Just so you can see if from my perspective, this is the email I got from my host:

Hi Costa, We have been been experiencing server performance issues on your Virtual Server. First of all we want to thank you for your patience with the server load issues. We realize the importance of your website functioning properly and at peak performance. In order to reduce the load on the server, we did an evaluation of all of the sites on this server and have found that your account ' goldfishlegs.net ' is exceeding cpu usage acceptable in a Virtual Server environment. This is most likely due to the amount of traffic the site is experiencing. This domain is too busy even for our V650 account and therefore the only option we can recommend at this time is to move you to a dedicated server. We need to move your account off of our Virtual Server as soon as possible. We realize that you will want to do some research to determine where to move your site long term. Unfortunately, we need to make sure the server performance does not deteriorate any more than it already has. We would like to give you 10 days to decide on a course of action.

Note where it says "dedicated server". Now check out the prices for "dedicated" servers (these are $US prices ):
http://www.venturesonline.com/hosting/dedicated.html

(And note that the first package only has 256meg of ram which is insufficient for the forum software, so I'd be looking at the second package: $269US/month = $417CDN/month )


So, ask yourself, what would you do in my place?

1) Take out a loan or line of credit to pay the $300-$400 a month and cross your fingers hoping that somehow all the freebie sharing will magically bring in some revenue (or maybe you'll win the lottery)

OR

2)
- reduce traffic to get the host off your back for now
- devise a plan to increase income
- implement the above plan
- wait a little to let the plan pick up some steam
- re-open up the gates to let the traffic flood in again and pay the $300-$400/month now that revenue is coming in


So what would you do? Option 1 or Option 2?

I am sorry if my comments hit a nerve. I was merely responding the Lucette's comments and perhaps I said too much.
I generally do not say much around here.

I love the bowl , I like the format much better than other sweep/freeibe sites.

I appreciate all of your efforts to keep to bowl running efficiently.
Your detailed explanation of how the updates are done "randomly" helped alot.

I am guilty of two things:
1. I generally am signed into the bowl all day on my computer at home(like alot of other people, I'm sure) Does this cause a drain on the resources?
Would it help if we signed out when not actually accessing the bowl ?

2. Also, I would assume that constantly refreshing the page manually increases the load on the server.
Is there any point in refreshing the page manually ? Will the page automatically refresh ?

Would it help to always sign out when not active and to refrain from manually updating the page. ?

Or is there anything else we could do ?

I think Spook was reading my mind!

Please let us know if there is anything at all
that we can maybe do to help on our end.
I too am guilty of being logged in all day long,
open window, refresh, see what's new, minimize
window. Bad?

Would it help if you put the "youtopia, maxpoints, what freebies have you received, hey I won something" threads somewhere else? Maybe the "Thinking outside the bowl" thread. I am sure you have thought of this, but it is just a suggestion

Originally posted by Lucette ............. It's almost like when your spouse is gone a lot... and you go out and buy yourself a toy to keep you happy Doesn't mean you're leaving... just finding an alternate, temporary source to get what you need.......

reply posted in The Melting Pot...http://www.goldfishlegs.net/bowl/sh...;threadid=11440

Not sure if its because of the delay, or the holidays, or what...but it just seems that theres not as much goin on here lately

I usally stay logged in while I do other stuff, but have found a lot of "3 hrs ago" status...

No big deal...just rarin' ta go is all!!

maybe this will give me a chace to find some good stuff to post!!

So, now I've made a boo-boo in one of my posts,
and I can't go back and edit it because it's not
there. So now there are 2, one boo-booed one,
and an extra one that should be good.

Originally posted by Lucette I do the same thing... except I don't minimize, just switch windows. I usually have at least three windows open, and one of them is Bad? I guess so...

Just keeping the window open will not create strain. Every new page or refresh will. The delay is meant to reduce the constant refreshing.

I tried posting a contest to the Jan13-10 thread several times late last night and again this morning, but keep getting the message "No thread specified. This is probably due to the post/thread being deleted or moved. "


Is this due to the "delay"

Originally posted by spook I tried posting a contest to the Jan13-10 thread several times late last night and again this morning, but keep getting the message "No thread specified. This is probably due to the post/thread being deleted or moved. " Is this due to the "delay"

Nope. This may happen when a mod is merging threads. When it happens, go back to the main FREE page and refresh it. Then click the link for the thread again.

I have noticed that the posting numbers seem to be "stuck". Each post I have done recently is coming up as the same number. I have checked a couple of others as well.

I know if you post twice or more in a row, the number stays the same, but this is hours between with posts in between.

Just wondering.....

Originally posted by bartley I have noticed that the posting numbers seem to be "stuck". Each post I have done recently is coming up as the same number. I have checked a couple of others as well. I know if you post twice or more in a row, the number stays the same, but this is hours between with posts in between. Just wondering.....

I'm glad u said something Bartley... I noticed that the other day too, but I thought it was all in my head

Originally posted by bartley I have noticed that the posting numbers seem to be "stuck". Each post I have done recently is coming up as the same number. I have checked a couple of others as well. I know if you post twice or more in a row, the number stays the same, but this is hours between with posts in between. Just wondering.....

You mean it doesn't increase? All your posts show the same number -- if you find a post you made a month ago, it'll have the same number as a post you made yesterday.

The updating of the number is tied to the delay so it may take a while for it to go up.

This isn't a delay question but I was wondering how come the time of my posts do not match my profile? My settings show my clock set at PST time, yet there are posts in the bowl right now that say I posted at 10:42 am today. Since it is only 9:05 PST time right now that does not jive. I have noticed that this happens on and off occassionally. Not a big deal but was just wondering. Also what does the # behind the date and time mean??

Thanks
BK

Originally posted by belgiankona This isn't a delay question but I was wondering how come the time of my posts do not match my profile? My settings show my clock set at PST time, yet there are posts in the bowl right now that say I posted at 10:42 am today. Since it is only 9:05 PST time right now that does not jive. I have noticed that this happens on and off occassionally. Not a big deal but was just wondering. Also what does the # behind the date and time mean?? Thanks BK

Yep, the clock on the server gets screwy once in a while -- not much I can do about it since it's not my server.

The # is just a direct link to the post. So instead of saying "the link is on this page, about 3/4 of the way down", you just copy/paste that link.