Premium Member Server

[+altosaxplayer]

Would it be possible in the future to have a premium member only server? The server too busy error is hitting us again here. Would that ever be possible? I think the paying members should not have to endure these long interruptions and the non-paying members should. Just a suggestion.

[+Cardinal Red]

This is not the first time this has been discussed. I have only been around here for about 2.5 years and I don't remember Jeremy ever commenting on it. It seems TPTB try to give enough Premium Features that many members will want to pay for them. At the same time they try to keep the site running efficiently so that it available to everyone without relegating anyone to 2nd class status. Every time we have bumped into server capacity Groundspeak has been able to implement a solution. The day they find they can no longer do that is the day a seperate server becomes a reasonable possibility IMHO.

 

I pay my Premium Membership willingly, but I applaud Groundspeak for keeping the basic concept of Geocaching equality free to anyone who wants it.

[+scottpa100]

I pay my Premium Membership willingly, but I applaud Groundspeak for keeping the basic concept of Geocaching equality free to anyone who wants it.

 

I completely agree. The day its becomes a different level of service for others then less people will be joining in the game.

[+Thrak]

On the other hand......... I'm unable to get to any gc.com pages today --- again. I'm pretty tired of the "server too busy" stuff.

[+sTeamTraen]

I suspect it's not a very meaningful discussion anyway because even if there were different front-end (Web) servers, there would need to be one common database server (or cluster thereof).

 

And in fact there are different front-end servers: for example, wap.geocaching.com, which often works even if the main site doesn't, but will be just as down as everything else if it's the database which has problems. As I write this, the WAP server seems just fine, although the rest of the site is timing out.

[+The Last Airbender]

As I write this, the WAP server seems just fine, although the rest of the site is timing out.

 

Unless you are trying to access the new 7 digit cache ID's. WAP doesnt work

[+MamaDuck71]

I am a basic member, but hubby is a premium. He has to wait just like me. I also agree, if you pay, you should have a Prem. server. If that was to happen. I would pay the $30.00 and I think more people WILL (join) pay to have better service. In turn, more money coming in might help gc.com in the future. Is a win-win for everyone.

[+sbell111]

I suspect that TPTB are more concerned with fixing basic serves for everyone's use than creating a true two-tiered system. If he did that, there would be pressure to continue to expand member features without solving problems for non-PMs. Soon the site would be virtually pay-to-play, which Jeremy has stated would never happen.

[+ReadyOrNot]

I suspect it's not a very meaningful discussion anyway because even if there were different front-end (Web) servers, there would need to be one common database server (or cluster thereof).

 

And in fact there are different front-end servers: for example, wap.geocaching.com, which often works even if the main site doesn't, but will be just as down as everything else if it's the database which has problems. As I write this, the WAP server seems just fine, although the rest of the site is timing out.

 

The "Server too busy" error message usually means that the server thinks it is out of resources. I've seen this several times when it was not a resource problem, but a problem with managing resources in code. I've seen TPTB discuss the fact that there is a lot of "Hobby" code that needs to be replaced, so I'm not sure that throwing another front-end server into the mix would even fix the problem.