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Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: July 22 2006,19:13   

Steve_h: Somewhere, I have a PHP file that queries the Ikonboard database directly. I'll try to figure out where I put that.

Henry_J: If you have a hundred foot of fence, and put a fencepost every ten feet, how many fenceposts do you need? A common error is to say "ten", when you actually need eleven of them. In programming, when an index ends up one-off, that's often called a fencepost error.

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"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
Flint



Posts: 478
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: July 23 2006,05:50   

I've also seen it called "the nefarious OBOB" which stands for 'off by one bug'. Very very common.

  
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: July 23 2006,06:47   

The DNS entry for AE, PT, TD, etc. is changing today. Expect some confusion/loss of access for a bit as the change propagates.

--------------
"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
Henry J



Posts: 5787
Joined: Mar. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: July 24 2006,05:52   

Re "Expect some confusion"
Course, for antievolutionists, that's situation normal... ;)

Looks like PT's reply entry thing is down for now - last reply listed was from 12:07 yesterday. When I tried a reply preview a minute ago it timed out. Is that from the DNS thing?

Henry

  
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: July 24 2006,07:30   

Drat. Yes, it is from the DNS switchover. One more domain needs tweaking.

Update: The change is in, and I was able to add a test comment over at PT.

Edited by Wesley R. Elsberry on July 24 2006,14:42

--------------
"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: July 27 2006,01:50   

I've added the ability to display a single comment on its own, which may be useful for referencing specific comments rather than a comment thread or page. Click on the small "iB" icon just before "Posted:" to go to single comment view for any comment.

The "(Permalink)" URL is the same thing, just a bit more prominent.

Edited by Wesley R. Elsberry on July 27 2006,12:03

--------------
"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
stevestory



Posts: 13407
Joined: Oct. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 09 2006,07:17   

I'm having lots of trouble getting PT and AtBC to load these days. For about a week now, it's very unreliable.

   
Henry J



Posts: 5787
Joined: Mar. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 09 2006,15:16   

Re "For about a week now, it's very unreliable.  "

I've noticed that too. Sometimes I'll load the index page, then nothing else will load from there until quite a while later.

Henry

  
Paul Flocken



Posts: 290
Joined: Dec. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 13 2006,13:55   

What gives with the edit function telling me I am not allowed to use this board, but I can still post and the system recognizes that I am logged in?

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"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived, and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.  Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."-John F. Kennedy

  
Ichthyic



Posts: 3325
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 17 2006,13:41   

just to add to the obvious...

still getting lots of DNS errors for this and PT.

usually, it seems to worsen in the afternoon (PST).

totally off/on situation.  site will be unreachable for 15 minutes or so, then it will be just fine.  cycles on and off at seemingly random intervals.

I'd take a guess and say a switch is misconfigured somewhere, and is causing interrupted traffic to the DNS.

might even be far up the line from wherever the DNS is currently being hosted; I've seen that before too.

of course the only way to tell is if traffic local to where the DNS is located is affected similarly or not.

anybody out there NOT having any problems reaching PT or antievolution.org in the last week or so?

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"And the sea will grant each man new hope..."

-CC

  
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 18 2006,10:44   

Yes, I know that there is a problem. I'll be looking into it more closely over the weekend. I'm also looking into having the Foundation buy a speedier server.

--------------
"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
Ichthyic



Posts: 3325
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 18 2006,10:58   

I spent time building both large and small server systems for a living.

let me know if i can be of help.

cheers.

--------------
"And the sea will grant each man new hope..."

-CC

  
deadman_932



Posts: 3094
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 18 2006,13:30   

On the DNS errors: I noticed that if I used a dialup and got an error, I could go to another IP and I could bring up the site.

I was wondering if this might have something to do with the anti-flooding script?

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AtBC Award for Thoroughness in the Face of Creationism

  
Henry J



Posts: 5787
Joined: Mar. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 18 2006,16:40   

One funny (not haha funny) thing that might (or might not) be a clue - frequently in a session I'll get the first attempt to connect to PT or ATBC, then nada for a period of several minutes following that. (Esp. for the first session of the evening from home.)

Henry

  
Ichthyic



Posts: 3325
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 18 2006,16:45   

I've also seen the "old" PT site (the text only version) pop up from time to time recently.

--------------
"And the sea will grant each man new hope..."

