Server load/costs? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Shauk · 03-03-2010, 01:25 PM

Sorry, not really trying to oust the man behind the curtain here.

I just got in to it with someone about their forum practices on another site. The forum has about 1200 "active" users, meaning people with over 50 posts in the last year.

maybe 150-200 "regulars" who post several times a day/week.

The thing is, this site has, for a long time, requested donations from it's users.
I understand TFP does this but TFP also has 101k+ registered users and lists 3k+ actives in the board summary, so I think it's well within it's rights to do so, and you don't ask for that much.

That said, TFP also has an active admin/mod community, you guys are actually HERE, and use this site, you're constantly upgrading it with features, blog capability, chat functionality, video embed codes, etc...

The admin over at this other site constantly requests donations, never upgrades or even knows how to use the admin panel, and refuses to let anyone but their "friend" work on the site for them, and he is busy, would do so out of charity, etc...

I've offered to help, was rejected. The admin "claims" to have to pay for dedicated hosting but never reveals how much the costs are (which I think that level of transparency would be important when you're asking for money to maintain something that, in the end, you're really the only individual responsible for it.

Overall I'm super frustrated, because I hate seeing my peers get scammed, but I figure you guys would be able to tell me if I'm overreacting. I don't think I can post anything like that over there without probably getting deleted and banned because people are really getting kind of rebellious lately due to the way the forum is run.

The moderators have no rules, they act as they see fit, at the expense of others sometimes. The admin took 5 years to update VB to a new version, stuck us with one skin, broke the calendar of events (this was like 6 months ago) and nothing has changed.

Admin finally made a poll asking if we wanted to leave reputation anonymous or not. People said no at like a 70/30 split, admin didn't like the outcome, chose to ignore us and tell everyone it was staying the same because they disagreed with the outcome.

I dunno what to do, Kinda messed up because it's where you're truly powerless to do anything. Can't appoint a new admin, can't get the broken things fixed, admin ignores votes that they put up if they don't match the outcome they wanted, giving the illusion of a democracy, yet takes the money of it's users anyway.

Is that really legal?

Just fed up and don't know how to stop the scamming. :\

The_Jazz · 03-03-2010, 01:34 PM

Wow, I don't think there's much support I can offer beyond emotional.

Our hosting average roughly $200 a month, sometimes less, sometimes more. So that's the answer to that specific question. But to put it in real terms, unless you're going to a real graphics-heavy spot, their bills should be significantly less than ours.

Is it legal to do what they're doing? Yes, unfortunately. Then again, when they outlaw assholes, I'm toast.

Now, if you've got a genre board that's imploding and you'd like to carve out some space for some of the folks here, that can easily be done.

My guess, with only your post to go on, is that the staff isn't motivated to do much over there and doesn't listen to what people have to say. We have our own issues, but I don't think they're the same.

Shauk · 03-03-2010, 01:57 PM

Well, I'm just concerned that I was the only one who thought a colo/dedicated host was overkill for a 150-200 user forum.

The_Jazz · 03-03-2010, 01:58 PM

It is.

Halx · 03-03-2010, 02:04 PM

Actually, I've reduced our hosting cost to $100/mo recently. You may notice this by the lower amount we are collecting in donations.

Jinn · 03-03-2010, 05:09 PM

I <3 transparency so much..

03-03-2010, 01:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Shauk Confused Adult Location: Spokane, WA	Server load/costs? Sorry, not really trying to oust the man behind the curtain here. I just got in to it with someone about their forum practices on another site. The forum has about 1200 "active" users, meaning people with over 50 posts in the last year. maybe 150-200 "regulars" who post several times a day/week. The thing is, this site has, for a long time, requested donations from it's users. I understand TFP does this but TFP also has 101k+ registered users and lists 3k+ actives in the board summary, so I think it's well within it's rights to do so, and you don't ask for that much. That said, TFP also has an active admin/mod community, you guys are actually HERE, and use this site, you're constantly upgrading it with features, blog capability, chat functionality, video embed codes, etc... The admin over at this other site constantly requests donations, never upgrades or even knows how to use the admin panel, and refuses to let anyone but their "friend" work on the site for them, and he is busy, would do so out of charity, etc... I've offered to help, was rejected. The admin "claims" to have to pay for dedicated hosting but never reveals how much the costs are (which I think that level of transparency would be important when you're asking for money to maintain something that, in the end, you're really the only individual responsible for it. Overall I'm super frustrated, because I hate seeing my peers get scammed, but I figure you guys would be able to tell me if I'm overreacting. I don't think I can post anything like that over there without probably getting deleted and banned because people are really getting kind of rebellious lately due to the way the forum is run. The moderators have no rules, they act as they see fit, at the expense of others sometimes. The admin took 5 years to update VB to a new version, stuck us with one skin, broke the calendar of events (this was like 6 months ago) and nothing has changed. Admin finally made a poll asking if we wanted to leave reputation anonymous or not. People said no at like a 70/30 split, admin didn't like the outcome, chose to ignore us and tell everyone it was staying the same because they disagreed with the outcome. I dunno what to do, Kinda messed up because it's where you're truly powerless to do anything. Can't appoint a new admin, can't get the broken things fixed, admin ignores votes that they put up if they don't match the outcome they wanted, giving the illusion of a democracy, yet takes the money of it's users anyway. Is that really legal? Just fed up and don't know how to stop the scamming. :\

03-03-2010, 01:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	Wow, I don't think there's much support I can offer beyond emotional. Our hosting average roughly $200 a month, sometimes less, sometimes more. So that's the answer to that specific question. But to put it in real terms, unless you're going to a real graphics-heavy spot, their bills should be significantly less than ours. Is it legal to do what they're doing? Yes, unfortunately. Then again, when they outlaw assholes, I'm toast. Now, if you've got a genre board that's imploding and you'd like to carve out some space for some of the folks here, that can easily be done. My guess, with only your post to go on, is that the staff isn't motivated to do much over there and doesn't listen to what people have to say. We have our own issues, but I don't think they're the same. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

03-03-2010, 01:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	It is. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

03-03-2010, 02:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
Halx Please touch this. Owner/Admin Location: Manhattan	Actually, I've reduced our hosting cost to $100/mo recently. You may notice this by the lower amount we are collecting in donations. __________________ You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals]

03-03-2010, 05:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	I <3 transparency so much.. __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

03-03-2010, 01:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
Shauk Confused Adult Location: Spokane, WA	Well, I'm just concerned that I was the only one who thought a colo/dedicated host was overkill for a 150-200 user forum.