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Tech: Mudcat Log On
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Subject: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: Sandy Mc Lean Date: 21 Oct 05 - 11:03 PM The Mudcat server has never been very stable but lately it seems much worse, or am I the only one having problems getting onto the site? Sandy |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 21 Oct 05 - 11:18 PM Out of my last one-thousand attempts - perhaps six were aborted.
Check the telephone connections to your home.
It used to be "H--l" however, the replacement of an 890 month old box, and new wires have allowed me permenint access...unless a particular, nipping-cat-clone, is sitting on the throne for the evening.
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: Sandy Mc Lean Date: 21 Oct 05 - 11:38 PM Thanks Gargoyle but I'm running on a DSL link with everything else running great. I just seem to have trouble with the Mudcat. It also seems to be worse on weekends for some strange reason. Sandy |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 22 Oct 05 - 12:20 AM Use the posted "back-doors"
Also, go through search engines - google, MSN, and Yahoo are waging a major battle.
Denied connections (particularly Yahoo) earn a website lower "status"....if a "clone" is at the mudcat switch they are more likely to let you through. (A donation to Max does not hurt)
Also, if the "clones" are only letting in "their friends" (bandwidth restrictions) then (IF you are a PC)
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 22 Oct 05 - 03:45 AM I use TweakDun to set the IP numgers in my hosts file and update them regularly. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: GUEST,Jon Date: 22 Oct 05 - 03:48 AM Mudcat has had a lot of problems this year and there has been a lot of down time. Matters seem to be improving though. Recently I have experienced periods not so much of downtime but of very slow responses gargoyle is probably giving his answers as his login times are different to yours. Mudcat does seem to need frequent reboots and much seems to depend on when Max (PA US) is around to perform this. Although the site is running very quickly from here at the moment, UK morning, say 8-9am, is typically a bad time. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: Joe Offer Date: 22 Oct 05 - 03:53 AM As far as I know, there are no "back doors" operating now. The unreliability bugs us, too. We're working toward a solid solution, but haven't come up with it yet. We learned long ago that we can't make any promises, but we're trying. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: GUEST,andrez Date: 22 Oct 05 - 11:45 AM OK, Just for the record again, what exactly is the issue with the site? Are we talking about the need for a new server, ISP problems,directory issues .....etc,etc or msomething more exotic andf esoteric?. I've had some problems as well but I just log back in aanother day.time etc and all is well. Please feel free to talk in techspeak as I am in the IT field myself. Looking forward to understanding a little more, Cheers, Andrez |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: Sandy Mc Lean Date: 22 Oct 05 - 12:54 PM Thanks to all for the suggestions. It would seem that some have similar problems and others do not, so I am a bit puzzled. I think that the server was upgraded a while back and I thought that things were working better. Sometimes when I try to get onto the site I just get an hourglass and then I timeout with a message that the connection can not be established. I would attribute that to either bandwidth limits or the server refusing the connection possibly because it needs a re-boot. Gargoyle's thought that I may be getting a low priority may be correct and I can live with that. However, sometimes when I am already connected to the site I may try to respond to a thread and it also refuses to send the message for the same reason, so it seems that the server has dropped me while I was logged on. I don't usually participate in a lot of discussion , but I have learned a lot from you Catters and from time to time I find that I may have the information that someone requests as well. Thanks and best wishes! Sandy |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: Bill D Date: 22 Oct 05 - 01:38 PM andrez ...2 or 3 'issues'...One is the basic software Mudcat is written in..Cold Fusion, which Jon Freeman has explained in the past can have memory leaks that require re-booting occasionally. Re-doing the entire system in another language would be an 'interesting' task. Another is that no one 'tends' the box all day, like they did when it was in an office. Max needs to run down to the basement and kick something...after he gets home from 'life'. (and the basement is not climate-controlled, I'd guess..*grin*...computers are temperamental in changes of humidity and temperature.) Finally, even though donations plus Max's own wallet upgrade equipment when we MUST, I'm sure that we aren't running on what Micro$oft and Google do, and it's done on local phone lines and electricity.....thunderstorm...zaaaaapppp! old joke: "It's a wonder the dog talks at all!" |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: JohnInKansas Date: 22 Oct 05 - 02:14 PM Andrez - I think the problem is that no one knows exactly what the problem is. A warning has been posted that "user(s)" with a particular kind of crudware search engine were causing interference with mudcat operation. The particular "search engine" cited came bundled into a number of "free downloads" and usually didn't clearly tell you that the component was present. It was also available to people who wanted to "build their own personal search engine," so it can come from almost anywhere. It doesn't cause a lot of problems for most sites, but overloads mudcat because every page at the 'cat is full of links to other pages at the 'cat; and it sometimes tries to open all the links at the same time - and overloads the interface. Maybe. I have found a few other sites that have identified excessive traffic generated by this crud; but most of them have not had service interruptions from it. This is possibly due to the different kind of content at the 'cat. I don't know if this is still the main source of problems, or