Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE

Subject: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 11:33 PM

No doubt...some of you...like me....have found it a little "testy" to cruise the breast of the beasty. Responce time are slow, etc.

So...try this.

Open multiple browser windows, (Netscape/Explorer) and then read a message, click to the next message, read-post the next message in another "window" then read and post to the third window.

Most of your home computers are capable of handling multiple web-connections...when the MC is slow....take advantage of YOUR machine's capabilities...

Why spend 20 minutes cruizin the MC when you can do the same in FIVE.

No Jive
Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From:
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 11:36 PM

And it's suggestions like this which make it slow for others. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 11:51 PM

Sorry George Seto

WHOOPPSSS!!!!!

Forgot to add....best responce is found by opening within "loko" and "ragtime" and the base "mudcat.org" simultaneously.

It is sort of fun...like an "old-time" telephone-oporator, as you switch between threads.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Sometimes you can even multiple servers to carry your threads.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 12:01 AM

make that "loki"...

Look George...now that you know...you can do the same thing...not only here but elsewhere.

When you are in the supermarket...and you can't determine which line is faster...haven't you ever...stood in one line and left your cart in another? Its just common sense to expedite the process! Whether it is food or the net.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 02:08 PM

"loki" and for that matter "ragtime" no longer exist. "www" or "shorty" is all there is now

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST,DW at work
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 10:20 PM

Can confirm that. Been trying for weeks to get in on one of those guys, no luck. Went back and started over, and here I am after weeks of nothing! I thought you'd been silenced by the mighty 'THEY'.

There've been some pretty neat changes round here - in format anyway. One day soon I'm gonna get me a proper membership. Soon as THEY stop watching me!

DW

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 11:07 PM

The only servers we have right now are www.mudcat.org (the preferred one), and shorty.mudcat.org
But Gargoyle's right, for once - it makes sense to read Mudcat by opening several windows. Read one while waiting for the other to open. From the Forum Menu, right-click the thread you want to open, and select "open in new window." Do this for as many threads as you like. That way, you don't have to refresh the Forum Menu every time you look at it, and that actually reduces the load on the Mudcat servers.
Good suggestion, Gargoyle. Now, if you could just cut out the nasty stuff.... If you don't, maybe I should tell people where you work and what you do for a living. Then they can write outraged letters to your employer. Better stick to music and avoid the kinky stuff, buddy. I'm getting sick of it.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 11:46 PM

Doesn't that just clog up two systems instead of one? How many times have you had your unattended cart shifted because it blocked the way?

It's like a pot and someone pushing straws into it. The more straws you put in, the harder it gets to add more. soon you're left with lots of straws that will only go so far in. Only when you remove some of the 'dead' straws (unused, spare and duplicate links) can the rest of the straws get in. And I'm pretty certain that you don't close the extra links when you're connected.

The only thing that happens when you utilise 2 or more systems at once, is that you prevent someone else getting in. It's the most selfish attitude and a habit that will eventually blow the system.

LTS

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 04:05 AM

ROTFLMAO!

Liz, the TCP/IP expert, I don't think...

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 07:33 AM

I'm in on ragtime at the moment - Bob Bolton sent me the link cos mudcat & shorty weren't working for me (last night as well as tonight)


sandra

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 06:52 PM

Liz,

Straws are a very bad analogy, and it doesn't work remotely like you imagine. I could explain but I doubt that you'd be interested.

Jeff

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 08:16 AM

Once again I'm using ragtime - shorty ddn't work (again).

I've had enormous proiblems with netscape & mudcat over the past few weeks, and have been getting assistance from a very computer-savvy friend. Last Sat my friend & his wife were visiting. We mentioned the problems I've been having & he looked at my laptop sitting on it's tiny little shelf & said maybe we can get it out for a moment, but she reminded us we were socialising, not fixing computers.

Ratz - cos it's still not perfect.

sandra

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 09:48 AM

Liz, while 'Jeff' up there says he could explain he 1) obviously can't, and 2) seems to just like calling people on Mudcat (and undoubtedly other places) stupid. Completely pointless.

You load a web page on your computer. The information for that page is transferred and that's it - no more contact until you ask for more information by clicking on a link or refreshing. You aren't "plugged in." You can disconnect from the internet and the page will still show on your computer.

Having more than one browser window open at a time justs lets people read one page while they request information for another, or request information for more than one page. It alows multiple requests for information at the same time.

