100 thread limit

[pockets]

Ive been wondering this or a while now, but why is the "new posts" link limiting to 100 threads? With as busy as this board is even checking a purple times a day it hits this limit so no telling what I'm missing.

I couldn't find any setting for this in my profile so I assume it is a board level setting.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Liz]

New posts is just that, new posts. Clicking quick links, todays posts may work better for you

[pockets]

Hmm. Every other board I've been on the "new posts" gets new posts since my last visit which is nice if I miss a day or two. Does that link not do that?

[Liz]

Yes it does, but it is based on search. So it runs a search everytime someone uses it. That is why it is limited to 100. Many sites have a posts since you have last visited hack on them. I use it on one that I frequent as well. Here I simply use the todays posts, if I need more than 100. I am a bad judge with that though, as I am tied to the site from wake till sleep in one form or another.

Try the todays posts deal, see if it helps you. If not I would PM Josh and discuss it with him.


edited: I did not realize todays posts was turned back to 100 . At one time it was higher. The results for todays posts and new posts would be the same minus you getting your own post results in there.

[pockets]

Yea, it should search for all new posts since my last visit. I'm not sure what "hack" you are referring to though. The "new posts" seems to work the same across all the other vBulletin setups I frequent.

The today posts obviously won't get the same results, but that's ok. I'll live with it.

[Liz]

The strain on the server to pull up 2k+ posts for everyone who uses it daily, would be insane.. The hack I am referring to is when above your PM notifications, it says blah blah posts since your last visit. Same deal, different place for it to show.

The reason search itself is limited to results as well as the new post search, is the server strain. If the site allows a large number of results it lags and or crashes when several hundred folks are using it. On the smaller sites we have had, we allowed larger numbers. The big ones it just kills server loads

[pockets]

I thought that my be the reason.

Don't take this wrong and I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I would be curious though as to why it would be any strain. When MySql (which I presume is being used) does the query, it has to load everything matching the results anyway. The reason is because it has to sort the results by date and in order to do that it has to find everything that matches, e.g. since the last visit. The fact that the software then limits to 100 results is inconsequential. Because of the sort, it can't just find the first 100 and stop, it has to find everything. Depending on how vBulletin did their code, it probably executes the query twice. One to do the count and one to return the results to be viewed based on the page being viewed (page 1, page 2, etc.). Thankfully MySql is really fast compared to other databases at counting result sets.

Actually, the query for "today's posts" is most likely the same thing as the "new posts", presuming the new posts is based on last visit date.

In any event, I just thought I'd ask

[Josh]

Originally Posted by pockets

I thought that my be the reason.

Don't take this wrong and I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I would be curious though as to why it would be any strain. When MySql (which I presume is being used) does the query, it has to load everything matching the results anyway. The reason is because it has to sort the results by date and in order to do that it has to find everything that matches, e.g. since the last visit. The fact that the software then limits to 100 results is inconsequential. Because of the sort, it can't just find the first 100 and stop, it has to find everything. Depending on how vBulletin did their code, it probably executes the query twice. One to do the count and one to return the results to be viewed based on the page being viewed (page 1, page 2, etc.). Thankfully MySql is really fast compared to other databases at counting result sets.

Actually, the query for "today's posts" is most likely the same thing as the "new posts", presuming the new posts is based on last visit date.

In any event, I just thought I'd ask

You have been told multiple times why we will not raise the limit. It searches a much smaller index and then only pulls 100 results out of a 3+gb table. If it were to pull up more than that it does and will severely impact server resources as it must keep the connection open that much longer. When there are 1500+ users trying to query a extremely large database all at once you can and will have a severe load if you do not limit the number of posts. Besides I seriously doubt you will want to look through all 3-4k posts that would appear if you were not on the site for more than a day. I fully and completely understand how this all works I don't need a primer on how to run a server or website.

Josh

[pockets]

Wow. Ok, I guess my 12 years of software development and experience in building large scale systems has been wrong all this time. 3gb is a small table in my world but that isn't the point.

