+Munkeh Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 for at least three times a day more at weekends the geocaching.com website is unusable, with errors of one sort or another whilst trying to access information from the site, yet there are more features being added or changed without fixing any of the main problems these are not new problem they have been dragging on for months, everyday now I hear people complaining that they want to go out and cache but are being held back by not being able to access the site I'm getting pocket queries the day after I should be recieving them I'm starting to ask why am I paying for this? Link to comment
+third-degree-witch Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Totally agree with lost_it.......I also pay to use the site...Im not getting what im paying for and im sick of it....Eithier start supplying what you advertise or refund my money.The powers that be like to spout on about new features and yet fail to fix the most basic of problems...ie keeping the site running....where exactly do the premium payments actually go ????.Also im tired of getting my pq's up to 2 days AFTER i wanted to go out caching ! Can someone in authority reassure us that things are going to be fixed ???? Link to comment
+bpct Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I agree, I am real sick of paying for membership when I can't even get on to the geocaching.com website because the "server is busy" This shouldn't be going on for weeks!! I would like to cache today if I could get on and get some caches downloaded. GET IT FIXED NOW OR START REFUNDING CUSTOMERS!!! Link to comment
+CrazyL200 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I'll add my two peneth, what is going on, took me the best part of 4 hours trying to log 10 finds. Also seems worse where TBs are involved. Surely the efforts should be spent on getting the basics working successfully, before adding more features and therefore more misery. Come on Groundspeak, sort the servers out Link to comment
+Munkeh Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 its dead again, but hey! at least we can 500 caches in our bookmark lists! Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 You're under the impression that the same people who are working on new enhancements are the same people who can fix the server problems. That's probably not the case. Link to comment
+slumbersix Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Isn't it great... Pay for a premium membership, still can't get onto the site... Pay for travel bugs and geocoin tracking and can't access the site... I thought that was what fees and such went for? Getting a working site. Glad I don't have a premium membership or I'd be ticked. Link to comment
+The Hancock Clan Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 It's a real shame that this major problem has not been sorted. Surely, something could have been by now to fix it - it's been going on for too long now. For us, it's very much spoiling this otherwise wonderful hobby. Link to comment
+Munkeh Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 You're under the impression that the same people who are working on new enhancements are the same people who can fix the server problems. That's probably not the case. but adding more tasks for the server to handle is surely not helping matters Link to comment
+CrazyL200 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 (edited) Right hand, left hand etc... etc... I really would like to go caching tomorrow, in an area I don't normally go, but with not being able to log on to get any PQs etc... Nearly an hour and a half after my last post and guess what ........ Server Too Busy Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. Exception Details: System.Web.HttpException: Server Too Busy THIS IS GOING BEYOND A JOKE Edited April 1, 2006 by CrazyL200 Link to comment
Vimes Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Took 20 mins to get onto the site at lunchtime today, just taken nearly 15 at 6.30 in the evening. This certainly isn't the first time. Does anybody have any idea what's being done to rectify this? Link to comment
+wizard1974uk Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 You're under the impression that the same people who are working on new enhancements are the same people who can fix the server problems. That's probably not the case. Well not in my case, I'm perfectly aware that the programmers won't necessarily have a clue how to tweak the server, but come on you have to admit that week after week it's now becoming a joke, there are far busier sites on the net than gc.com that don't appear to have this problem. Link to comment
+macroderma Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 This is the third evening in a row at about the same time Of course it is AM on the Pacific coast Perhaps the engineers might consider inconveniencing Americans rather than us Europeans? Link to comment
+slumbersix Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 This is the third evening in a row at about the same time Of course it is AM on the Pacific coast Perhaps the engineers might consider inconveniencing Americans rather than us Europeans? Don't worry, it inconveniences us Americans also. Especially lately, it's gotten out of hand. Or maybe us Americans are more hardcore at geocaching than you Europeans and we don't care what time we go out geocaching? (-; Link to comment
+Haggis Hunter Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Come on Groundspeak, at least tell us why it is happening, and some sort of time frame for it being fixed. Link to comment