-CC

  
Steviepinhead



Posts: 532
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 19 2006,13:34   

I realize that Wesley et al. are volunteers of the best kind, that newer-bigger-better servers cost money, etc., etc.

And I realize that Wesley is hoping to work on the issues.

But, grrr, this does get quite frustrating.  Not knowing whether your comment has posted, not posted, multiply posted, wasting time hitting "preview" and "post" over and over again, getting the "can't find page" page, going back, starting over.

I've written admin with no response and no improvement.  It took me four tries to get THIS page to open.

We've had multiple complaints in the PT threads themselves: me, Flint (I think), Popper's Ghost...

Help!  How are we gonna have any chance of snagging that Science and Tech award again when our own "internal" tech is so kludgy.

There, I've vented.  I feel temporarily better...

  
MidnightVoice



Posts: 380
Joined: Aug. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 19 2006,14:21   

Is it time to ask us to pay money to support a new server?  Tis done on other boards - after all, someone has to pay for us to have fun

--------------
If I fly the coop some time
And take nothing but a grip
With the few good books that really count
It's a necessary trip

I'll be gone with the girl in the gold silk jacket
The girl with the pearl-driller's hands

  
steve_h



Posts: 544
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 19 2006,15:48   

I'd be happy to chip in with an insubstantial donation for a new server. It would be nice if you could indicate how much is needed and how long into the future at current rates the running costs are covered etc. as I wouldn't want to be subsidising a life of luxury.

I also often get the "text only version". I guess that's because an attempt to retrieve the images and  stylesheet, have failed. Have you been under DoS attack, or has your "declining popularity" since Kitzmiller reversed?

  
deadman_932



Posts: 3094
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 19 2006,23:20   

I can certainly chip in for a server. PayPal or whatever.

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AtBC Award for Thoroughness in the Face of Creationism

  
Louis



Posts: 6436
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 19 2006,23:31   

Id be happy to mail over some pictures of the Queen's head to you guys for giving me so much enjoyment.

Louis

P.S. Yes,let us know what you need and dammit we'll get spending!

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Bye.

  
MidnightVoice



Posts: 380
Joined: Aug. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 20 2006,04:41   

On another board I used to send a fixed (small but double digit) amount every month directly to the guy who owned the server

--------------
If I fly the coop some time
And take nothing but a grip
With the few good books that really count
It's a necessary trip

I'll be gone with the girl in the gold silk jacket
The girl with the pearl-driller's hands

  
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 20 2006,05:28   

The TalkOrigins Archive Foundation is considering buying a new machine for hosting PT, AE, and TD. (We're just waiting to hear from Wilkins.) To donate to the TOA Foundation, visit this page.

--------------
"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
MidnightVoice



Posts: 380
Joined: Aug. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 20 2006,08:36   

Done. Sent 10 months worth.

Remind me again in 10 months please!!

--------------
If I fly the coop some time
And take nothing but a grip
With the few good books that really count
It's a necessary trip

I'll be gone with the girl in the gold silk jacket
The girl with the pearl-driller's hands

  
steve_h



Posts: 544
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 20 2006,13:40   

Ditto. Please don't spend it all on beer and prostitutes
unless you really have to.

  
deadman_932



Posts: 3094
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 22 2006,01:50   

Quote
Thank you! You've successfully completed your purchase from TalkOrigins Foundation, Inc.
You've sent a secure payment of $XXXX USD to TalkOrigins Foundation, Inc. through PayPal. The payment will appear on your card statement as "PAYPAL *TALKORIGINS".

Please spend it all on watery beer and tarts wielding swords in a lake. Or a server.

--------------
AtBC Award for Thoroughness in the Face of Creationism

  
MidnightVoice



Posts: 380
Joined: Aug. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 22 2006,02:16   

Quote (Wesley R. Elsberry @ Aug. 20 2006,10:28)
The TalkOrigins Archive Foundation is considering buying a new machine for hosting PT, AE, and TD. (We're just waiting to hear from Wilkins.) To donate to the TOA Foundation, visit this page.

And for those of us in the US of A, I understand it is tax deductible.  I know that, given the salaries of scientists, that is not a biggie, but every little helps.  :D

“The wages of Sin are death:
The wages of scientists are worse”

--------------
If I fly the coop some time
And take nothing but a grip
With the few good books that really count
It's a necessary trip

I'll be gone with the girl in the gold silk jacket
The girl with the pearl-driller's hands

  
skeptic



Posts: 1163
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 23 2006,02:57   

Wes, have polls been temporarily disabled?  I no longer see the link to start a new one.  Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place.

