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Ming
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Post by Ming »

Is it a bug, or have the links to recent posts on the forums been removed on purpose?
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Moonraker
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Re: Home page

Post by Moonraker »

Have you asked Keith?
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Tony Summerfield
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Re: Home page

Post by Tony Summerfield »

Neither Anita or I could get onto the Home Page last night and I hadn't noticed that the Forum posts have been removed when it came back again this morning. I doubt if Keith did it as he hasn't said anything to me about it at all.
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Ming
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Re: Home page

Post by Ming »

He might have, the page now reads: Our popular forums are chock-full of interesting discussions by Enid Blyton fans. You could be like Jack's annoying sister Susie and eavesdrop outside the shed window — or you could join in.

I distinctly remember something along the lines of 'here are links to the latest topics on our agenda'.
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Moonraker
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Re: Home page

Post by Moonraker »

I rather prefer it as it is. I could never really see the point in clips from forum posts.
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Keith Robinson
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Re: Home page

Post by Keith Robinson »

Hello eagle-eyed readers! Sorry, I didn't get a chance to let you all know (and especially you two, Tony and Anita!) about this problem. It was a mad dash getting it resolved as it was, and then I had to go out.

I got a long note from the web host, HostGator, who said:
This message is to advise you of a temporary block placed on one of your scripts. The script "..." was found to be consuming an inordinate amount of processor time, to the point of degrading overall system performance. While we do limit each account to no more than 25% of a system's CPU in our terms of service, we do not actively disable accounts until they greatly exceed that number, which is what happened in this case.
The script in question was the bit of code at the foot of the home page that delves into the forums and finds the latest posts. This might sound like a simple request, but because of the way the forums are designed, it's actually a very complicated request! I mean, for heaven's sake, LOOK:

Code: Select all

select topics.topic_id, posts.topic_id, topics.topic_title, posts.post_id, topics.forum_id from posts, topics where posts.topic_id = topics.topic_id and topics.forum_id not in (14,18,19,21,28) order by posts.post_id desc limit 60
So anyway, apparently this script (which performs every time the home page is loaded) was using a lot of memory, and always has been. So I've removed it for now, and maybe forever.

HostGator actually blocked the home page until I fixed it. The rest of the site was accessible, but not the page with the offending script. I had to write back and forth to them, remove the script, put the new page up, and let them approve it before they made it live again. It was down for less than an hour, but would have been a whole lot longer if I hadn't been in at the time! HostGator actually phoned me to let me know.

If there's a huge desire to see this "latest post" list reinstated, I'll see if I can figure out a way to get the same results in a less convoluted way. But I doubt that's possible, because of the way the forum database is set up.
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Ming
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Re: Home page

Post by Ming »

Trust you to have a technical explanation for everything!

As a technologically impaired duck I don't understand just how complicated this is, but I'll take your word for it! It's not really that important though - I never use the 'recent links'.
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Home page

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thanks for the explanation, Keith, and for sorting things out promptly. It's good that HostGator communicate with clients by phone as well as email when necessary. Personally I don't mind very much about not having forums links showing, though perhaps seeing some of the recent topics on the Home Page might have encouraged newcomers to register and join in. Still, it shouldn't really make much difference.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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Re: Home page

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I think what Anita says is correct, and it is the casual non-registered visitor who will be most effected by this. Whereas some would have been attracted to the forums by some of the threads - Enid Blyton Day 2012! - other threads such 'I'm New' and 'Hello' won't be sadly missed! I think it will possibly reduce the number of visitors we get to the forums as the 'View New Posts' facility on the forums is only available to those who are registered.

I doubt if we will get may complaints however, as I suspect that people who used this on a regular basis will simply not visit us any more.

On the subject of the Home Page we do have five further quick search buttons ready to add to the ten already there, but I haven't yet sent them to Keith as I am still plucking up my courage to approach him about adding them! :lol:
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Re: Home page

Post by Daisy »

I hardly ever look at the forum 'latest posts' summary these days although at one time I did. As there are two other ways (that I know of!) of going straight there I shouldn't think it matters to regular users. Glad to have the explanantion for the 'Forbidden Access' last night.
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Re: Home page

Post by Wayne Pyer »

I concur with everyone. I no longer used that menu anyway since I discovered the other access points. :roll:
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Re: Home page

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I have to admit that personally I used it all the time! The Society Home Page is also my home page and whenever I logged on I always had a quick look to see what the latest posts were. I appreciate that many of you go straight into the forums, but unfortunately I don't and when I was busy (!!!!) it was a good quick link.
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Re: Home page

Post by Lucky Star »

I always used it as well since I always log on at the homepage and peruse Barney's messageboard before entering the forums vis one of the links to latest posts. Its no big deal for me but I do wonder if the forums might lose traffic as a result? Perhaps a bigger and more prominent "Look At The Forums" button would be an idea?
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero

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Ming
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Re: Home page

Post by Ming »

Lucky Star wrote:Perhaps a bigger and more prominent "Look At The Forums" button would be an idea?
It would certainly be quicker than the current Home Page > Interactive Island > Forums route, although I acknowledge that there is a link to the forums under the big heading! Maybe there could be a forum button?
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Re: Home page

Post by Moonraker »

I only look at the Home Page if I want to look at the Message Board. My link takes me directly to the "View New Posts", as that is what I wish to do when accessing the Society website. I guess we all have different needs, but I am quite happy with things as they are.
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