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Re: Bricklin web site forum, suggestions

To: bricklin1155@zoominternet.net, Bricklin@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Bricklin web site forum, suggestions
From: GLCurley@aol.com
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 21:58:12 EST
Sounds good.  As we all know, it is critical that all security patches for 
the operating system, as well as the web server, and forum software are kept up 
to date.  It makes sense to switch to another platform, as Micro$oft is 
retiring public and technical support and security updates for NT 4.0 on Dec. 
31.

I greatly appreciate the efforts that everyone puts into the web site and BI. 
 They do a marvelous job and it is a great service.  I don't want to offend 
anyone, but would like to offer my professional opinion.  In short, I don't see 
a case for a live, dynamic, database-generated cross-reference.  It only 
introduces additional complexity and overhead, while slowing performance.  For 
such a small amount of data, and especially with the infrequent changes, there 
is 
no reason to dynamically regenerate the cross-reference page from a database 
each time it is requested by a user clicking on the link.  Doing so would 
require that the database server be up and running, as opposed to simply the 
web 
server.  (If the database goes down, no cross reference.)  The page would be 
slower, place additional loads on the server, and require more memory and CPU 
resources. The complexity would make troubleshooting more difficult, and 
changes 
and upgrades to the software and code would be more involved.

Alternatively, delivering the cross-reference as a static HTML page (or pages 
if absolutely necessary) would be faster, require less resource overhead, and 
be more reliable due to having fewer points of potential failure.  The 
simpler the better, and the easier it will be to use.  Potentially, the source 
data 
could still be maintained in a database--either on-site or elsewhere--and a 
page regenerated periodically or on-demand by the administrator.  Again, no 
offense intended and I am just offering my perspective.  Thanks.

George



In a message dated 12/23/2004 5:07:15 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
bricklin1155@zoominternet.net writes:

> Hi all!
> 
> Most of you know by now that I'm the assistant webmaster for the Bricklin
> International site as well as the 'man behind the curtain' for the BI Forum.
> For those interested, I'll try to update you on the BI Website / Forum
> situation.
> 
> The Bricklin International Website (and Forum) was on an NT 4.0 machine for
> many years. A bit slow, a tiny bit unstable (as far as the forum was
> concerned), but not terrible.  
> 
> In order to accommodate the new parts x-reference database and to prepare us
> for the future, our webmaster requested the site be moved to a more current
> platform just about a month ago. (Made good sense and shouldn't have caused
> a problem with anything we are currently running.) So, the site was
> transferred to a Windows 2003 webserver. While some items worked - including
> the forum for a while - our webhosting company is apparently unable to
> understand, set and keep the proper permissions that are necessary to
> accommodate our needs. That also includes getting access to the website
> itself. I personally have not been able to gain access to modify the site
> since 11/19/04. I know that our webmaster has not been able to access the
> site for modification purposes, either.
> 
> At this point, our webmaster is and has been working with our web hosting
> company to transfer the site to a Windows 2000 platform. Our hope is that
> the permissions problem will go away and we will be able to restore full
> service to our visitors. 
> 
> At this point, I have not heard anything from our webmaster for close to a
> week and the site is still not functioning properly. I assume that our
> webmaster is still working on it and will let us know when everything is
> working again.
> 
> 
> Michael V. Mitchell




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