More Technical Problems...

[NydiaC]

OK, I've tried for three days to get the "Great Food" BB up and I can't seem to get it to load. I only load the current day's posts and it stops loading after the heading info is on my screen. Please help! (You might have to email me at home since I never see any posts come up.)

[Deanna]

Nydia! I'm trying to help..it must be really frustrating!

Check your e-mail, I just mailed a suggestion for you to try. Let me know if it worked!

[Maelynn Cheung]

Nydia - we are having problems with the loading ability of the food board. It's been a recurring problem since the board really started to populate and we are working on the problem.

So you know - we are having some problems with our web server and are in the middle of finding ways to improve our memory allowance.

Thank you to Deanna - who has been very helpful in helping us identify the bugs in our board software and I'm sure was helpful to you, as well.

Thanks.

Maelynn

[NydiaC]

Maelynn,

If it's a problem with your server's memory, how come I can get in from work, but not home? Could it be the time of day (i.e., the server's busier after work)?

[Maelynn Cheung]

There are memory problems but they are often compounded by slower connections (which now, a 56k modem is considered slow, believe it or not!)

I have no problems here at work (where we have a faster, dedicated connection) but do have problems at home (56k modem.) The faster connection allows bigger chunks of data to travel more quickly. And to top it off, my work computer is newer and more "beefed-up" so it can also handle more data at once.

Each person's computer does have some impact on downloading issues. It's called "memory cache" and basically what it means is - how much stuff your particular browser can hold and store all at one time. If the setting is low, then the browser can hold less, and vice-versa. The RAM (usually comes as 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB) in each computer also has an effect.

So what I am trying to say is that the one thing we do have control over is the memory on the server and it's being increased. However, there are still bugs in this software that make download more difficult.

We are making a few changes today that might help a little bit.

Maelynn

[NydiaC]

Thanks for your insight, Maelynn. I'm an applications programmer, but I don't deal much with hardware because I just don't like it! I will, however, look into upgrading my home system. Thanks for all your diligence in keeping this BB working and user-friendly. I really enjoy it. It's my daily source of cooking knowledge and entertainment.

I did just get a new 56K modem (nice to know it is already outdated).

[Maelynn Cheung]

Nydia - I've made the changes I eluded to on my earlier post. Let me know if you notice any improvement in download speed/ability.

Also, to those of you who haven't noticed, if you back up one page to the main Food bulletin board page, at the top-left, under the logo, is an envelope with an announcement about the changes. So far, I've seen good things on this new round of improvements.

Any feedback you could give would be appreciated!

Maelynn

P.S. Nydia - have you seen the commercial with the man driving along in his convertible, all smiles, proud of his just-purchased brand new K5 computer in the passenger seat? He stops at a light, looks over at the billboard, and watches the men putting up a new billboard for the brand new K6? Happens to the best of us.

[Deanna]

I am SO there!

Exactly two years ago, we spent $1800 on a 233 computer with 56K modem. Of course another $500 for printer, cables, some software, etc.

Today we can buy a 600 with an even faster modem for $799, according to Gateway.

Grrrr....