if there are others. Some of the problems experienced earlier appear to have been resolved, since I see different hangups, and different error messages - sometimes. Currently a common hangup that I get is a "File Site Found, Waiting for Reply" and then it just sits there. Occasionally I get a message that says "Insufficient Memory to process database search request." Others report this latter message more frequently than I see it. Either of these conditions could be caused just by excessive traffic, or could be caused by a "full buffer" at the interface or in the database search engine. It could be due to a hit from the crudware mentioned, excessive ordinary traffic, or a "memory leak" in the database. When it occurs, the obvious and customary solution is just to reboot the server. Since most of the clones can't do a reboot, and Max is entitled to some small bit of "having another life," it occasionally takes a few hours before a reboot can be done. I know of one specific other site that began showing the same (hang or insufficient memory) errors about three weeks ago; but the operator there is not nearly as conscientious as Max and our clones, so I've pretty much just stopped visiting there. Note that my comments are entirely speculation, based on what I see when I try to connect. Those who run the 'cat are working the problem; and I am not a participant in that and have no knowledge other than what I can guess may be going on. John |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: Andrez Date: 22 Oct 05 - 10:34 PM Hi John and Bill, Thanks for the info provided above. I'm still wondering if there is any info as to specifically what platform/hardware the system is running on and the system config. I suppose it may not be a good thing to identify too specifically for all the usual security reasons but it would still be good to get some sense of the dimensions of the issue: coldfusion, time to spare to maintain the system and money (or the lack of) being part of the problem domain as detailed so far. The isues raised by other visitors have raised my professional curiousity and interest hence my enquiry about the technical aspects of the 'cats "woes". FYI I along with four colleagues maintain and support a mixed government Health network that covers a large part of one state in sunny Australia which along with family life doesnt leave much time to play my banjos, guitar or concertina. That interest is why I visit the 'cat in the first place. I also know that what starts out as a labour of love can start to run your life and turn into a nightmare if it takes over. In the "folk" stream, the data contained in the 'cat' represents a major contribution to the worlds oral and social history and needs to be looked after maintained, cared for and loved. I have no doubt that that is the case but given the value of the site and its contents surely it ought to be possible to access support in terms of equipment, expertise and funding to put things right and ensure the 'cats future viability? I'd imagine that readers somewhere would have the skills and expertise to put in those submissions if the notion was welcomed by Max and whoever else is in the inner Mudcat circle. Another option would be simply to set up something to allow anyone who has benefitted in some way from Mudcat (you decide what that means to you) to make a one off voluntary donation (but monthly if you like and can afford to do so) of say $10.00 into a Pay Pal or similar account so that after a while the kitty could help to grow a bigger sleeker 'cat. Running on from that a similar thing could be looked at from a technical point of view. Assuming they have the initial key data to start with, perhaps technically inclined members could have a thread that explores just the technical issues around coldfusion databases and hardware etc, as it applies to the 'cat. That way users may have the opportunity to make a more direct contribution of skills and ideas to the basic problems. Thats probably a sidetrack to my original query about the system (which I'd still like more detail on) but its worth a thought if it hasnt already been considered before. Anyway thats enough for now, I'll go back and try and puzzle out my current Cisco router issues. Cheers, Folks, Andrez |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 22 Oct 05 - 11:15 PM It...IS...an interesting situation.
The wacks, cracks, hacks, have come and harvested a left.
Open up a WIKI - and with "Sam Johnson" as the code. Let the public view the code....solicite suggestions.
The MC - is up and running - and MUCH MORE EFFICENTLY than public (autocratic) organizations I have known over the past five years.
MAX - and the crew deserve KUDUs - (while Susan with Dick sit in the smoldering ashes of a once noble quest - trampled over time by the tapping toes of Morris dancers.)
Sincerely,
even my mentor has abandoned the newsgroups and sought shelter in the MCat corner. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: Andrez Date: 24 Oct 05 - 07:18 AM Gargoyle, The latter point makes me wonder if there is a thread or link somewhere to some info as to the history of the development of the Mudcat. Something that would give some context to your comments re Max, Susan and Dick. The references in the posting are too obscure to take away very much. Please note I dont want to get into a huge discourse re thisand the tech issues I originally queried, just some concise information if possible. Cheers, Andrez |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Mudcat Log On From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 24 Oct 05 - 01:38 PM I've been getting on lately, although somedays response has been slow. Sometimes, I can't get the Mudcat when I click on it under Favorites. Then I go to Google Advanced Search and pretend that I am a total newbie who has no idea where the Mudcat is. I search for "Mudcat Cafe" and Google leads me to it. I conclude that Google is more powerful than my Favorites list - not a surprise. Try it. JohnInKansas: When you say "I think the problem is that no one knows exactly what the problem is," I'm sure you are right. Max and the other gallant volunteers who are trying to keep the Mudcat going have my support and sympathy. |
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