shhhh

[-E]

I did finally get them! And now they're mine! Mine, I tell you! All mine! You won't see them again! Now I can do them as I please! I'm even considering shooting them! I may even pepper them with HE and there's no one who can stop me! (well okay, I could receive a hold fire to a covered arc command from the hamstertruppensturbenfuhrer). But barring that, I shall soon rule the world! Muhahaha!

(Sorry. I'm better now... read: nice job noobie!)

[Herr Kruger]

That is some superb work!

[theike]

Yes, it is...yes, it is.

Makin them ugly beasts into ellegant super bitches.

real nice job again.

[ichadwick]

Looks really good... too bad I can't get them! The Mods server is so SLLLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW that it takes forever to grab a file that big.

Yesterday I got around 4 megs before it dropped the line.

This morning I got 13 megs in just over 2 hours. Then it dropped the line.

I've been trying a third time tonight and I'm at 3% after 10 minutes. If it flops again, I quit trying. Too much time wasted.

They have the slowest, crankiest system to download from I've seen since the days of 1200 KB modems! What is it - dial up?

PLEASE break them into chunks no more than 3-4 MB each. Then we have a chance we can get one or two...

[Erwin Rommel]

I dont mind downloading large files that take time as i think the Packs are better than individual files...but maybe do break up into like 3-4 packs for smaller file size.

[ January 28, 2003, 07:28 PM: Message edited by: Erwin Rommel ]

[MrNoobie]

eh just wait for the CMMOS version then

[MFOS]

Ok. Before anyone gets their nerves bent, I suppose I ought to take a moment and share some downloading info with you. I intend on asking some questions around here, so I may as well help out in areas I CAN help in.

Here goes. The problem is obviously two things: Number of people downloading at the same time, and the small pipe that said file is hosted on. Bigger pipes cost money to hold on to, suffice it so say ... you get what you pay for. BFC has a fat pipe, because they pay for it. I am only assuming, but I would say that the HQ is hosted by and shares the same pipe. (Perhaps it is split, or they actually went the deluxe route and obtained two.

The poor cat everyone is slagging, is using a value host, or possibly a free one, and that is the best he can do. Hosts are expensive, for a decent one, and most only provide a certain amount of bandwidth per month -some are per day.

Even if you buy a plan and then the bandwidth exceeds you alotted amount, you have to pay extra (Or the site cannot be accessed - the exceeded bandwidth error). The first is a most disturbing surprise the first time it happens to you. Often times it can be so substantial, that it can literally force you to drop the account, and sell the mother in law to pay off the bill.

Ok so, most folks here just want to share Mods, bull**** with each other, talk tactics, etc. Not manypeople want to be required to take out loans to keep a site up.

However lets not get ahead of ourselves. Some people, schools, employers, etc., also have access to webspace, fat pipes and a buddy with OS administrative rights. These are often time some of the larger independants, and/or the folks who maintain nice FTP archives.

So, what you have left are some very dedicated kind souls out there who; either have better than average cash flow and don't mind using it to support thier hobby; and/or are clever enough to have found a host which is inexpensive yet not too tight fisted with the bandwidth; and/or are just so passionate about the hobby that they just assume it as another bill, and simply budget it into their monthly expenditures.

Which brings us back to my new friend at the Database. He is too polite to say it, so I will. You want to see quicker DL's, try clicking on that donation to paypal link and give him a hand.

Hosting costs cash, unless you want a freebie site. Notice he mentions no popups. That means that he probably already is paying to get the site hosted, most free ones require a popup, unless you want to pay to get the deluxe no popup advert free hosting service. You like the service, hey kick the brother some cash. A few bucks here and there would probably help him out a lot. (This is not meant to imply that the owner is in any financial difficulty, hell he could be a millionaire for all I know. What I do mean to say is that, a good host, with nice speed, and high uptime, costs money. Money that most didn't really expect to be paying, when they came up with the idea of creating a web site.

- Trust me on this one.

Someone asked in another thread where are all the sites going? Easy answer: free hosts usually suck, maintianing a page is alot more work than anyone who has never webmastered one can imagine, and it pretty much a thankless job.

Even domain names are overpriced. Once the dot com boom sort of started to fizzle, they neglected to bring back down the cost of domain names. After all it is primarily just a matter of book keeping. But i digress.

So the million dollar question is: How can I actually complete large downloads on slower sites?

Chunks is sort of a solution. However that requires people to stay on the pipe an equal length of time though, and that still ties it up. Remember we want to ideally have less people on at a time. It's upside is that when the download is interupted , or dropped, which happens on lower quality hosts frequently, you may have gotten at least some of the pieces. Otherwise, you will have to redownload the entire thing.

Putting it on the HQ has been suggested, but I get the impression they are sort of letting that place just rest for a while. So that probably wont really work. Besides, running YOUR own site is cool. It is yours. Gives you some "street cred", makes you feel good to be contributing and helping others enjoy, you get the picture.

The Best option would be to have BFC host it themselves, with its own domain name, etc. It would be rather simple to do, the authorizations for what could be accessed would be the only sort of tricky bit. If he owns the domain, the ip address and all could be swapped out no prob.

Customize the site a bit, make it look all cool, and load it up with BFC adverts and logo's etc. Hell, that would be pretty easy too. Email me if you would like to see a site I own and designed. It is private and work related so I would rather not just give it out publicly.

Anyhow, so If you read this far I will give you an actual tip:

Find an FTP program that can do at least these two things, Detect a URL in the clipboard, and that can resume downloads. Many probably will do that, I use BulletProof FTP. I think it is the best and it is pretty inexpensve to register if you like it alot. Start up the FTP program ,and then simply select any file off of the Database webpage, right click it, and select "copy shortcut.

The FTP program will automagically detect it and begin downloaing it. Bulletproof even changes it to the correct port (Should be 80), and the download begins. If you have a half done file, like I did, then as soon as you finish clicking "copy shortcut", it will ask you if you wish to overwrite, resume, or cancel the download of the file.Obviously, choose resume.

Bulletproof and other programs, can even be instructed to retry automatically after a certain amount of time. Make it several minutes please, trying every few seconds is called hammering and it is bad form. (Will usually get you banned as well).

Also, you can cue downloads, so that you don't have to keep going back and and clicking the next mod every couple of minutes, seconds, hours or days. Just cue em up, and watch them go.

With this method, you will be able to minimize your time on the pipe, and get it onto your rig as quickly as possible.

Another BIG point is to not have more than one download going at a time. On a server that can handle it and is flying ...well go ahead. But, on a bandwidth challenged page, please don't! It typically makes all of your downloads take longer, and it does the same to eveyone else.(For the most part)

Oh and for all of you Highspeed Sluts like me, always remember that you can only take in data, as fast as the other end can provide it. So T1 to T1 line is gonna blaze. T1 to someplace like Homestead or Anglefire at 3:00pm to 7:00pm is probably gonna be like trying to drain a swimming pool with a soda straw.

Shoot me an email if I can help ya out pal. I am sure we can probably get you sorted out. Till then, I hope this really longwinded inservice has been of some value.

MFOS - Mouth Full of Spiders

[ January 28, 2003, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: MFOS ]