Search Button and Moderators

Athis Strider

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2005

California

R/Mo

26 Feb 2006 at 17:45 - 1

To All moderators,

I have no issue with you guys enforcing the fact that we should use the search button. The only issue I have with it is that I believe a lot of us try using the search button and get this message,

(hope pic comes out)

Seems to me this website has run out of bandwith. On busy days such as the weekend, this site seems very slow. There are far more users than it can handle at times. People are posting redundant questions because most of the time this message comes up.

Whats the solution? Is there a Bandwith issue? And if so, does GURU plan on expanding its web space capacity?

Athis

Ps. I am a forum noob of the upmost Noobian caliber. I have no previous exp with the do's and dont's other than the chewings I read so I apologize if this is not the correct place to post this. It is the most highly viewable area, and I decided to post here because of the exposure since the search button issue seems to come up quite a bit.

Sister Spice

Academy Page

Join Date: Nov 2005

UK

Dracos Paladin

Mo/

26 Feb 2006 at 17:49 - 2

It's a really fair comment

Whenever I try to search I get that error - luckily I dont search that much as Im happy reading what I see on the front pages.

But it's a bit pointless mods telling people to use search

Sister Spice

beanerman_99

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2005

In the clouds

[Sage]

E/

26 Feb 2006 at 17:52 - 3

I don't know about the search not working but I have noticed the incredible load times for screens on busy days. I think guru has become the definitive Guild Wars site, you can tell that by the number of members compared to other fan sites I look at. Guru has 10 times the activity of other sites. Is there any way to increase the speed of browsing guru?

edit. it took over a minute for this reply to post through.

Red Locust

Site Contributor

Join Date: May 2005

26 Feb 2006 at 18:18 - 4

Check out the site feedback forum, and, more specifically, this thread

Basically, it's likely that one or more of the fruitcakes you see getting banned around here are trying DOS attacks on the site, which creates unusually high loads on GWGuru. It has nothing to do with the amount of people visiting the site.

Search is enabled up to a certain point. When load gets too high, it gets turned off and you're directed to Google.

beanerman_99

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2005

In the clouds

[Sage]

E/

26 Feb 2006 at 18:28 - 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Locust

Check out the site feedback forum, and, more specifically, this thread

Basically, it's likely that one or more of the fruitcakes you see getting banned around here are trying DOS attacks on the site, which creates unusually high loads on GWGuru. It has nothing to do with the amount of people visiting the site.

Search is enabled up to a certain point. When load gets too high, it gets turned off and you're directed to Google. What are DOS attacks and why would anyone do it?

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

26 Feb 2006 at 18:32 - 6

Originally Posted by beanerman_99

What are DOS attacks and why would anyone do it? Denial Of Service

because they are mad for being kicked off the forum as troublemaking jerks

EDIT

here is an interesting example

http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm

Athis Strider

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2005

California

R/Mo

26 Feb 2006 at 18:38 - 7

[QUOTE=Red Locust]Check out the site feedback forum, and, more specifically, this thread

I read the link. Very interesting. I was not aware that this site was suffering from DOS attacks. From what I understand about DOS and Forums, it seems this is a VERY difficult situation to control. This is mostly due to the fact that we as users have access (in-part) to the site, and well there is no way around that. Thats what forums are for.

On another point. The reason I posted here was not to complain or try to solve it, but rather to expose it to the masses. For example I was not aware that the Link you posted existed. This will hopefully bring the true importance of the search button for those of us who do not explore this site outside of GW related topics.

As a user I am very appreciative of this site. If there is anything (other than using the search button) that we can do to help this site, please let us know.

Athis

Faer

La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo

Join Date: Feb 2006

26 Feb 2006 at 18:42 - 8

Originally Posted by beanerman_99

What are DOS attacks and why would anyone do it? Denial of Service. They basically ping the site to death to cause large amounts of lag... And they do it just to be annoying, for whatever reasons.

Athis Strider

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2005

California

R/Mo

26 Feb 2006 at 19:09 - 9

Loviatar, I read that link. 13???? OMG

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

26 Feb 2006 at 20:32 - 10

Originally Posted by Athis Strider

Loviatar, I read that link. 13???? OMG If I was 13 I would be playing GW lol. I guess some people are just weird & illegal like that.

