Bandwidth Usage?

[~angelic slayer~]

In light of the recent bandwidth errors over the last little while, I just thought I'd pop in and ask just what causes high amounts of bandwidth?

I guess what I'm more so asking is there anything that we BB-ers can do when we're posting or editing signatures, etc. to help and reduce the amount of bandwidth we're using? I know that someone mentioned linking pictures instead of attatching them helps with this, but is there anything else that we can do at all?

Not that BS isn't doing a great job at keeping the boards up (I give kudos to you obi-wan :notworthy ;)) I just thought I'd ask! Just in case there was something that could be done to help :)

Thanks!

[Bored of the Dead]

Another Bandwidth issue causes the board to close another question.

I what the next question will be

[Blondie Bear]

Maybe Al's snarkiness is weighing everything down. ;)

[Bored of the Dead]

Maybe Al's snarkiness is weighing everything down. ;)

Maybe its the fact pointless threads are being opened like this one.

If the FAQ's are read questions like this are answered

[Blondie Bear]

Maybe its the fact pointless threads are being opened like this one.

If the FAQ's are read questions like this are answered

Case in point. . . .

No, seriously, though, is there some stuff that can maybe get deleted more often or something? Would purging the games forum every few months help? I know that's not stuff WE can do (I'm headed to the donation area right after this, since that seems to be all I can do), but there might be stuff that the mods can do.

[Bored of the Dead]

Case in point. . . .

No, seriously, though, is there some stuff that can maybe get deleted more often or something? Would purging the games forum every few months help? I know that's not stuff WE can do (I'm headed to the donation area right after this, since that seems to be all I can do), but there might be stuff that the mods can do.

Maybe if they trimmed the fat and deleted some members - you seem eager to help, it's been nice knowing you BB and the rest of us here will miss you but thanks for your sacrifice:)

Seriously though, if the board goes down for a few days - big deal. The points made here aren't that ground breaking that they can't wait until the board is back up.

[DarklyDreamingDrusilla]

Not to get in the middle of a debate, but I think that all angelic slayer is trying to say is if there is anything extra that we can do to help then she would help out. She most likely knows the rules from the FAQ she just wants to do a bit extra as would I. I know that I would love to help in any way that I can just because I am thankful to BS for all she does for the boards because I enjoy posting with everyone here. I don't neccessarily get overly upset when the boards close or anything but I do enjoy coming here most everyday and seeing if there is anything new. So, basically I agree with angelic slayer in if there is anything extra that I can do I would be glad to do it. :smile:

[Dlou444]

Hard to believe Big Al's in a worse mood than usual. And here I am happy as a lark.
True though, I think there's GOT to be something we can try and do. Even if it's little.
Perhaps IGNORE BotD, that would keep my posts shorter!

[Bored of the Dead]

The same debate is opened every single time that the site has this issue, just asked in a slightly different way.

Everyones 'good intentions' basically just add to the pointless threads.

So yeah, there is something you could do to help.

Make sure your posts have a point, make them clear and concise and if someone else as made the point you want to make, because honestly most of you seem to be just rehashing old points anyway (all I can say is thank the LORD for Palabra for her insightful post - and a few others).

Threads like this remind me of people that complain about the rainforest being destroyed but then go eat a McDonalds Happy Meal.

.....yawn......

[Vicariously]

^^^Cranky much?!?!?!

If it annoys you so much Al that this thread is "useless" why bother even posting in it? Not picking on you...but seriously whats the point...there will ALWAYS be a "how can we help thread' after the site goes down for bandwidth issues...and the site will probally continue to go down due to bandwidth just because the board is so friggin active. Just shrug it off and ignore them...it will only make you more irritable...

anyways with that said I wouldn't mind hearing what causes excessive bandiwth useage and try to avoid adding to the problem as best as I can.

*awaits a response *

[Bored of the Dead]

^^^Cranky much?!?!?!

If it annoys you so much Al that this thread is "useless" why bother even posting in it? Not picking on you...but seriously whats the point...there will ALWAYS be a "how can we help thread' after the site goes down for bandwidth issues...and the site will probally continue to go down due to bandwidth just because the board is so friggin active. Just shrug it off and ignore them...it will only make you more irritable...

anyways with that said I wouldn't mind hearing what causes excessive bandiwth useage and try to avoid adding to the problem as best as I can.

*awaits a response *

The problem is the same people posting the questions.

If a newb was doing it, you give them patience, but the same people say the same things in the same threads time after time.

[Vicariously]

ah well then that would get annoying...I guess, I dunno I guess I really just dont care that much what people post. I just enjoy having something to do during my kids nap each day. LOL

[~angelic slayer~]

Okay, let's try and stay on topic guys!

