ETA: Like what just happened with this post.

And when I tried to read it, I got the post-less screen, like Matt described earlier, and needed to refresh a few times before I saw your post.

[Edit: and I got the error message twice now before I managed to post, and this post # is 2 numbers ahead of what it should be]

For reference, I'm getting

September 22, 2003, 12:38 am Am-Chau Yarkona[354]: ERROR [2] mysql_connect(): User bufforg_phoenix has already more than 'max_user_connections' active connections line 77 of file /home/bufforg/public_html/classes/giles.php

There has been an error. It's of the type we call fatal. Please don't be scared. You're not the one that's going to die.

Okay, where the $$&#&(@#& are the developers?

messages, maybe in seven of ten attempts to 'read new'. So you know.

I refreshed my message center and got the header, my name and the logo, no threads listed.

After another refresh I got the whole page, and there was a new message in one of the threads (well, here, as a matter of fact).

The following time I refreshed my message center there was no problem, and there were no new messages.

Lather, rinse repeat. When the message center is being refreshed without problems, there aren't any new messages showing on it. Once it had no new messages, but when I went to the home page, there was a new one posted right then.

Can the half-blank screen have anything to do with the fact that there was a change in the database (a new post)? I am completely juggling geese at this point, and - of course - have no idea what I'm talking about. Just wanted to point out something that may look like a pattern.

I just got a message centre with normal threads listed down the middle, and the error message in the right-hand column. It's like it connected okay for some of it, but not for all of it.

OK, now I needed to refresh a few times without any new message anywhere I could see. Forget my pet theory, then.

The blank page:

Since it takes multiple connections to the database to present each page to the reader, I'm guessing that we're hitting our 'max connections' at some point in the page-presenting process.

That is to say, Nilly, that you start to load a page. The code says, "Give me a page!" and it connects to do that. At this point (hypothetically), it's under the connection limit. The server says, "Okay!" and makes the next connection, and does what it needs to do, like puts up the header. Then, whoops, we're over the connection limit (not just because of your page, but because of everyone's pages everywhere). Then when the code says "Give me the next thing on the page!" (like maybe the list of threads), the server says (now, with the new message), "Nope!"

Normally, that would mean an ugly error message, but I'm guessing that the blank page is just us getting so far, but not seeing an error message for some undetermined reason.

I started this out with the intention of trying to explain a little of what might be happening to the overnighters, but turns out I'm not really being helpful at all.

So suffice it to say, the blank page and the error condition are probably related, and odds are there isn't anything we can do about until tomorrow morning anyway, so don't worry too much for the moment.

And also, since it's happening right now, when the two of you are probably the only ones online (exaggerating), I'm guessing it's wonkiness of one sort or another and not tied directly to current number of users. Or it's spidering or something. Sunday night late seems like a time for that. Even though we're no-bot, some engines don't respect that.

I started this out with the intention of trying to explain a little of what might be happening to the overnighters, but turns out I'm not really being helpful at all.

No, Liese! It does help! I think I understand a bit better how things work now. Thank you. (And it's nice to 'see' you, even if it's in these circumstances).

Another thing I noticed (I have no idea if it's meaningful, again): the message center lists a new message on a thread, and when I get to the thread I get only the last message I already read. Only after refreshing the page do I get the really 'new' message(s).

And of course no wonkiness is complete without a nice double-post. Sorry.

From my experience, Sunday night USA-time is the quietest time of the board. On Saturday night there may be some late-nighters on the night shift, but less so on Sunday night (my Monday morning).

I dunno about the message center thing. And I dunno about the rest of what I said, really, either. Wiser minds may correct upon awakening.

But meanwhile, it's like gambling! Will I get a page header? error message? full text? Will my post go through or not? I could be the big big winner!

Oh, well. Since it's being problematic, I guess I'd better go to bed. Gotta work tomorrow, anyway.

But it was nice seeing you, Nilly. Hope you're well. Glad you're getting Firefly.

September 22, 2003, 1:19 am Cindy[176]: ERROR [2] mysql_connect(): User bufforg_phoenix has already more than 'max_user_connections' active connections line 77 of file /home/bufforg/public_html/classes/giles.php

There has been an error. It's of the type we call fatal. Please don't be scared. You're not the one that's going to die.

Okay, where the $$&#&(@#& are the developers?

The above is the first of several of these messages I've gotten between 4:19am Eastern/1:19am Pacific, and 4:28am Eastern/1:19 Pacific.

eta...

I got approximately the same message when I tried to submit this post. And again when I tried to submit this edit.

Chances are, I am the only person on the board.