Chat Room???

I can't get in it at all right now... either from Mac or Windows.

But yeah when I can, it's dreadfully slow.

 

The chatroom is on my server (which is why it's emptyclosets.net not .com). There are some performance issues with the server currently, and it is being upgraded within the next month or so. That should sort it - fingers crossed.

Currently, evenings USA/Canada time could hit the server overnight (UK) backup time, which would definitely have an impact on performance. This is something that is being addressed during the server upgrade.

 

SLOW: Latency >= 10 seconds, especially on Internet Explorer 7. 7.5 seconds on Firefox 2.0.

In plain English, the text takes ages to appear on screen. I also have some problems seeing what the other people on the chat say. Again, long delays.

Another thing... the [OK] button often needs to be clicked, say, 10 times in order for the message to be sent. Same with the Enter key.

 

It seems to work fine for me at the moment.

When it is slow, can you try to go to www.buy-jeans.net and www.sp-tech.co.uk, which are on the same server, and let me know how they work for you. The first one also uses MySQL (like the chatroom) whereas the second is static HTML. Also try a traceroute to emptyclosets.net (Windows users, go to the command prompt and type TRACERT EMPTYCLOSETS.NET) and copy/paste the results.

That will help me work out whether it is a server problem or a delay somewhere between you and the server.

 

Thanks for the info and the update...

Does it require the use of some special port? I mean I take it shouldn't since it's over HTML/the web and one assumes it's using 80 but from my computer at home I can't get to it... don't know if that's because of my new router or if there's something up with connecting or it's just from my home or what. Does it use Java of a special version?

When I try to login from home, after typing in a username and clicking "OK" I get redirected to a page that has a "click here to continue" link. If I either click there or wait a few seconds, I get sent back to the login page.

It works fine from work, however.

When I have a bit more time I'll take out the router and see if that makes a difference... although I can torrent just fine behind the router so I find it weird.

 

Heh, funny when you say you can't get in, Joey, only because I was in a few times the other day (some very good conversations ^^) and your name was in the chatroom the whole day! ^^ I just figured that you left the window open the whole day, but maybe this'll help with you getting back in. I know that one time, as a test, I tried opening a new window and logging in using the same name, and it wouldn't let me.

Also, on an unrelated note, I've noticed some minor latency issues with the chat. Nothing too crazy, just a slight delay in communication. After a while, I just start to factor it in to the conversation

Edit: in fact, Joey, you're listed in the chatroom this very minute!

 

Joey, maybe you have it open in a browser window at work, which is why you are getting thrown out at home? Try a slightly different name from home, such as "joey_connick", and see if that lets you in.

It's not tied to forum usernames so you can use whatever name you want. It makes sense though to use your forum names or something very similar.

 

I got on last night. There were like 5 people on around 11 or 12. Apparently people get on on fry and sat nights. Also, i'm on right now and someone else is on as well.

 

Five people - that's pretty good. Enough for a good chat but not so many that it becomes impossible to piece the conversations together.

It would be worth posting the times (and timezones) you find it busy, so other people know when it's worth dropping in.

 

well, im in the US-Texas, central time, might change with daylights savings time

 

I'm there now... there are 3 people including myself.

The latency now is 1 second. That's much better.

 

You're kidding me, right? Why wouldn't it TELL ME THAT?!

By the way, that was the problem. What an insanely dumb way for whoever wrote that code to have written it... surely putting in a message that says "user already logged on" wouldn't be that hard?

 

Not many people here now

 

Well it is free software. There probably are better ones out there (still free) though I was struggling to find anything decent. There is a commercial version that has proper user accounts (username/password) and other features, which I may look to upgrading to in due course.

Meanwhile if you know of any good free or cheap chatroom software (for Linux hosting - Apache, PHP, MySQL etc) let me know.

 

Yes, well... even free software should tell someone why they are unable to use it, when the why is as simple as "someone is already using that username."

I would guess the best chat stuff would be Java-applet based.... which of course could still be run on the system you describe. But I don't know of any off the top of my head.

 

i had a chat yesterday in the room but was a bit slow typing with 1 arm

 

Yes, I know what that is like. I was trying to type something at work today with one hand as I was holding the phone with the other. It's surprising how slow it is and how many typos you make when doing it one-handed....

At least I could tidy it up with both hands afterwards.... I feel sorry for you having to struggle with this, but it sounds like you're on the mend.

 

Twobout was having trouble with the chatroom cutting off the very bottom, so he couldn't see what someone said until a few more people said something. The rest of us didn't experience this issue. Just thought I'd let you know ^^

 

Maybe it's a font size thing? Does he have Windows set to large fonts or is he using larger fonts in his browser?

I don't know though - just a guess....