New Server, and onto 2 servers for more speed....

[tspore]

Well,
The site is now spread out to allow more room to reach.
Hope its faster.

[tspore]

By the way when I was testing some stuff, I had to enable the forum, for final tests, and I know that we lost 2 posts, because I did a last minute correction. I apologize, but I don't know how to make it more clear that the server was down. On the home page, as an announcement, and in the FTP complaint forum.

[BL3]

Just checked the WDYSPPTW thread, and indeed it loaded fast!

Rock

[benherrmann]

and now I tend to post more again since I don't have to wait 10 seconds (even with high speed cable) for a link to load (especially during the evening hours). A big improvement (as of this writing).

[Bojan Volcansek]

OH FINALLY I can hear and feel some tap on the back signing:
"good work Bojan, good work Tony..."

I almost posted a "whining" message couple of days saying something like this:
"when it was slow, there were a lot of poeple saying - THIS IS TOO SLOW,
now when it is fast nobody is saying - GOOD WORK GUYS IT IS FAST".

But obviously waiting paid off (I don't like to whine - at least not too much :)
)

Enjoy our fast site again :)

Yours Bojan

[mckennma]

The lag is much better.

[Shandy]

Hi, Tony

I have been away from the site for a couple of weeks (trying to earn some money!). Just got back - and - everything is much faster! Good to see you're not off to Maui (or somewhere) with the proceeds!

Thanks
Andy

[tspore]

yea, I wish it made that kind of money. Good news is we should break even for hosting costs... The server cost, now that's another story. But it will all even out.

[Bill Huber]

yea, I wish it made that kind of money. Good news is we should break even for hosting costs... The server cost, now that's another story. But it will all even out.

The host-er installed another server didn't they.

The site does not have to buy it does it?

[tspore]

Well, here is the brief history of the site.
We started with shared hosting, about 1.5 years ago, and out grew that.
Then went to a Virtual Private Server.
Then when we had a big hit 3-4 months ago, I went to 1 totally dedicated server for the site. (The forum uses a lot of Processor speed)
Then when things got very slow, I split it into 2 seperate servers, about 2 months ago.
We may only have 200-300 Registered users a day on the site, but we go through 50-70 GB of band width, and average 1500 hits a day.
I have 10 other commercial sites for businesses and they don't get that many hits a month.
So really, lots of action happens here.
We could cut out the ability for things like photos, and spell checkers, and Anti spam bots, etc, but it really helps to make the site better I think.
I also could go with a simpler forum solution, but this one is very nice.
So I own the servers.
Bandwidth/colocation costs me about $100 a month for the servers, total, so that isn't bad.
The biggest cost was the servers themselves. However, for one of them we are running a G5 X server, and the other is a Intel Duo core Mini. It all balances out very nice, now.

[Bill Huber]

But what is this costing... is the site taking in enough to cover the cost?

[tspore]

Off ad revenue we make about $50 a month, sometimes a little less others a little more.
The supporters of the site are the key here.
We have right now about 110 financial supporters, for the site, and that covers the rest of bandwidth costs, and are beginning to chip away at the server costs.
In time I think it will be fine. I never started this site to make a living off of, I don't think that it will reimburse for time either. but its all about the community doing stuff.
(I don't plan on sending my son to college off the money I "make" here. :D )

[tspore]

Also someday it will be nice to be able to pull in a corporate sponsor, but up till now, no one is interested. So that is fine. But we will see. Right now, I have the companies I really like, e.g. think tank photo, and Acratech. And give them plugs as much as possible. Olympus does fix my cameras for free, so that saves a few bucks, and have bought me a free lunch. :D So for that I am grateful. But the site is still relatively new.