If it just rounds to the minute, and if enough users have their refresh set to the same amount of time, then that could account for a lot of the my sql connections being open at the same time.

I don't know the answer to that, but it's an interesting theory. Anyone? Bueller?

I am starting to feel that every post I make is slowly killing the board, but I do have to say that at this point killing natter and bitches will basically kill the Buffistas. I think that we'll just go to Peoplesforum or something, and then what is the point of conserving resources for people who are not us?

If it just rounds to the minute, and if enough users have their refresh set to the same amount of time, then that could account for a lot of the my sql connections being open at the same time.

I don't know the answer to that, but it's an interesting theory. Anyone? Bueller?

Thanks, Jon. It just seems to me, even if we have an average of 180 unique posters in a given month (and I realize that 180 wasn't technically an average - I'm guestimating), it's still frigging unlikely that over half of them would try to load a page and/or post at the same moment.

I am starting to feel that every post I make is slowly killing the board, but I do have to say that at this point killing natter and bitches will basically kill the Buffistas. I think that we'll just go to Peoplesforum or something, and then what is the point of conserving resources for people who are not us?

I agree Sophia. A goodly part of me wants to kill Natter, but admittedly, that's because I'm in a non-Natter mode lately. I run hot and cold on it. But I feel like, They Can Pry Bitches From My Cold, Dead Hands, and understand committed Natter-residents would feel the same way about Natter. So I don't think we should cut off our limbs, just the moles on them.

I think we can give up the number slutting. It's fun, but it's a waste. We're growed ups. I think we hold our birthday salutations and bracket hugs for the hurting, until we're actually going to post about other things as well. I think we can modify our behavior, understanding it's like getting our cholesterol levels down under 200.

I've suggested cuts in Lightbulb, that would leave us with a net of 10 fewer threads. I've explained my reasoning behind doing this at the bottom of the post. People will probably hate it, but I think it could help some.

I also think disabling the auto-refresh is a good idea. Before our problems, I used to accidently leave it on at home while I went to work. If even a small percentage of people are doing that-- it makes for quite a few useless connections.

But really, there are threads that can go. I'd toss out Natter, Bitches, Sang Sacre, and consolidate the fic threads to start.

Cutting out Natter and Bitches would be like cutting off someone's head to treat a brain tumor. Those two threads are the heart of this board. Remove them, and we might as well close up shop.

Is there any REAL difference (like board-life threatening) between Natter and Bitches at this point?

Yes, there is. The tone tends to be different, and the subjects tend to be different. There's overlap, but there's overlap among all the threads.

Honestly, if we cut Bitches and Natter, I'd leave the board. Not that the Stompies should make a decision based on me, but this isn't just a board where people talk about some cool show -- it's evolved into a community.

We had to create Natter *because* the board become more of a community than just a talk-about-Buffy place.

Bitches has become its own subcommunity, in the same way that Atlantic Canadians has.

Numberslutting was a waste of valuable board space.

Yes. This. For God's sake, it drives me batshit to see people taking up 8 posts in a row to try to get to some number.

I do have to say that at this point killing natter and bitches will basically kill the Buffistas.

Cutting out Natter and Bitches would be like cutting off someone's head to treat a brain tumor. Those two threads are the heart of this board. Remove them, and we might as well close up shop.

Yes. This. I don't think it's just me. I think people would be really upset.

If it's that bad, why don't we just go back to PeoplesForum?

Before we have 20 more posts defending Natter and Bitches, I think from my reading of both lightbulb and this thread, the conclusion was already reached that Natter and Bitches are us. We came for the Buffy - stayed for the Natter, sort of feeling overcame most of the posters.

I don't think anyone is still seriously proposing that they be eliminated.

Kat's latest propsed cuts are here.

And because I'm all about me, my latest suggested cuts are here

thread, the conclusion was already reached that Natter and Bitches are us. We came for the Buffy - stayed for the Natter, sort of feeling overcame most of the posters.

I don't think anyone is still seriously proposing that they be eliminated.

Really? Because I just finished Lightbulbs, and I got the feeling that there are people still seriously proposing it, and who would, in fact, do it today if they could escape Death By Bitches.

Cindy, the refresh time is counted in seconds, not minutes.

That's not it.

Right now I'm worried that all this discussion of extreme measures is contributing to a panicky tone.

Code changes have been made. More will be made when fresher eyes than mine have looked at it.

And who knows? A dedicated server may very well be possible, and solve the problem.

I know some of the operations HR couldn't run on their box can run on my lame 512MB PC at home -- a lame dedicated server indeed.

I think we were a strain on Peoplesforum, too.

Though they are huge, I don't think cutting out Natter or Bitches is right. They are where the community happens for the most part.

If we're going to take drastic measures, why not get rid of all the quotable threads? Couldn't the quotes just go in the main threads?

Other madcap suggestions:

COMM, as much as I love it, is just reposting from elsewhere -- if we seriously need to cut down on threads, that's a prime candidate for chopping.

Could the F2F thread be closed until there's planning for the official F2F. Smaller individual F2F could be planned via email on even in Natter.

Close Minearverse until Wonderfalls actually premieres.