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

26 Feb 2006 at 20:32 - 11

Originally Posted by Athis Strider

Loviatar, I read that link. 13???? OMG If I was 13 I would be playing GW lol. I guess some people are just weird & illegal like that.

Sekkira

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canberra, AU

27 Feb 2006 at 23:35 - 12

I have a problem with certain moderators preaching the use of the search button when it's not working.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...d.php?t=128759

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...d.php?t=128721

awelcomecomatose

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2005

CHICO

Axes Of Evil [AoE]

N/

01 Mar 2006 at 22:37 - 13

Yea I see the use the search n00b thread closed stuff go on alot. This is no exageration most of the time i go to use the search its disabled and manually looking takes forever because each page times out 5 times then loads but takes 40 seconds to do so.

chris_nin00

Dun dun dun

Join Date: Aug 2005

Reddit Guild

R/

02 Mar 2006 at 01:22 - 14

Actually, the thread was closed because it was in the wrong section

Searching google.com, instead of the GWG, works faster and brings other posts from other sites, that might have more or less of the information you need.

The site is possibly under a DOS attack at slow times.

Remember that the number of people that go to this site doesn't effect the speed. The server can handle way more people than the population we are receiving now. So it's not the guests...

It's a DOS attack

Athis Strider

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2005

California

R/Mo

02 Mar 2006 at 01:53 - 15

Yeah Chris I know. I admit that I do not know my way around as well as some one you. Most of the time I just read rather than post. Actually I have read many threads and posts by you so your name is familiar to me. If my memory serves me correctly beside your posts on Ranger Builds, (some of which I have tried and they Freeking rocked!!) I beleive I read that you are a moderator here. Is this correct? Many of us were and are not aware that GURU suffered from malicious DOS attacks. After I read some of the links posted above, I could hardley beleive it. A 13 year old kid bringing a site to it knees? Gentlemen, our future may be in some serious trouble. Is there anything we the members can do to help out? (besides the *sigh* search button)

Ultimate_Gaara

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2005

BC, Canada.. how aboot that eh?

02 Mar 2006 at 03:46 - 16

Originally Posted by Loviatar

Denial Of Service

because they are mad for being kicked off the forum as troublemaking jerks

EDIT

here is an interesting example

http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm Wow... thats like the hacker's bible, and its just as big.

Guillaume De Sonoma

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2005

aFk

Me/Rt

02 Mar 2006 at 04:20 - 17

Wow I didn't know how a DoS works but its brutally effective, and I do miss thesearch sometimes

Across The Battle

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Feb 2006

Jersey

W/

03 Mar 2006 at 06:45 - 18

One thing I have been noticing, and with good cause, is people CONSTANTLY saying use the search button. This is rather annoying to me. Granted there are threads that address damn near everything you could imagine about GW. The problem I have with this is when posting this, there are "Threads: 122,733, Posts: 995,357, Members: 61,160" (taken from forum front page.)

Not to mention the fact that the search button has been broken for a while(not trying to flame, we know gwg.com is doing all they can) Something needs to be done in my opinion, instead of promoting the game to new players asking questions, you simply flame them away. Very discouraging. I think something needs to be done about this problem.

Any ideas?

(It's 2 am, please excuse and gramatical or spelling errors)

Edit: Mods moved this post, it was on a seperate thread, o the irony

Edit 2: It doesn't take that much eyestrain to look 5 topics down. You didn't even have to use search this time

Before accusing us of being too heavyhanded with our rules, make sure you show that you've put forth an effort as well. Not bothering to even look for an existing topic doesn't hold well for your purpose.

Old Dood

Middle-Age-Man

Join Date: May 2005

Lansing, Mi

W/Mo

03 Mar 2006 at 12:18 - 19

What I try to do instead of the SEARCH feature is find out the name of the person that would have made a post on that subject and look up their Posts.

Seems to be way faster...the trick is to figure out who may have made a post on that topic. I for one can't stand any Search Feature no matter whichever Website's forum has. They all are not that good.