Insead of the shopping cart analogy, think of it as ordering food at a restaurant. Once they hand you your food, you're done unless you want something else. You can order each dish separately, in sequence, or you can order everything at the same time. The staff doesn't work any more or any less, but the food arrives faster.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: jeffp
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 11:01 AM

Excellent explanation, Jeri! It's not too surprising that people get confused. I've been working with computers for 25 years (starting with mainframes containing real magnetic core memory) and was still confused about how the internet worked for quite some time.

jeffp (not the Jeff above)

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 12:12 PM

Well, to add to Jeri's analogy, let me explain how it's more efficient if you leave the Forum Menu open. If you keep the menu and order several different things at the same time, the waiter doesn't have to go down the street to the printer's to get a new menu printed for each item you order.
Happy smorgasbord!
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 04:35 PM

Jeri,

I really don't wish to start an arguement, but at which point did I call anyone stupid?

Jeff

Good explanation btw, better than I'd have done

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 04:51 PM

You're right and I apologise. Guess I read too quickly and saw something that wasn't there.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Mark Clark
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 05:28 PM

Good analogy, Jeri. And just because someone "gets in" on ragtime doesn't mean there is a physical host by that name. The names are just entries in the domain naming service (DNS) database and equate to an IP address. If you check, you'll see that www, loki and ragtime all equate to the same IP address. Shorty and dharma equate to different IP's.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 08:45 PM

No contact is true but you may not have gone as far as the server is concerned. HTTP will need you to tell it again that you are still there but some systems maintain sessions, I think Cold Fusion is one such system and seems to do that via one cookie. Others seem to give that long seeminginly meaningless bit in the url, e.g sessionid=APDf454fsd339sdfd".

I don't understand it and maybe someone like Mark Clark can advise, but I'd have thought there were cases, not really in forum usage here, where servers can tie up a lot of memory to retain info. What does something like cfchat do?

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 02:26 PM

Ever since I started using the internet regularly I automatically started to open multiple windows. Why would they have allowed you to do so if it didn't make sense?
The only thing about working your way down the forum index is that once you reach the bottom you need to re-visit it to find what has been added since you started.
Good advice Gargoyle.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Bassic
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 02:58 PM

Just tried the advice. So much quicker. Thanks Gargoyle for the tip and to Joe for reminding me about the right click "open in a new window" tip. Also to the combination of explinations from the others showing that it is actually less stess on the system to check out threads in this way.I suggest this thread is refreshed rgularly over tne next few days to keep it near the top of the forum and allow the advice to be well disceminated.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: MikeOQuinn
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 03:42 PM

As a sidenote, and easier way to accomplish this, you can shift+click on a hyperlink to open it in a new window.

Jus' my two cents worth.
-J

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Mark Clark
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 05:38 PM

You can also code your hyperlinks as:

<a href="http://some.domain.com" target="_blank">underlined text</a>

Using the target attribute as in the example will politely open a new window for the user who clicks on your link instead of reusing the thread window they're reading at the moment.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 06:56 PM

Hey, Mark (or somebody) - what's the difference between target="_blank" and target="new"
I always get those two confused.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 08:02 PM

Yea I use multiple IE windows but usually have a tech window or BBC comedy running.

So if I shout MORNINGTON CRESCENT I must be in the wrong window.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 03:36 PM

Come on Joey - lighten up - I've been a Hull-lot better sorry about the hamster/duct-tape - it was an old, stale, common joke appropriate for horse-punchers

To "piggy-back" on Mark Clark's comment and as noted in other threads.

Most people remember names better than numbers. Computers use numbers. By typing in words - there is an extra series of steps to access the pages you desire. Try a traceroute - one with the numbers and one with the names.

In SHORT - use the numbers instead of the words.

However, Max can switch them around between .10 and .108 (.109?)

Neat clean access with http://207.103.108.104/threads.cfm

www.mudcat.org resolves to 207.103.108.105

ragtime.mudcat.org resolves to 207.103.108.105

loki.mudcat.org resolves to 207.103.108.105

onstagemedia 207.103.108.104

dharma.mudcat.org resolves to 207.103.108.10

shory.mudcat.org resolves to 207.103.108.10

Play Hard, Have Fun, Be Safe,

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 05:14 PM

I don't think that works all the time here gargoyle. The last time I tried it, in some cases, using an IP address resulted with a message about the IP address not being bound to any virtual server.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 06:06 PM

Perhaps I should explain that I was quoting an IT expert, who just happens to control every computer used by the Civil Service inside the M25 - some 15,000 machines.....