Jeremy Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I have repeatedly posted in these forums over and over again that we're working on the problem. We're locating areas of the database that could use extra indexes, adding new servers, and working with consultants to track down and fix the problem. The announcements section of the forum has a post of recent changes to the site. As I have said before, I am more frustrated than anyone. I would be greatly happy not to have this issue so I can add new features instead of dealing with the constant griping in the forums due to the increase in traffic. I ask that you give us some time to work through these issues. Link to comment
+mongoose39uk Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I have repeatedly posted in these forums over and over again that we're working on the problem. We're locating areas of the database that could use extra indexes, adding new servers, and working with consultants to track down and fix the problem. The announcements section of the forum has a post of recent changes to the site. As I have said before, I am more frustrated than anyone. I would be greatly happy not to have this issue so I can add new features instead of dealing with the constant griping in the forums due to the increase in traffic. I ask that you give us some time to work through these issues. Ok, how many times do we have to here your working on it and only get to see the problem get worse before we stop believing you. I am normally supportive and appreciate that these things can take time. However it is getting worse and it does begin to feel like the urine is being extracted liberally. Link to comment
+budd-rdc Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I can use GC.com now, as of 10:52am PST. Going to run a last minute Pocket Query (create a new one for quicker response) and see if I can reduce a bit of server load by going out soon. Link to comment
+Munkeh Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 I have repeatedly posted in these forums over and over again that we're working on the problem. We're locating areas of the database that could use extra indexes, adding new servers, and working with consultants to track down and fix the problem. The announcements section of the forum has a post of recent changes to the site. As I have said before, I am more frustrated than anyone. I would be greatly happy not to have this issue so I can add new features instead of dealing with the constant griping in the forums due to the increase in traffic. I ask that you give us some time to work through these issues. Ok, how many times do we have to here your working on it and only get to see the problem get worse before we stop believing you. I am normally supportive and appreciate that these things can take time. However it is getting worse and it does begin to feel like the urine is being extracted liberally. snap! Link to comment
+ByrnedFish Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 i appreciate all the effort going into solving the problems and since its not a numbers game im appaled at teh number of people complaining about not being able to log finds. However, im interested in knowing why in the past week mostly all of these "server to busy" and other problems have suddenly shown up. It seems like something must have happended to cause this, but what happened? Link to comment
+Team JSAM Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I ask that you give us some time to work through these issues. How much time I have never seen a website have this bad of an isssue for such a long period of time. Link to comment
+Pengy&Tigger Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 (edited) The problem is not just restricted to weekends or specific time zones. I have problems at home in the UK, and an on vacation in the US at the moment. We have been here a week and a half, and have had problems with getting details and with logging every single day we have been here. It's not funny having to stay up all hours of the night just to find a time window when the site actually works. Edited April 1, 2006 by Pengy&Tigger Link to comment
+Munkeh Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 i appreciate all the effort going into solving the problems and since its not a numbers game im appaled at teh number of people complaining about not being able to log finds. However, im interested in knowing why in the past week mostly all of these "server to busy" and other problems have suddenly shown up. It seems like something must have happended to cause this, but what happened? not being able to log finds is not a worry, getting the information to check any offline information is up to date is, just getting to read the cache listings can be a problem, for the last 2 and a half hours the servers have not been reliable, Im planning to go caching tomorrow, but I can't check the caches Im going to visit without spending a few hours in front of the computer Link to comment
Jeremy Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Ok, how many times do we have to here your working on it and only get to see the problem get worse before we stop believing you. Look at it this way - would I rather be enjoying my Saturday or posting a message to you? Link to comment
+mongoose39uk Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Posting a message to me of course Seriously though Jeremy, I am sure you can see it from our point of view as well. I hope you do get it sorted out soon, better for you, better for us. Cheers Tony Link to comment
+Haffy Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 (edited) Hey come on guys, all is not that bad now. I just got my first instant notification in 3 days and they were published 2 days ago Good thing I am not a FTF nut like some are or I would really be ticked off. I am sure it will take some time to iron things out. Just be patient. Edited April 1, 2006 by haffy6 Link to comment
