September 24, 2005

Curious George: MetaFilter crappage. Whether it's a JRun error or "document contains no data", MetaFilter seems to be down 25% of the time I go there. I'm not a regular over there but I am curious about the technical side of this.

I know mathowie is busy with the new family, which is cool and all. But I'm wondering what's going on inside the servers. How can the servers be down so often? Is there an explanation besides the "overloaded server" mumbo jumbo? What is a JRun error? Any lessons to be learned for other webmasters?

  • Can we keep the MeCha of the MoFi, please?
  • f
  • I think it must be when the hamster stops running on the wheel. Either that or he shuts the site down so that people will start asking "What happened? What happened?"
  • I was going to look up the relevant MetaTalk thread for you, but as it turns out the document contains no data.
  • Java on Windows - what could possibly go wrong!
  • They are running a Windows 2000 server... I say go linux MeFi.
  • I should have added a question mark, or maybe even an interrobang.
  • * questions the existence of any relevant MetaTalk thread * Seriously, like rolypolyman, I also am interested.
  • Well, I won't post any more Meta stuff on here... was hedging on what to do but figured there was only one way to find out. I had no idea they were on a W2K server.
  • What's "MetaFilter"?
  • > What's "MetaFilter"? Depends on if What's = "What is" or "What was".
  • I sometimes go look at the grey, and it tells me that the document contains no data, and I'm all like "I know that, I want go look at it anyways! That's why actually!" and then the computer is all like "Tough!" and punches me in the face and then I cry.
  • Jrun error is secret code for "get your ass off the couch and go outside"
  • All I know is that the money people have been forking over hasn't been invested in improved service or uptime. Looks like it's been invested in the admin quitting his day job and, well, I guess disappear for a few hours before rebooting the server.
  • Someone spilled Enfamil on the server again.
  • I've noticed that Matt is more open these days to accepting help from coders, which will hopefully lead to a code rewrite for Mefi that will in turn require a server rebuild using Linux instead of MS. Every language has its flaws but Java is a doozy, and an interesting choice. I reckon Matt was just trying to challenge himself by creating a stable Java environment in Win2k, but it didn't quite work.
  • So did he actually quit his job? Somehow I missed that announcement, if he did. I don't see a headcount on the front page anymore, but, even if he got 10K new members, that's only 50K, which is a one time payment for each new member. Even if he got 10k new members a year, I doubt that he'd be comfortable on $50K per year income, especially after paying for servers and support, and I think he's paying others to work on improving the code. On the other hand, what does he owe us, as Monkfilterites? Maybe those of you who also signed up on MeFi have cause to complain, but I don't see that bitching about it here will change anything. I think Skrik is right, this doesn't belong here.
  • Well, this was more intended to talk amongst friends rather than use MoFi to talk about another blog. If tracicle feels this thread should be deleted, I'm totally cool with that. I think I've gleaned enough info to see it's a W2K/Java issue of some kind; at least that points me in the right direction. But it would be interesting to know why W2K/Java can't seem to handle the traffic... after all, it's not a big bloated commerce front-end, it's just a popular blog. Searching "JRun Error" on Google doesn't seem to explain much.
  • obligatory: Is this something I'd need a MetaFilter to know about?
  • MonkeyFilter: I don't see that bitching about it ... will change anything
  • I don't see a headcount on the front page anymore, but, even if he got 10K new members, that's only 50K, which is a one time payment for each new member. I seem to recall reading on MeTa that not all of the new users paid... if someone created an account and decided to not paypal the $5, their username and userid still would still be in the database but they wouldn't have posting privileges... and Matt wouldn't have their money. Matt definitely made some money off of reopening registration, but I'm sure it was nowhere near $50K.
  • Kill it! Kill it! So much MeFi complaints. xD let's all just focus on MoFi, why don't we?
  • Methinks we've been here before
  • Actually, my comment was a MetaChat joke. I wasn't complaining.
  • Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
  • THIS THREAD FUCKING SUCKS and is a repost
  • BTW, it's down right now.
  • Then up. Thend down. Same as it ever was.
  • here.
  • let's all just focus on MoFi, why don't we? Okay. How's this: Why doesn't MoFi have the same troubles?
  • Different technology and about 1/10th the traffic, in a nutshell.
  • And perhaps because we don't make the Baby Jebus cry, kill kittens, or torment small bunnies with breakfast foods.
  • This MeFi...does its new overlords vibrate?
  • Okay. How's this: Why doesn't MoFi have the same troubles? What? Why, superior monkey technology, of course!
  • Hamster Monkey wheels.
  • MeFi is written in ColdFusion. Recent versions of CF (6 onwards) are Java-based. Part of my day gig is developing web-based workflow automation applications in ColdFusion. I learned very quickly that Windows + Jrun + CF = unstable crappage. Linux + Jrun + CF = almost unbreakable (particuarly when used in conjunction with MySQL and as long as the code itself is well written which I'm not convinced MeFi/MeCha/AskMe is). I state this not as a rabid Linux fanboy but as a statement of fact based on occasionally fustrating personal experience.
  • bleah
  • there's a jabber server? Huh.
  • It's the backup for the jibber server.
  • G'waaaaan!
  • Hey petebest, we could have a jabber server too, you know. But jabber is so last Tuesday.
  • y'know what we need is a wiki.
  • A wiki? That...that's crazy!
  • Not to start another OS "discussion," but isn't this kind of stuff the reason most web servers don't run Windows? I wonder how hard migration to a *nix server would be for him.
  • isn't this kind of stuff the reason most web servers don't run Windows? Yes. Yes it is. I have always been amazed that MetaWhater has run on that for all this time. IIS. Puh-leeze. Although this Dot.Net business will eat us all. Once you get your fists stuck in that thing, you'll never get out. P}{34r!
  • Still no MeFi? Phooey.
  • 'sworkin' for me HD. Maybe they've blocked your IP for gross indignities again . . .
  • Yeah, been working fine all day for me.
  • JRun closed connection.