LTS

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 06:47 PM

Hey GUEST (If you really are Gargoyle -= Hey Gargoyle)
That yellow is really crap for (ridiculously) small print.
I am using OPERA and I had to click on the + button about seven times before it enlarged it to a point where I could actually read what it said. (Must check back to find the hint which allows me to override the website settings and substitute my own prefrewence!-whoops -Elmer Fudding!!!!!)
Actually - Opera opens its pages within the same window - on TABs which you can then click to bring to the front. A VERY sensible system.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 07:12 PM

GtD...in Opera, simply click 'author' in the URL tab,(none, load, author, preview) and it will switch from garg's yellow to what YOU specify, (black is default)...and a couple of ++ will let you read it...

(I am not sure I hope garg pays attention to Joe's advice or not...I do sometimes wish I lived in S. California, so I could just 'drop by' and interview his stonyness and ask him, face to face, why he can't drop the nastiness and just talk music and casual BS like most of us)

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 07:20 PM

Liz,

There are 216,000 civil servents in London. Are you really saying that they only have 15,000 computers?!?

What do the rest do? Draw pictures with crayons????

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 08:15 PM

Hi, Liz - I think you may have minsunderstood the IT professional, or it may have applied to a situation different from ours. Here at Mudcat, it works just fine to read one window while you load others, and it's not likely to overload our system.

Up above, I asked what's the difference between target="_blank" and target="new"

Anybody got an answer?

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Mark Clark
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 08:25 PM

Joe, You asked for the difference between target="_blank" and target="new" when used as an attribut in the Anchor tag (<a … >). In most cases, there may not be any noticable difference in behavior. The officially defined values for the target attribute are:

window_name

The name of any window specified by a <FRAME> element, or by using the window.open scripting method. If a window_name is used which does not correlate to a previously defined window, then a new window is created and NAMEd according the the window name used in the TARGET attribute. This new window can then be referenced using its new name.

_self

Using this reserved keyword value, would cause any form feedback page to be loaded into the window that currently contains the form.

_parent

Using this reserved keyword value, would cause any form feedback page to be loaded into the window that is the parent of the window currently containing the form. i.e. if the form's window is part of a framed document, it would load into the window controlled by the <FRAMESET> element definitions that control the form's current window.

_top

Using the reserved keyword value would cause the form feedback page to be loaded into the topmost window, clearing any currently existing framed windows.

_blank

Using this reserved keyword value would cause the form feedback page to be loaded into a newly created window. Using this value is the same as using TARGET="window_name" where the window_name used is not a previously defined window. NOTE : Unlike using the window_name using a previously undefined window name, using _blank will not name the new window for future use.

So when you use "new" as a value, it normally doesn't refer to any valid window_name and just opens a new window. The new window will have a name though. When the officially sactioned value ("_blank") is used the new window is not given a name. Of course if you use the "new" value and there actually is an existing browser window named “new,” that window will be reused instead of creating a new one.

By the way, I excerpted the technical verbiage from Stephen Le Hunte's HTML Reference Library. This is a wonderful little help file with complete HTML reference info through 4.0. It even tracks which browsers support which features.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 08:28 PM

blowed if I know
I've only used the Target=NEW tag myself.
Quack!!!
GtD

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 08:32 PM

What Mark said. It'll only make a noticable difference if you are using frames.

TARGET="_blank"
This target will cause the link to always be loaded in a new blank not named window.
TARGET="_top"
This target makes the link load in the full body of the window.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 10:14 PM

Geoff-I can read gargoyles yellow writing fine here, but your not missing much as he is only talking shit anyway!

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 12:34 AM

Mr. Clark...thank you for an excellent lesson....I will mull on it awhile....most interesting.... THANX.

Johhny in/from Hully sincerely, sorry you worked it out...it was only to save the non-Equirer from emotional pain....when it is shit - it is best left buried.

Joe- why did you ask? Your explanation will provide clarification to the post.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Crusin' with EASE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 03:22 AM

Hi, Garg - I usually use target=new, but I try to do it on a limited basis. I know there's one of those tags that will open the new page in an existing window, if there is one open - and I wouldn't want to open in a window somebody has open for a reason.
Some people have suggested that they prefer to make the "open in new window" choice by themselves, instead of having a new window forced upon them.
I figure it helps people learn the advantage of using several windows, so I do it - but not always.
-Joe Offer-