+Moote Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Instead of wasting time adding new features, get what is functioning badly working! Or better still put the 3rd rate Waymarking project to bed and use it's kit to improve GC.com Link to comment
+mongoose39uk Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Hey come on guys, all is not that bad now. I just got my first instant notification in 3 days and they were published 2 days ago Good thing I am not a FTF nut like some are or I would really be ticked off. I am sure it will take some time to iron things out. Just be patient. How many years do you want us to be patient? Link to comment
Jeremy Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Or better still put the 3rd rate Waymarking project to bed and use it's kit to improve GC.com All criticisms aside, wouldn't you think that by moving virtuals and locationless caches into their own server would be a good way to improve performance on Geocaching.com? Link to comment
Jeremy Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Seriously though Jeremy, I am sure you can see it from our point of view as well. Well yeah. I'm hoping you can see it from my point as view as well. Link to comment
+mongoose39uk Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Seriously though Jeremy, I am sure you can see it from our point of view as well. Well yeah. I'm hoping you can see it from my point as view as well. I am trying too Jeremy Link to comment
+Always & Forever 5 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 i appreciate all the effort going into solving the problems and since its not a numbers game im appaled at teh number of people complaining about not being able to log finds. However, im interested in knowing why in the past week mostly all of these "server to busy" and other problems have suddenly shown up. It seems like something must have happended to cause this, but what happened? Not logging finds really is only a small part of the problem. Looking up caches to hunt is what's time consuming. Seems to me someone is trying to mess with a good thing. Updates and upgrades are fine...but we don't need a hundred things changed all at once, especially when it results in the server crashing for hours and hours and hours. Link to comment
+Moote Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Or better still put the 3rd rate Waymarking project to bed and use it's kit to improve GC.com All criticisms aside, wouldn't you think that by moving virtuals and locationless caches into their own server would be a good way to improve performance on Geocaching.com? I think the words, "adding more servers to the cluster" not separating them is the solution, this is what I do when I require greater server resource at work Link to comment
Jeremy Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I think the words, "adding more servers to the cluster" not separating them is the solution, this is what I do when I require greater server resource at work You probably look at the issue at different angles and come to the proper conclusion. Link to comment
+third-degree-witch Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Jeremy....Its not cutting the mustard...when people pay for a service they expect just that..service..Since all these 'improvements' have been added the server has died a rapid death.Of course i cant expect the server to run perfectly 100% of the time....I would be happy with just 50% at the present time !.. Link to comment
+Always & Forever 5 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Here's another thought...why aren't these upgrades and improvements done during off peak hours (week nights), rather than on Saturday mornings? Link to comment
+nfa Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 (edited) pointless whining post...sorry...frustrated Edited April 1, 2006 by NFA Link to comment
+ByrnedFish Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 All you people that NEED to hunt caches, teh wap interface is working fine. just go to wap.geocaching.com and type in your zip code and VOILA caches you can go hunt. maybe its nto as user firendly most of the time, but iwth the site at its current status id say its more so. Link to comment
+whistler & co. Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 It's times like these that make me happy we're strictly low-tech. I've got enough (gasp!) PAPER printouts in my car to carry us through a month of caching. I'm sure that Jeremy HIMSELF is not responsible for the server problems. Sure, I'm bummed out by not having easy access (actually, any access at all at the present moment) to cache listings, but if it weren't for Jeremy we'd have no cache listings at all (except on those other crappy alternative sites). Look at it this way...we can just walk away from the problem, literally. Go take a walk with the kids, rent a DVD, clean the fridge, wash the dog, whatever. Jeremy has to deal with the problem until it is resolved, and there's no walking away for him. Let's be patient and not nasty, folks. It IS, after all, a GAME. Link to comment
+Nushiekitty Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I think it is crazy that you (Jeremy) think that we should try to see it from your point of view. There are a lot of people out there including myself that pay to support the website, I for one do not feel that I am getting my moneys worth. Maybe you should start thinking of refunding everyone that has a premium membership some money every time the site is down. I would guess that this would be a pretty big incentive for you to hurry up and fix the issues. It used to be that the website was slow or down only late Sunday nights but now it seems that it is just about every day and at different times, many of which I would consider peak US times. With the amount of money you are making off of geocaching I do not feel that it is too much to ask to be able to actually use the website I help support. Link to comment
