search function

[Nomadic]

What`a up with the search function always being enasseccable due to "high server load"?. It never used to be that way and, i only try to access it once, each day i`m on. That is until RC started pushing that "premium membership" thing. Now i`m thinking, despite "high server load" i`d still be able to access it if i coughed up the almighty $ right?...Yes, it has me a bit ****ed.
Why can`t the head people of RC just come clean and just say, you can`t access the search function unless you now pay for it.

[bertoni]

Move as more appropriate to this forum.

[jimrawr]

If I knew that for sure I would be able to search with paying, I would do it..

[Anemone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9471176#post9471176 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nomadic
What`a up with the search function always being enasseccable due to "high server load"?. It never used to be that way and, i only try to access it once, each day i`m on. That is until RC started pushing that "premium membership" thing. Now i`m thinking, despite "high server load" i`d still be able to access it if i coughed up the almighty $ right?...Yes, it has me a bit ****ed.
Why can`t the head people of RC just come clean and just say, you can`t access the search function unless you now pay for it.

A few problems with your assumptions -

- the site used to lock up completely due to server load quite often. This was before we started the Premium Membership program and back when we'd max out with about 500 people on the site at a time.

- The search function is the resource hog. Way back when, the search function was cut off at a certain level of server load for everyone. Cutting off the search function at certain critical levels of server load allows the site to continue functioning. In other words, most people could still read and post, just not search.

- After all of the above was done and the servers and software were upgraded, the Premium Member program was suggested. Premium Mermbers are given a higher server load "cut off" level, but even Premium Members don't get guaranteed access. We upgraded the servers last year when we would "hit the wall" server load-wise at around 2000 concurrent users. We are again hitting a wall - only now it's at around 2500 concurrent members.

And guess what? We've been experiencing more and more "server busy" errors of late. Why? Often because we have a high server load and someone does a search that pushes the site over the edge.

So, we can respond to the complaints about the server busy errors by throttling back the search capability even more (making the whole site more "available"), or keep the server load cut-offs where they are and still have to listen to people's conspiracy theories about how we are "forcing" people to become Premium Members.

If we were "forcing" people to become Premium Members we'd restrict search for all non-paying members. And no, contrary to your assertion, that's not the way it is now. Many non-premium members do successful searches every day. Beerguy could pull the statistics, but why bother? The conspiracy theorists don't want to hear it and won't listen anyway.

Kevin

[beerguy]

I see that you were able to search just fine this morning. Were you going to mention that or just bust our chops when it doesn't work?

[crzy4reefs]

They never mention when they are able to search just when they can't, and it's really getting old fast

[GSMguy]

i think the search has worked for me more times than it has been unavailable.

This the best site ive ever been too so thanks to the mods and RC owners for all the good work.

[sufunk]

I hesitate to post this since it seems like the mods check your search records in these instances and i have to admit that i completely ignore that "don't rapidly hit the search button" message BUT.........I seemed to rarely be able to use the search function in the past and wondered if it was a scam of sorts however, in the last few months, I have been able to do searches MUCH more regularly.

In the middle of the day, it rarely works but at night or in the mornings, I am having alot more success than in the past. It definitely works at the right times, just try to pick lower volume times to search.

[beerguy]

We did make some hardware/software changes earlier in the year that allowed many more searches than the system would previously support. That being said, we expect additional upgrades this summer to try and stay ahead of it.

[Nomadic]

....yup, your right Anemone, it just happened to work, right after i posted...odd isen`t it but, being that you took it upon yourself to lable me a conspiracy thorist, this should be typical of me as well RIGHT? I mean since you are an expert judge of people. Spend you time fighting real criminals, not prejudging folks you know nothing about.

[beerguy]

Huh?

[dc]

[crzy4reefs]

Wow someone needs a nap.

[mhurley]

It's simple really....we took the extra time and programming resources necessary to empower you with special stealth search capabilities just so we could prove you wrong.

That or like everyone else, you hit search at a time when was available to everyone.

I tend to lean towards the simplest explanation for an issue.

[Drewcipher]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9482230#post9482230 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nomadic
....yup, your right Anemone, it just happened to work, right after i posted...odd isen`t it but, being that you took it upon yourself to lable me a conspiracy thorist, this should be typical of me as well RIGHT? I mean since you are an expert judge of people. Spend you time fighting real criminals, not prejudging folks you know nothing about.

Whoa, settle. It does often seem to be that people accuse the board of forcing premium membership by disabling the search function. Hence the conspiracy theory comment. As he also explained, it is a simple matter of numbers. Any board can handle only so much work load, period. This is a huge board. Currently over 2000 people on. I have gone to other boards for this hobby and for other things and rarely are there more than 15 people online at a given time.

Once this gets explained, then people just start complaining that the board needs to upgrade their equipment. In the years I have been a member, I feel they have done a fantastic job of this. Remember, first and foremost it is a FREE service. FREE. There have been countless threads that contain instructions on how to use Google to search only RC, so you have that option too.

For me, this board has been one of the most valuable resources I could hope for. Personally I tend to trust people's personal experiences more than expert theory, and I can get both here, for FREE. Or you can pay $25 for a year and get priority over non premium members in the search function. I am amazed that so many people have such strong feelings about $25. I mean, most tanks require in the thousands of dollars to set up, plus annual maintenance costs that are far more expensive. I am not a guy that throws money away, but I do believe in spending my money well. If the search function is important to you, suck it up and pay, otherwise use Google, or wait.

[mhurley]

I think we've got the point across on this one.

Closed.