Scubaboard loads slow compared to ST forum and Decostop

[HowardE]

We're working on it.

 

[mike_s]

It's not vbulletin... Here's a paintball board I go to for our paintball shop to post things.. PbNation - Paintball's Home Page

They are using VBulletin and run about 10 times more traffic that even SB and it's really darn fast:

Currently Active Users: 3,778 (2,423 members and 1,355 guests)
Most users ever online was 5,405, Yesterday at 10:08 PM.
Posts: 42,443,836 Threads: 2,414,890 Members: 387,204

I'm not a big PHP guru - so I don't know if the slowness here is server or ad related - but VB can handle much larger sites... that's why I went with it, after seeing the speed of a site that has as many as 8,000 people on at a time on line and still scream along.

I'm sure they'll get it worked out here in time.

Interesting comparison... thanks.

 

[The Kraken]

Doesn't matter that much to me . . . I'm not in that big of a hurry to finish up my nitrogen cycle.

Take time to smell the flowers.

Remember the days before computers?

Like my Daddy used to say, "Don't get something for nothing and then complain about the quality."

the K

 

[Kim]

Not just forums, but vBulletin forums.

Try this one Howard...
Canon Digital Photography Forums - Powered by vBulletin

Nearly 140,000 members of whom 1874 people are online right now - SB has 889 at the moment.
It loads 2 or 3 times faster - always......

I'm not sure exactly what the problem is, but it's clear that it doesn't compare to some.
For a while before the servers got switched again it was actually faster (when that FloridaCave whoever he was did it) - but the new server location brought back the old problems IMO.

I do know that smart database management is an art form, the practitioners of which can command very high salaries!
It's probably a question of you get what you pay for........

 

[Kim]

Like my Daddy used to say, "Don't get something for nothing and then complain about the quality."

Don't be silly!!!! It's the contributions from the members that make ANY site to begin with.

Without posted contributions and members, who wants to advertise and give revenue to the site? (unless it's a write off site for a major company to maintain a web presence for the public..... like the POTN site I just linked to - which is probably totally funded by Canon...although that's just a guess)

No-one gets anything for nothing. Owner and members is a symbiotic relationship - neither could function without the other.

Rather than play the "free ride" card it would be probably better to point out that what you get out is directly proportional to what you put in - and that applies to everybody. If members want a really fast modern site they need to contribute in a valuable way. If the owner wants to keep those valuable members, he/she needs to ensure that the site does what it should in terms of user experience.

It's the same formula as always. Customers have to buy things..... and need to be kept happy with good service so they keep coming back!!

 

[The Kraken]

Well, I noticed that of any of the complaints registered, none of the complaintants are supporting members.

But, whatever . . .

the K

 

[Rick Inman]

Take time to smell the flowers.

Smelling the flowers is a little different than watching a screen load.

But it doesn't bother me either. No computer moves fast enough for my ADD personality, so I just have multiple SB windows open at the same time and toggle back and forth.

Take time to smell the burning circuitry.

 

[redacted]

Quote - "Well, I noticed that of any of the complaints registered, none of the complaintants are supporting members."

Then why feed us this crap about so many users? You know why it is slow. It is that ads.

What comes next? If you don't like it, pay the $$ or post elsewhere? Good idea.

 

[HowardE]

We're working on it. That should really be enough said.

Thanks for the input. Maintaining our member's satisfaction is very important to us here.

I can also say "maintaining a fast site is important to us"

Comparing SB to where it was over a year ago also isn't a fair comparison. Our membership has grown by almost 20,000 in the last year.

As to comparing SB to these other vB forums... We don't know the configuration of these other vB forums. I know what ours is, and I know what we're trying to implement, and we realize and fully admit that there are speed issues.

Strangely enough, the other VB sites have advertising too. :11: - So it would seem that blaming that is out the window.

HONESTLY - We (the SB staff) don't know WHY. We're working with people who can help us, but again that costs MONEY. Get it.

All I can say is - Thanks for your patience in this matter, and that we ARE working on it.

 

[Kim]

Well, I noticed that of any of the complaints registered, none of the complaintants are supporting members.

But, whatever . . .

the K

Does that mean they can't complain? Or comment?

They post though, right? Therefore contribute and help to make the board what it is.
Without that there's nothing to sell and no money to be made.

SB left the realms of a community service a long time ago - if it ever truly was just that. There's nothing wrong with that.

It will sell in direct proportion to the product it gives - and as MOST of that product is freely given on a voluntary basis, it probably makes sense to listen to the customers a little....whether they're supporting members or not. (unless anyone thinks that the board would be better off with ONLY the content contributions of the people who pay to post...either in cash, or kind)