the 'remember always' option, yet no 'pink' folders.

I am able to live with the problems for now as I visit the forums only every other day. I will let you know if I have any more problems.

------------------
Jim

Dr. Who ?

>>They also lease servers so my 3 sites would be the only ones on a 450 MZ P/// with 6GB of disk space. But the cost is about triple what it costs now. <<

Why not buy the machine and have them host it? That should cut cost. To build a good one from parts with - oh lets say a 20gb SCSI disk and 256mb RAM shouldn't be more than $2k.

Maybe you could sell pins to Preserve the Forum. (rotfl)

__
/im
[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 02-02-2000).]

ROTFL! I'll buy two pins.

Very, very slow here last several evenings - I'm normally on in the 2200-0100 time frame. Mon night it was so slow I gave up and went lighthousing elsewhere on the net. Still don't get pink folders, but haven't run into the server overload (yet).

Dave

ROTFL!
I'll buy two pins, also.

SaintWackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

Its been very slow for me and I have recieved the overload message several times. But usually can get through after a few min.

I'll take two pins

Dale

"Server Temporarily Overloaded"

Monday, Feb 7 at 1:30pm EST

Same message as above on Wed., 2/9 at 10:55am

Slow - Slower - Slowest - so whatever the next level is what I have been experiencing. And haven't seen a pink folder in a coon's age. But this too will pass.

Got a Server Temporarily Overloaded at about 1 pm today. Sorry John I didn't pay close attention to the time, will try to do better and will post it. This the first time I have gotten that message in about two weeks, but there have been about four times in the last two weeks that I couldn't get to the site or any message at all.

We'll take two!



[This message has been edited by Michael and Karen Power (edited 02-10-2000).]

I got a server temporarily overloaded message today at 4:22 and 4:23, but when I hit the refresh current page button, it came right in.

~Dale

I’ve been getting it regularly today between 4PM and 6PM Eastern time.

I’ll take two pins. In fact I’ll volunteer to help with the pin project!

I have followed the procedure Sean mentions for pink folders but it is only a temporary fix for me too.

no pink folders
no slowdown
no problem

Rgds,
the 6 - 10 split

Don't want to say the Forum has been slow lately, but I was able to re-arrange the HL didplay and do some dusting while waiting for threads to load. FWIW

Dave

Exceptionally slow right now at 11:07 A.M. EST.

[This message has been edited by LamarB (edited 02-14-2000).]

Dead at 1:50 p.m. EST today.

Was slow motion about 11AM EST, much better tonight @ 10PM. I would think the reverse would be true with more people logged on in the evening.

Donna

Getting worse every day. Even in mornings on a T1 line.

I'm not aware of which other web sites are also co-located on the same server as HarbourLights.com and Lighthousekeepers.com, but it looks to be a site oriented towards business since the slow down occurs during the day rather than evenings.

12:04 AM PST. Site slowed to a snail's pace. Maybe its the maintenance hour?

Sean

09:35 AM PST Server running very slow. 09:45 started receiving the Server is Overloaded message.

Sean

1:30 PM ET, Server Overloaded

Server Overload 4:27 PM ET

4:15 EST Server Overloaded. First time I ever received this message.

Lets talk speed here.....

I just had cable internet installed today and we are talking speed!!

For the small additional cost per month I will see Paul's pictures and all the lighthouse links come to the screen at the click of the mouse. No longer the wait for downloads....

This is GREAT.

ps: I did get an overloaded server message a few moments ago but in my "speed bliss" I didn't even care.

Terry

Many times today. Especially between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST.

Hey, I heard that NASDAQ was having major computer troubles on Friday. You don't suppose that NASDAQ could be sharing a server with John, do you? 1.7 billion shares traded daily might explain the daytime overload messages, anyway.

------------------
-Art

Been on for the past 90 minutes trying to get thru posts since yesterday. The snail Sean referred to passed me up some time ago. I'm talking sloooooooooooow here. No problem at other sites, just HL. Did get about half-dozen overload messages.

Dave

It's FLYING right now and for the last 20 minutes or so. Maybe LHK is sharing a server with a business.

09:10 PST, Slooooowwwww.

After another inquiry to the web hosting company, they confirmed that the problems have been related to other web sites co-located on the same server. These other sites were running features which made heavy use of the CPU.

They say they have moved these sites to a different CGI server and that we should see a marked improvement in our site.

Stay tuned and keep us informed if you continue to get "Server Temporarily Busy..." or similar messages.

No messages, but still major slow. I seem to be on every evening around 2200-2400 EST & these last severaldays especially it has been absolutely terrible. No real problem with other sites so thinking it isn't the connection out of my ISP. Hope they can resolve something soon.

Dave

Earlier tonite (5:15) was very slow. Now things are moving along at a pretty decent clip most of the time. Couple slow-downs, but nothing like the recent past. Maybe they finally moved those other sites to a new server.

Dave

The snail is on the loose again. 05:20 PM PST.

Sean

The snail just arrived here in Jacksonville on a cable connection. 7:30 - 8:00 PM EST

Slow for me again around 4 pm MST - 6 PM ET.

No Problemo Here!!!

I do have an unfair advantage. I do all my postings at work and we have a fiber optic link right into the building.

Thats great Mike, wait until that fiber optics meets that overloaded server. Its called hurry up and wait.

Well I got tired of putting the spurs into that snails back and decided I would read the forums on Tuesday evening.

It's 11:57 PM PST and its running super slow.

Sean

doggin' at 11:20 am on t1

Server overloaded 7:30pm EST

11:30 a.m. EST. Slime trails everywhere. Pass the salt, please.

Overload message at 4:59 PM Eastern

3/14 12:30pm Overload.

Server temporarily overloaded please try again later.

9:40 AM March 17, 2000