Forum Outages

Gandalf Parker · #1 July 8th, 2008, 12:29 AM

Actually if what is going on, is what I think is going on, then I feel vindicated.

Ironhawk · #2 July 8th, 2008, 12:44 AM

Your colorful story aside, Gandalf, it remains unchanged that they were in fact being misleading in thier message to us the users. Of course I very much appreciate this service which Shrapnel offers us for free (moronic ads aside for the moment), but they could simply have said "We are taking the forums down for much needed maintainence. Please bear with us as we work through this upgrade process."

Gandalf Parker · #3 July 8th, 2008, 12:48 AM

It is usually better not to give any time estimate.
Im not sure if the message we saw was Shrapnels or part of the UBB software. I should know, but I dont remember the exact message in the software.

Knock on virtual wood, but personally Im pleased that it comes back after each incident with the entire forum database and user database intact. Ive been asked to update forums like this, or migrate them, and Ive usually chickened out.

MaxWilson · #4 July 8th, 2008, 02:24 AM

I agree, no time estimate is probably the best. On the other hand, a day is a short time to non-forum-junkies. I suppose they could have gone the other way and said, "The forums will be down for a non-zero but finite duration."

-Max

Lingchih · #5 July 8th, 2008, 03:07 AM

This is normal tech-speak for "we don't know when we will be done with upgrade". I commend them for doing it over the fourth of july holiday, when most of us were doing the vacation thing.

NTJedi · #6 July 8th, 2008, 03:18 AM

I'm just saying the forums out of service message needs to be more accurate in providing a ballpark time estimate. In my opinion it's rude and unprofessional to tell your customers to "check back soon" and remain unavailable for most of the day!

ShrapnelGames has been in business for awhile and thus shouldn't behave as if this is their first year running the website.

Ballbarian · #7 July 8th, 2008, 03:18 AM

Quote:

I commend them for doing it over the fourth of july holiday, when most of us were doing the vacation thing.

I second that.
My hat is off to the Shrapnel gang for spending what should have been vacation and family time tuning the forums (instead of bumming around like I was).

Omnirizon · #8 July 8th, 2008, 02:58 PM

"dammit Jim, I'm a systems administrator, not a time-efficiency/public relations expert!"