BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!

Subject: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Senoufou
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 04:34 AM

My goodness, it's fast this morning! I'm tempted to post on everything as quickly as I can before it goes slow again.
Over the past couple of weeks it's been like driving a very old car along a bumpy lane, nursing it through the gears and trying to keep it moving.
Sometimes I rejoice as the site loads, only to discover I can't get a thread up on the screen. Or I write a post but it won't 'go through'.
I'm smiling s I wonder if it's a sinister plot to stop undesirable posters working their evil! In which case, I'm evidently one of them!

Is it just me, or are others having this difficulty?

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 06:22 AM

Up to a point. Recently I have found that the Cat comes up nice & quickly; then the first thread I click on takes minute+minute+minute to come up till I could scream — but just as I am about to give up, up it comes; then others I click on come up in quite reasonable time.

But other times these factors vary. It's a temperamental old forum, eh? But don't we all love it just the same!

≈M≈

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 07:36 AM

I've been having the same issues. Either I'm told the site is unavailable, or, I can't open threads.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Pete from seven stars link
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 09:25 AM

Yep, unpredictable here. I get to the stage where I have something else on hand to do while I wait to see if a thread loads.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Jeri
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 10:13 AM

It varies throughout the day, and doesn't come up at all on my Android phone.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 11:15 AM

It might be worth your while to check the upload and download speeds on your computer. Search for "upload speed test" to get several to choose from -- and do more than one, because the test servers are located in several spots around the US and the globe.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: mkebenn
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 01:32 PM

I have also had these issues. I have checked internet connection when a message won't post, and sometimes that will work, others not so much. As far as the speed, it is what it is. If it wants to be nice, and sometime it is, great. If not, well hell, kicking it don't help. Perhaps MGM-Lion is right, she's slowed down with age. Who hasn't? Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Brian May
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 03:53 PM

More often than not it's glacially slow. It's a shock when it comes up straight away and I'm on a 100 mbs link on a (very) fast computer.

Still, more often than not, it's worth the wait.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 04:56 PM

It's not just you, Eliza / Senoufou. Just now I thought it would never connect.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Senoufou
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 05:01 PM

I know it isn't anything to do with our broadband speed, as I can get any other sites up in a twinkling. And it's so variable - it's whizzing along nicely at the moment, but 15 minutes ago it wouldn't even load. Very strange.
No criticism of Mudcat at all, it's a very enjoyable place, but only when you can get into it!
(I'm now going to press 'submit message', and hope it still behaves itself.)

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: frogprince
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 05:27 PM

Today it's just about breaking the speed of the sound of loneliness for me, at least compared to lotsa days.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Senoufou
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 05:39 PM

I'm sorry you've been feeling lonely frogprince. The internet's a godsend for passing the time isn't it? When my husband's out at work, I blunder around all sorts of interesting sites, especially online puzzles and quizzes.
Mudcat is a friendly place I find. I'd really miss it if it became impossible to access it.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 06:15 PM

The issue is squarely with the website, not with anyone's broadband speed, etc. In the last few days I've been connecting on 4G all over Bude and west London, occasionally on 3G, on my family member's superfast broadband in Richmond, on a Travelodge internet connection and on my own BT Infinity connection. None of it makes the slightest difference. This website is problematic in terms of connectivity at least three quarters of the time. On occasion I've had to give up trying post for hours on end, and woe betide if you've typed a longish post, then post it without having copied it to your clipboard first. I have contributed dough to this website, maybe not enough, but I don't pay for it. I state all this as a bit of anecdotal evidence, not as an opinion of the site owner.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 06:33 PM

I can vouch for the truth of what Steve Shaw says about the perils of posting -- same has happened to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Jun 16 - 06:54 PM

Always copy before posting. Even that can be a frustrating experience, especially on an iPad, and next to impossible on an iPhone.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Andrez
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 01:57 AM

The speed variability issues are the same and similarly frustrating in Australia too.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: DaveRo
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 02:19 AM

Steve Shaw wrote: ...next to impossible on an iPhone

Why more difficult on an iPhone? ISTR that the sequence - long tap, select all, copy - is the same. (Just curious - I don't own either.)