Most people who run sites don't understand how databases work. Like I said limiting the results to 100 isn't actually doing that. Assuming the software is written correctly it isn't even pulling 100 results, it is only pulling the 20-50 or so for a given page being viewed. Of course that is an assumption on vBulletin's part. Besides, if I was giving a primer I wouldn't have gone into such detail.

Anyway, keep up the good work.

[Torbjorn]

It never ceases to amaze me at the sheer number of people who can always do something better than the people who are ACTUALLY DOING IT!

vBulletin is configurable with many different parameters for accessing the database, this is correct. However, what the masses must realize, the owners of this site have been at it for over 15 years and have PLENTY experience with the habits of users and the configuration of the servers on the backside. While we CAN change the 100 post limit, it has been PROVEN on many occasions to NOT be conducive to the site enjoyment by the majority of our members. If you in fact have the knowledge of programming, databases, etc that you claim to, you already know that you have to make compromises within the program/database to appease the masses (unless of course you're programming for a single user). Thinking any other way is ridiculous.

We welcome your suggestions as always, but when given valid reasons as to why YOUR setup is not going to happen on the site, please give it a rest. Or maybe rewrite the query protocol between vBulletin and SQL.

[Josh]

All I can say is WOW.

You do not know my stats. You do not know my setup nor the way I have things configured. Are pulling stats about the site out of thin air that are nowhere near accurate. So thank you for your "lesson" on how great and knowledgeable you were, however, I don't believe it was needed.

[Torbjorn]

Dayum.....look out boys, I've struck nerve!!

I've been in the real world running networks for Fortune 500 companies for over 25 years and am currently IT Director at my present company. Technical non sense?? I've have had the misfortune of having to deal with 'web developers' for quite some time now and never once (including this time) has it been a pleasant experience. I just love how it seems to me that all you guys know better what we want/need than we do. I have seen web apps that would ONLY run on IE 5.5, seen them when a bug is found the answer was "oh you need opera, firefox, safari or it wont work", and literally thousands of other excuses for piss poor programming. I dont know what kind of web development you do, but in general the quality of that service has gone down over the years.

I did not say that we have been running "sites" for over 15 years. I stated we have been running THIS SITE for over 15 years.

But as per usual, what we have here is a situation that resembles a pissing match. Say what you will about my abilities and knowledge if you want, but I can say that I have been CONSTANTLY employed (read never out of work) for over 25 years in the IT business.

Bottom line here.....JOSH decides whats going to happen. Just as it appears you do on your MANY sites. When someone has a valid issue or suggestion, it is taken under advisement and dealt with accordingly.

What else could you expect from a bunch of old truck fanatics who obviously have no clue about how databases work....

[Liz]

[shawno72]

Whoah I feel really dumb, I don't have any clue as to what you all were saying but I do recognize an arguement. I thank this site for all the wealth of knowledge that comes onto my screen when I click the mouse and the keyboard. Without this site there are a ton of things that I would still be in the dark about when it comes to my truck, that is what this site is about, right?? Just glad that the powers that be thought up a cool site for truck guys like me to go to.

[fine69]

Wow...i have no clue how to run a site.

Damn glad this one is here.

And the few things about it that piss me off are not huge enough to cause a ruckus over.

Its mostly just a few jerks here that make me mad anyway.

[powerdriver 1958]

Dear Mr Pockets ,

Just a note from an admittedly Dumb truck driver . I spent 11 hrs putting a 200 ton crane together today . I dragged my tired self in the house , Ate dinner and talked to my wife . Went to the "Cave" , Fired up this ole desk top to read the site and relax for the evening .

Then I see this mess . I think you asked about the 100 thread limit . Which was addressed . If I recall correctly you are the only one that has asked about it . that leads me to believe its not that big of a deal .

For some unexplained reason you start telling The site owners that they are not running the site to suit your ideas . Which is kinda silly . Its their house , They can run it any way they see fit . That should have been the end of it .