+ByrnedFish Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 AMEN whisteler and co.!!! give him some slack. the weather is less than perfect any way (at least in my neck of the woods) Link to comment
+ByrnedFish Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 problems seem to be gone, at least for me, i havent had an error message in a while. Thanks jeremy for all your hard work Link to comment
+Mopar Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 (edited) I agree. I think Jeremy SHOULD refund the whiners a percentage equal to the actual down time over say the past year. What would that equal? $5 maybe? Of course that would mean they are no longer premium members. Then make the entire site MO when the load levels go up. I've seen that on lots of other "free" sites. Better yet, just pull the plug on the site until it's fixed. That way TPTB can work at their leisure, instead of trying to find a time to work on it that doesn't piss someone in the world off. Maybe after a solid month of 404 errors people will appreciate what they get for FREE, or a measly 8 cents a day. Oh, and even though it's a dif server, pull the plug on the forums too. That way you can actually work on the site instead of having to waste time responding to the same questions in 18 different threads because people are too lazy to read. Edited April 1, 2006 by Mopar Link to comment
+logger&trail Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Hey the way I look at it , its the first sign of spring. The flowers come up and the site goes down. It's been that way since I started caching. We can gripe about it but it doesn't do any good eventually it will get fixed or the overloads subside. Whatver the case, it will go away. Personally I would like to see it set-up so premium members get priority service, that's the way they do it on a few other sites I am on. If the server loads exceed a certain level then non-paying users are locked out until the server level drops below the threshold. That way if you pay, you play. It works well on the other sites I am involved with. This might also encourage non-paying participants to cough up a small amount and free up some capital to ensure that the servers are top notch rather than limping along and having everyone whining. Until then I will just wait patiently gritting my teeth waiting to get on the site. My two cents worth. Link to comment
+wizard1974uk Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 It isn't a case of appreciating what we have. Groundspeak are offering a service whether it be free or not, we have the right to expect a certain level of service. So we are going to be grateful for the main site griding to halt every weekend? Link to comment
+third-degree-witch Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 (edited) I like 'Logger&Trails' idea.....QUOTE ''Personally I would like to see it set-up so premium members get priority service, that's the way they do it on a few other sites I am on. If the server loads exceed a certain level then non-paying users are locked out until the server level drops below the threshold. That way if you pay, you play.''UNQUOTE Seems about on the button to me Edited April 1, 2006 by third-degree-witch Link to comment
+ByrnedFish Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 nvm, its nto back working. Found a new problem, but its not urgent. Google Earth seems to be down (porobably cuz it can get information since gc.com is down). Thanks again for trying ur hardest Link to comment
+Moote Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I agree with the idea of giving premium members the bandwidth at peak times, or maybe go one better and stop the freeloaders completely! Just giving a 1 month free trial then you pay. Link to comment
+Always & Forever 5 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Personally I would like to see it set-up so premium members get priority service, that's the way they do it on a few other sites I am on. If the server loads exceed a certain level then non-paying users are locked out until the server level drops below the threshold. That way if you pay, you play. It works well on the other sites I am involved with. This might also encourage non-paying participants to cough up a small amount and free up some capital to ensure that the servers are top notch rather than limping along and having everyone whining. Best idea yet. I don't have a problem at all with paying Premium Member fees, and have been doing so for quite a while...UNTIL we can't access the server. Then, yep, I have a problem with it. Same for anything else I pay for. Funny thing about that, but I expect service for my $$$. Link to comment
+Baptist Deacon Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I know that the sight was running fine for a while. Now it is starting to burp again. Seems like everytime they add new features or try something new, we start having problems. Are we sure that they are using the correct software to run this thing? Now I am not a programmer and ahve never claimed to be. I know that they have added servers and such, but surely that can't be the answer everytime they add a new feature. Seems that pretty soon we are going to have more servers than IBM. I know that they have hired outside consultants to help track down these bugs or issues, but enough is enough. Maybe they need to consider another type of software to run this thing. Just my 2 cents worth. I am not trying to belittle anyone, I know that the powers to be are doing their best to keep the sight up and running. Link to comment
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