Please let it just be me...

Bummer, BG is down and its not just me.

I'll also kick in $, I did it 2 yrs ago during the last 'dollars for surfing' BG campaign and will do it again. markf

I used to know a couple of people in the industry, haven't spoken to them in some time, but I might be able dig up some contact details and get some advice / sever specs etc. Should be able to get an idea of prices too. But I would need some basic info about BG's daily / monthly bandwith uses, storage requirements, average bandwith use / surges etc. Basic server stats really.

I suppose we'd also need to choose a ideal location for the server - one located near (or at least within reasonablle travel distance) to one of the admins would probably be the best, that way someone would have reasonable access to the hardware if something does go badly tits up. It would also cut costs if someone was able to hand deliver the server hardware in person, posting a heavy box of electronics can be pricey...

Still, many people run their own dedicated webservers for their blogs / private data storage and whatever else, from colocated standard cheap store bought PCs, so I doubt the cost of the hosting, rack / cage space and setup is too pricey - otherwise they wouldn't bother.

SS

Down again??? *sighs* I too would be willing to contribute to getting ourselves set up with our own private hosting.

Although it has been quite a while since the last outrage outage like this, over a year I recall? If we keep going down, day in day out, for weeks or months then yes, if its once in a blue moon it strikes me as being a bit OTT.

The venerable HAC and proteus are on the case, let's hope they find a solution.

James Harrison wrote: If we keep going down, day in day out, for weeks or months then yes, if its once in a blue moon it strikes me as being a bit OTT.

Agreed, but I believe someone (Proteus?) has allready mentioned about looking for a new webhost, in the BG engine room - maybe hosting our own isn't too far a stretch of the imagination...?

The clincher would be if it's cheaper than our current hosting setup, if it's a "power + network + occasional finger for reboot switch" deal, then it may be possible we could have a cheaper hosting plan. It's always an interesting option for the future, if it's not quite needed yet.


As an aside, I couldn't access SPAREGOGGLES for a few minutes - it also gave me a time out message! Freak out? - I nearly ended up in the corner, rocking slowly back and forth...humming to myself...

SS

Siliconous Skumins wrote:As an aside, I couldn't access SPAREGOGGLES for a few minutes - it also gave me a time out message! Freak out? - I nearly ended up in the corner, rocking slowly back and forth...humming to myself...

SS

Quick, everyone! Time to don your tinfoil toppers! It's a conspiracy I tell ya! They're coming to shut us down!!

Aaaaaand today's winner of the intraweb is....



AKUMABITO

*golf applause*

Speech! Speech!

Ohhhh, thank you, thank you! Wow.. jeez.. never thought I'd actually win an Intraweb! Wow! Ok, uhhmm... I'd like to thank my lovely girlfriend, for taking the pictue.. uhmmm.. my parents! For having sex to have me! I also want to think the inventor of tin foil.. without his brilliant invention, I would not stand before you today! Furthermore.. the good people over at Photobucket to host the image. And also the Dr Oetker brand of pizzas, for filling my tummy with delicious yet cheap and no-fuss food. Gotta love not having to use your brain to prepare a meal! And many, many thanks of course, to all my fans out there! Big round of applause for yourself! Thank you, thank you.. and remember; if you're driving home tonight; don't forget your car!

In all seriousness though:

STOP THEM FROM READING YOUR MIND!! PROTECT TEH FORUM!! WEAR A TINFOIL TOPPER! DO IT! NOW!!!

To the kitchen! Must create mind control defence topper....

Errm, I don't seem to have any tin foil left. Plastic food wrap work just the same............right?

SS

I can't access the forum again. I'm beginning to hyperventilate, mmhm? >_<

Okay, whomever thinks this is funny can just stop right now. I actually had to be productive at work today to stave off boredom.

Dr Fidelius,

you should be ashamed of yourself - bandying around four letter works such as w**k in a public forum

Not again!

I'm so seriously you guys... This is really starting to get to me!

It'll be ok, though... I'm sure of it! I'm assuming that since it's, ah, doing the same thing it did over Hal-O-Ween that it's a webhosting issue? At any rate, the talk of getting a BG DEDICATED server is a nice idea (and one I'm 100% behind, hell, I just bought a new computer, depending on what's required, I may could work something from here!... maybe... Possibly... Probably not, but I'm offering my meager services!), but before you go shelling out that kind of scratch, I've got my lovely wife asking the webmaster of a forum she's on (that, to the best of my knowledge, has NEVER went down... I am PROBABLY wrong) who she hosts through, since it's only +/-$320 a year for the service.

Not sure what BG's requirements would be, but I DO know that it's nowhere NEARLY as active as SFC (the forum she's on, which is practacally a chatroom... that's how active it is), so that service MIGHT be an option.

After/if she gets a response from the webmaster, who do I need to foward said info to?

Regards,
~X

PS: To those who are starting to freak out (I count myself amongst you), I suggest a shot of 80 proof or higher, and a good full pipe. Did wonders for me!

PPS: Sorry my posts are getting more and more disjointed, the longer I go with out sleep the more I flippity gumbo spletch my mumbo dogface with the banana patch...

PPPS: If you can make heads or tails of the above, more power to ya!

So, anyone else got the shakes? Damn withdrawal symptoms.

Helios wrote:Damn withdrawal symptoms.

Ne're a truer word been spoken, good sir!

And if BG being down's not bad enough, I'm also out of my prescription painkillers (opium based all)... So I am quite literally shaking like a leaf!

Ah well, to quote the sharpie tattoos on my fingers (only because I cant afford the real deal!):

HOLD FAST!!!

Just about at 24 hrs off-line, since I earlier wrote I'd pay $ to get a better server/provider (Stage 3) I guess I'm moving into 4, how depressing considering no BG member would accept Acceptance that it would go away forever.

To recap the stages of the grieving process: Denial-Anger-Bargaining-Depression-Acceptance.

Stage 1- Denial "Oh. It's broken. It'll be back on in a few minutes though." This generally lasts up to three hours.

Stage 2- Anger "I can't believe it is still offline. There are things I wanted to post about! That d----d server!" From three hours and one minute, generally lasts up to two days.

Stage 3- Bargaining "I will pay you money if you move to a better server, or set up your own". Generally kicks in after 48 hours; rumbles on indeterminately even after the forum has been restored.

Stage 4- Depression "When's it coming back " Kicks in after three days, or much sooner if the forum crashes shortly after previous downtime.

Still no word from the hosting co., on why BG is down. I know we have issues due to size and activity, but this is getting tiring. Hopefully a solution and a new host will be found soon..

Cheers
HAC

Thanks again, HAC, for all your work on our behalf.

You are a gentleman and a Scholar.


Cheers!

Chas.

sad that your working hard and not getting anywhere. i do miss my fix of BG but i can appreciate the frustration of all you working behind the scenes to fix it.
look forward to getting back to seeing it.

It is annoying.. but at least there is SG, so its not all lost. I'm looking at putting up a "backup blog" as well..

Cheers
HAC

Your hard work is appreciated, HAC. It's so d----d annoying that our hosting company seems so lackadaisical of late.

Bless you, HAC


I've been adding some things (mainly Portrayal and Metaclubs fiction items, but also a few new headings on the Main Content page (or whatever it's called), all mainly because no one else had apparently done so yet.

I'm not by any means an expert at wiki creation/maintenance (actually a pretty rank neophyte, in all truthfulness), but it seemed a waste to just let it sit. Anyway, it's something to do other than sit and grouse (which makes my attitude go all dark and fangy ).

Maybe it'll be useful someday...