  
Ichthyic



Posts: 3325
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 23 2006,12:01   

our bad; we had a poll frenzy week before you arrived, and Wes decided enough was enough.

--------------
"And the sea will grant each man new hope..."

-CC

  
Steviepinhead



Posts: 532
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 23 2006,13:08   

Just sent in my donation-for-new-server.  Pretty painless and relieved a scootch or two of my increasing frustration.

Now for a Scotch or two...

  
stevestory



Posts: 13407
Joined: Oct. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Aug. 26 2006,09:39   

Argy asks:
Quote
Steve,

What's the moderation policy around here these days?  Do annoying "Paley, you are, uh, blithering again" posts disappear entirely, or will there be use of the bathroom wall?


This is a good question. Let's start by looking at Wesley's rules for the board:

Quote
Antievolution.org Discussion Board Rules

   * MetaRule 1) DO NOT respond to inappropriate messages with a message.
   * MetaRule 2) DO NOT enter inappropriate messages.
   * No illegal messages. Posting an illegal message will be considered excessively annoying.
   * No obscenity or foul language. There is no need to express a message in vulgar language.
   * There are many different fora. Be sure to pick the *most appropriate* forum for your message. That could be at a different board.
   * Advertisements should be limited to items of a scientific interest and should not be posted by those with a vested interest in the item being sold, unless specifically requested by another participant.
   * Messages which insult or attack an individual are not appropriate. As those messages should be regarded as inappropriate, it is also inappropriate to follow up such a message with a reply. Use email for such correspondence, or to register a complaint with the moderator(s). Pointing out gaps in fields of reference (otherwise known as "ignorance") is *not* an attack.
   * Messages making claims about the actions, beliefs, or intentions of identifiable participants are an implicit call for discussion. The claimant is responsible for such claims. Failure to retract unsupported claims about other participants is grounds for banishment.
   * Each user is requested to consider the quantity and quality of his/her messages. One specific item to be aware of is that repetition of the same quoted material at a frequency greater than once per month is considered annoying.
   * Science makes no claim to be a source for all truth, i.e. events and activities which are unobservable and/or untestable are outside the realm of scientific inquiry. Religious beliefs that are outside the limits of science may be true or not; science is silent on the issue.
   * *Supporting* or *attacking* religious belief is inappropriate on this discussion board. A variety of other fora are more appropriate for such discourse.
   * Moderation messages not entered by the moderator are NOT appropriate on the board. Responses to moderation messages will be made via email, not on the board. Violators may be deemed "excessively annoying" at the moderators' discretion.
   * :Annoying: The state of being a hindrance to harmonious, or even interesting, discussion. Repeatedly being annoying will be considered excessively annoying.
   * :Excessively annoying: The state of being a hindrance to harmonious, or even interesting, discussion to such a degree that immediate termination of access is warranted or demanded.


Glancing through those quickly, I think I've violated 90% of those rules myself. Argy even violated one of them by publicly asking me about them. So we can safely say that these rules will be generally followed, but not all that strictly. You can violate the rules somewhat. and as long as there's some meat to what you're saying, I won't object. Although Wesley still might--my moderation powers augment his, they do not replace his.

What I'm most concerned about, is threads staying on topic. I don't care if the topic is a lovefest or a shouting match, as long as there's substantive discussion. We all hang out here and make snarky jokes and such, and those don't threaten threads.  Sometimes comments are made which introduce a big meaty topic which isn't relevant to the thread, and those I might move to the Bathroom Wall at times, if there isn't a thread fit for it. People put effort into their comments and it's usually very rude to just delete their work. That said, there have been a few comments I have just outright deleted. They're the type of throwaway comments that make you roll your eyes. You know the type. "Hey you creationist, suck my balls".

Enforcement of these rules is kind of like enforcement of speeding--spotty at best. For the same reasons. And if you want a rough estimate of how mean I am, there have probably been 500 comments since my moderation began, and I've deleted about 8.

My moderation is going to be imperfect, but I don't think it's going to hurt anybody. And it'll help me if everyone sends private messages to voice their opinions about the matter.

   
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