I appreciate your comment Botd (you do have a good point about posts-- thank you for that) as well as all you nifty folks who are sticking up for little 'ole me; but going back and forth really just isn't getting us anywhere! Using extra posts to argue really defeats the purpose of the thread ;)

So if someone has some ideas or knows anything extra that we BBers can do please share, otherwise (rather than wasting endless post counts) we can just let it be and some nifty person I'm sure will delete the thread in due time :)

Thank you!

[Angels baby101]

Signatures probley do something to it... and if you notice most every member has too much.. I mean theres alot of people if you look at their profiles you see at least 2 or 3 different banners..... or there are even some who have half of their banner cut off...

[Dlou444]

I don't get that one. When you change your sig banner, doesn't the old one go away? I don't see any of my old ones anywhere on the control panel.

I DID re-check the FAQ, and there isn't a "list" of things that eat up the bandwidth.
There are blurbs about why we shouldn't link to other boards or insert tons of pictures. There are things about not posting about hitting stupid numbers in posting and not spamming.

Assuming, that since before this happens I don't notice a bunch of stupid posts and spamming, there's got to be something else...something NOT in the FAQ.
Now on April Fools I noticed a FLURRY of posts going nuts right and left, and the boards didn't go down.
I see nothing wrong with asking questions in an attempt to make sure we're NOT accidently doing something to cause it.

[Dancing man]

A good way to spare badnwdith is not to go on the site for ages. Once you have posted on the threads you needed to why stay. Everytime you click a page open it uses bandwidth thats how you could help.

[Keanoite]

Ok guys lets simmer down a bit ok? No need to get testy:) We can't say for definite what caused the bandwidth to get used up so quickly. It seems it's a different reason everytime. So while I can't give anything definititive right now, I can tell you that the shotbox sucks up HUGE amounts of bandwidth. Also if the houses are going through threads, especially common rooms, exceptionally fast that also eats up the badwidth quite alot.

We don't what caused the problem this time. When we know whats the what we'll let you all know too.

But seriously lads, calm down. There's no need to start on eachother.

Make Tea Not War:D (Saw that on a t-shirt today and just had to use it!)

[Hello Cutie]

*snorts* You lot argue like a bunch of little kids sometimes :)

[Dlou444]

Ok guys lets simmer down a bit ok? No need to get testy:) We can't say for definite what caused the bandwidth to get used up so quickly. It seems it's a different reason everytime. So while I can't give anything definititive right now, I can tell you that the shotbox sucks up HUGE amounts of bandwidth. Also if the houses are going through threads, especially common rooms, exceptionally fast that also eats up the badwidth quite alot.

We don't what caused the problem this time. When we know whats the what we'll let you all know too.

But seriously lads, calm down. There's no need to start on eachother.

Make Tea Not War:D (Saw that on a t-shirt today and just had to use it!)

Gotcha! Not trying to be annoying, but just for those of us that don't get it, is it possible we can have a list of things that eat up a lot of bandwidth?
So, we have the Shoutbox, and common room threads but what kind of other things?
For instance, is it better to link to an article or better to quote the article in the post?
Is it better to say, embed the pictures in a post or just put a link to click out of BB to another site?
I know that on occasion, I've been reading say the RPG threads in one window and have the boards up in another. Not using them at the SAME time, of course, because I can only read one page at a time, but does that hurt?

My website never even comes close, but then again, it's not a message board.

[The Chosen]

Also if the houses are going through threads, especially common rooms, exceptionally fast that also eats up the badwidth quite alot.

Hmm, I wonder which house would do that? :whistle:

[Angels baby101]

It wouldn't suprise me if PM's also took up alot of room, i know some people save their PM's until they are completely full, and as someone once said probley the member list... Most of those people either A.) Have never posted... or B) haven't even visited the site since 2002... when they first registered.

Yeah i just looked and if you check the members list and by post looking at least to greatest... the first like 84 pages are nothing but people who have 0 postings and most i seen were from like 2002 and such.....

[Jenny]

For instance, is it better to link to an article or better to quote the article in the post?

The BB standard is to quote the article within tags, and then link to the external source. :)

[QUOTE=Dlou444;511304]Is it better to say, embed the pictures in a post or just put a link to click out of BB to another site?

Always using a third-party picture hosting site is the way to go, instead of uplading to BB. And generally we like the pics to go in our gallery, although I'm thinking that tends to be a bandwidth hog.

We used to have a bunch of other features here that we removed for just that reason. They were fun, but incredibly hungry when it came to bandwidth. If it becomes a recurring thing then current features offered on the board are often re-evaluated. But I second Kean about looking into a list of top bandwidth-using pages/features is a good idea.

Oh and the reason the sigs are often cut off is we have an auto signature limiter now.

[Senior Watcher]

bandwidth? is that like, a really fat led zeppelin? or the mamas and the papas after dinner? idk.

[Lindsey McDonald]

So, Kean, did that list ever happen? I'd be interested in seeing it.