Comments on: Open Thread: Site Slowness Redux http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html NIGHTTIME IS FOR DREAMING. DAYLIGHT IS FOR ACTION. Fri, 5 Sep 2008 17:07:59 +0000 By: SteveC http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34686 SteveC Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:21:19 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34686 For a site that's almost nothing but text... it's dog slow. For a site that's almost nothing but text... it's dog slow.

]]> By: yinyang http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34682 yinyang Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:13:10 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34682 This page didn't even load the first time I tried. Guess Firefox decided it was taking too long and it gave up (although it didn't give me an error message like it normally does). And, like prase, I didn't notice any slowness until after your initial post. But, for a week now it's taken at least 20-30 seconds to load the site. This page didn't even load the first time I tried. Guess Firefox decided it was taking too long and it gave up (although it didn't give me an error message like it normally does).

And, like prase, I didn't notice any slowness until after your initial post. But, for a week now it's taken at least 20-30 seconds to load the site.

]]> By: exrelayman http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34681 exrelayman Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:11:04 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34681 Not able to make suggestion. Just feedback that loading main page was slow, waited 2 min to access comments and when "done" appeared at the bottom had arrived at a blank page. Using back button an retrying, got to comments page rather quickly. Not able to make suggestion. Just feedback that loading main page was slow, waited 2 min to access comments and when "done" appeared at the bottom had arrived at a blank page. Using back button an retrying, got to comments page rather quickly.

]]> By: Ebonmuse http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34678 Ebonmuse Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:31:29 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34678 To judge by the comments so far, the consensus is that load times are better, but still not as good as they used to be. That's my experience as well. Here's the interesting part. When I first contacted my host, they claimed the problem was my connection. I pointed out the evidence against that. Next, they claimed the problem was with my site's code. I was told by a tech-support rep that loading a page on my site takes 10-12 SQL queries, and that this was too many and that I needed to change my site's code to reduce that number. Putting aside the absurdity of asking me to rewrite my entire blogging platform, I again pointed out that this problem was recent in origin, whereas my site's code had not changed for months. I also pointed out, somewhat sarcastically since my patience was being tested, that WordPress is one of the most popular and actively developed weblog software platforms in existence, and I found it very difficult to believe it was so intrinsically inefficient as to place unreasonable demands on a SQL server. I heard back from tech support last night. This time, they didn't blame either my connection or my site's code. They simply said they had "reviewed the database server and addressed the issue". Lo and behold, as soon as I got that message, my site seemed to be responding better. However, they did not specify what the problem was or what changes they had made. This whole episode has left a bad taste in my mouth. The fact that my host, when pressured, was suddenly able to address the problem strongly suggests to me that they knew what the issue was all along. This would also mean, as I already suspected, that their earlier, conflicting explanations were just an attempt at giving me the run-around. I'm inclined to suspect that my hosting company (GoDaddy, for the record) has been trying to cut corners by moving sites to less-powerful servers, or by putting more hosted sites on a server than it can reasonably support. Only the people who complain loudly enough are getting moved out of the slow line. I'm not pleased by any of this, and especially given that the slowness has been continuing for some readers, I'm strongly considering moving Daylight Atheism to a new host. Any suggestions in this area will be appreciated. To judge by the comments so far, the consensus is that load times are better, but still not as good as they used to be. That's my experience as well.

Here's the interesting part. When I first contacted my host, they claimed the problem was my connection. I pointed out the evidence against that.

Next, they claimed the problem was with my site's code. I was told by a tech-support rep that loading a page on my site takes 10-12 SQL queries, and that this was too many and that I needed to change my site's code to reduce that number. Putting aside the absurdity of asking me to rewrite my entire blogging platform, I again pointed out that this problem was recent in origin, whereas my site's code had not changed for months. I also pointed out, somewhat sarcastically since my patience was being tested, that WordPress is one of the most popular and actively developed weblog software platforms in existence, and I found it very difficult to believe it was so intrinsically inefficient as to place unreasonable demands on a SQL server.

I heard back from tech support last night. This time, they didn't blame either my connection or my site's code. They simply said they had "reviewed the database server and addressed the issue". Lo and behold, as soon as I got that message, my site seemed to be responding better. However, they did not specify what the problem was or what changes they had made.

This whole episode has left a bad taste in my mouth. The fact that my host, when pressured, was suddenly able to address the problem strongly suggests to me that they knew what the issue was all along. This would also mean, as I already suspected, that their earlier, conflicting explanations were just an attempt at giving me the run-around.

I'm inclined to suspect that my hosting company (GoDaddy, for the record) has been trying to cut corners by moving sites to less-powerful servers, or by putting more hosted sites on a server than it can reasonably support. Only the people who complain loudly enough are getting moved out of the slow line. I'm not pleased by any of this, and especially given that the slowness has been continuing for some readers, I'm strongly considering moving Daylight Atheism to a new host. Any suggestions in this area will be appreciated.

]]> By: Brian http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34677 Brian Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:17:44 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34677 Slowness? Oh oops! I thought it was built in coffee time! But yes, still takes a good 20-30 seconds to load pages. Slowness? Oh oops! I thought it was built in coffee time!
But yes, still takes a good 20-30 seconds to load pages.

]]> By: Joffan http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34676 Joffan Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:16:51 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34676 Seems better today than previous attempts over the last couple of weeks. Seems better today than previous attempts over the last couple of weeks.

]]> By: mikespeir http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34671 mikespeir Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:52:47 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34671 Yeah. Disregard my last post. At times it seems better. At other times it's no better at all. Yeah. Disregard my last post. At times it seems better. At other times it's no better at all.

]]> By: Ingersoll's Revenge http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34670 Ingersoll's Revenge Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:52:32 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34670 Forgive me for being so crass, but I clicked on the thread, left my computer to have a bowel movement, and when I came back the page still hadn't completely loaded. Take that for what it's worth, Ebon. Forgive me for being so crass, but I clicked on the thread, left my computer to have a bowel movement, and when I came back the page still hadn't completely loaded.

Take that for what it's worth, Ebon.

]]> By: Ray http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34667 Ray Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:11:45 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34667 Just connected, it took almost a minute to bring up the main page and a further minute to get to the point where I can comment. Just connected, it took almost a minute to bring up the main page and a further minute to get to the point where I can comment.

]]> By: goyo http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34666 goyo Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:31:22 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/open-thread-site-slowness-redux.html#comment-34666 Sorry, it's still slow, and I just had to close out the site, then return to make this comment. Sorry, it's still slow, and I just had to close out the site, then return to make this comment.

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