Up/Down
Up/Down If it's not one thing it's another. My computer was dying, actually it still is and I need to install a new HD before the current one dies as it's getting flaky. Then, last week my ISP had some server problems apparently. Upon fixing them my site no longer worked for anybody with an account. I tried to get them to fix it but they were pretty clueless

I guess it's not entirely their fault. The Berkeley DB system pretty much sucks ass when it comes to backward / foreward compatibility. Not only are databases not compatible between versions but there are absolutely no error messages to tell you that that was the problem nor are their any reasonable migration tools. I'm surprised anybody would use it considering those problems and I'm surprised those issues have not been addressed.

What does this mean to you? Well for example if you are using MovableType in it's default setting you could lose your entire database at anytime with either no or very tedious recovery options.

Also, I could have sworn I posted another something between "What's wrong with this picture" and now but if I did the ISP lost it when moving to a new server. I know they lost at least one article that was not posted yet and only half finished and I had spent quite a lot of time writing it as it was something translated from Japanese. I'll try to find time to re-do it.
Comments:

[ e ]

Use mySql? ;)  I'm using movabletype with it.  Thank god, I didn't try using Berkeley DB.

posted by lu2February 24, 2004 at 1:35

MySQL [ e ]

Yea, for now I just turned off registration.  The only thing registering and logging in here gave you was the ability to edit your posts later.  It's not that big a deal so I just turned it all off and now it's more other blog like.

My MT blogs though are MySQLed.   Not that it matters because nobody uses them

posted by greggmanFebruary 24, 2004 at 10:12

sorry it's been so rough [ e ]

I once went through about 5 webservers in a month with a very important site I was doing for an athlete.  The hosts kept changing their traffic and data load policies, and java support.  It was discouraging, as it was my first ever site for someone who really needed it to be reliable.

You will eventually sort it all out.  For now, know that most of us will patiently wait, as we know what an asset to the web your work is.

Here's to it all getting better soon.:)

posted by ElleeFebruary 27, 2004 at 0:57

[ e ]

hey gregg, set up your own server.. high speed access is dirt cheap in Japan as you know (fixed IP + 100mbps flat-rate unlimited load optical fibre for 50 bucks a month anyone?) and it's actually a bit of fun arsing about with linux.

posted by dylanMarch 8, 2004 at 0:50

own server [ e ]

well, I don't personally find fighting with Linux to be fun.  I just installed fedora, picked all the defaults and it comes up with garbage on the login screen if I let it go to a screensaver.  Meaning if I don't log in for a while my screen turns to garbage.  Not very happy.  Plus, whatever it is, the default config of apache in fedora runs dirt slow.

My friend Danny that runs www.Daypop.com uses FreeBSD so I thought about downloading that but the day I tried all their FTP servers were down.

But, actually, the #1 reason I don't do it is I live in a typical tiny Japanese apartment and the sound of the computer running in the other room is annoying enough that I can't sleep well.  I could spend lots-o-money making it sound proof or I could spend even more and move somewhere where there is a place far enough away from my bed where I could keep it on but neither of those is currently an option with no funds.

On top of that, I'd have to deal with people trying to hack it, and it going down for a month each time I moved so for now I think it's better to stay with an ISP.

Of course they are not all roses either. The one I'm on just moved my site to another server so the site went down for a day or 2 while the domain pointed to the wrong place.  Then they didn't install all the modules from the old server so comments were not working.  It seems to be fine now.

posted by greggmanMarch 8, 2004 at 4:39