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Andrez
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 03:09 AM

Network capacity and time of day are two key variables. Limited installed RAM or limited HD space on tablet or iPhone can also impact on browser functionality. Both or neither of these issues may be applicable to Steve's issue though.

That said I do agree with Steve's advice: "copy before posting". I've lost several messages /replies to messages by hitting the wrong key or otherwise stuffing up something else through lack of attention.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 04:22 AM

Hmmm, if I was not using a BT (notso) Hotspot, or better still not using BT with their CDN (Content Delivery Network) I should be blaming the Cat? Oh shame on us, it is worth every penny we are asked to pay for it. And a whole lot more.

A lady said to me recently, offering an unheard version of the saying "patience is a virtue, posses it if you can....":
"Patience is a virtue, virtue is a grace and Grace is a little girl"

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 04:45 AM

We may think it worth the wait, but we are an ageing and dying breed.
Potential new members will not give such a frustrating site a second chance.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Andrez
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 05:09 AM

Well I think in the scheme of things the 'delays' aren't really all that long. I'm grateful that the 'Cat' is basically text based and not graphics based e.g. WordPress et.al. It could always be worse I suppose :-)

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: frogprince
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 11:19 AM

Eliza, I'm not really suffering from loneliness; I just shoulda realized that not everyone world wide is as familiar with John Prine lyrics as folks I know around here. : )

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Senoufou
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 12:11 PM

Oh, phew frogprince! I'm glad it was only the lyrics of a song, and you're not lonely after all!

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 01:43 PM

It's been very slow here for some time, but today it's running pretty well OK. I suspect the big threads aren't helping the problem, if a number are being opened/closed simultaneously, the server(s) might well be under increased load? Out of curiosity, I tried opening the MOAB thread last week, and gave in after what seemed like half an hour at least.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: John J
Date: 13 Jun 16 - 06:53 PM

I have a measured 60mbs connection here in NW England, connection and posting to Mudcat is painfully slow these days. In fact it's slow enough for me, to my shame, to look elsewhere.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 02:41 AM

I understand (I hope, not in confidence) that Max has moved recently and is having technical problems with the site.
The reception here in the rural West of Ireland can be slow anyway, but over the last week the situation with Mudcat has been intolerable - slow or failed opening, lost postings, failure notices, or the site being unopenable for half days at a time.
Max has my full sympathy and I hope, for his and our sakes, he manages to sort out the problems.
It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop when you're in the middle of an argument
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: DaveRo
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 03:20 AM

uk.music.folk still exists; it just needs enough people to repopulate it.

I was startled recently when a query about folk magazines got a reply within 30 minutes!

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: John J
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 07:34 AM

To say that we owe a vote of thanks to Max and his efforts is an understatement! His unpaid hours and the expense of keeping Mudcat running, well, they're incalcuable.

Is incalcuable a real word...or have I just invented it?

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Andrez
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 08:02 AM

Thanks for the heads up about Max JimC. Happy to be patient and wait on that basis.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 08:05 AM

You invented it, John J - it's 'incalculable'! 😄😎

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 10:16 AM

we gotta remember the mudcat servers are in America..

Where they got all sorts of beavers, wolves, bears, skunks, gators, bigfoots, mountain ranges, mighty rivers, deserts...

..the internet has got to be as tough as John Wayne to fight it's way through all that lot...!!!

.. and then try to find it's way all across the Atlantic....

We mustn't complain if the internet needs to sit down, put it's feet up and nod off for a while every now and then...

Remember, even the British internet slows down when it occasionally misses it's bus, or has had a late night and gets on the wrong train..... 😜

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: frogprince
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 10:57 AM

LOL Pfr.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 01:42 PM

....and don't forget the fisher-cats (porcupine killers)

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 02:50 PM

It is much better. I even get a message if a post does not go through which minimizes my double post mistakes.


I would calculate that giving Max 50 grand would be appreciated.

Subject: RE: BS: Varying Speed of Mudcat!
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Jun 16 - 03:01 PM

It's whizzing along beautifully at the moment.
I feel I ought to post my usual inane drivel as fast as I can before it goes geriatric again. (Or I do!)
I hope no-one thinks I was criticising Mudcat as a site, because I really like it. I was only wondering if others were having the same access problems.