Posted on 01/11/2011 5:28:06 AM PST by paulycy
FYI -
Here are statements from Jim about the future of FreeRepublic.com for those who missed them. They are quite serious.
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"Well, I can say that there are definitely two things that will never happen. 1) Banner ads. 2) Oracle [a completely new database system.] And a third is a total replacement [of the current damaged system.] Don’t have the financial wherewithal."
"To those who wish to leave because of it, see ya."
"If FR dies, that’s that."
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[To: paulycy]
Hey, you want us to get an all new system with all new software and add a few more pricey techs, system programmers and database administrators to keep it all working 100% of the time 24/7/365? Well, start coughing up the big bucks.
It’s going to take tens of thousands of donations and many with at least three zeros each after the comma to accomplish the task. And that would be EVERY month like clock work to make the payroll. Once you take on a big load of expensive overhead, there’s no going back. As it is, we get a couple thousand donations per quarter averaging about $30 bucks each and there’s no guarantees we can cover this quarter’s expenses much less next quarter. We’re on a pay as we go system and we have zero employees.We just ask for enough to pay the bills.
Throwing more money at the problem won’t solve it. [This latest glitch] was a technical issue and we just had to keep troubleshooting until we found it. And no, we’re not going to invite a bunch of strangers in to get their hands on our secure systems. John has been programming since he was 14 and he’s pushing 40 now. He built these systems and he’s an expert in them.
And no, we are not going to throw out our software and rewrite it and no we’re not going to move on to some other database system. There are no guarantees that any other system can do a better job and not without hiring a staff to build and maintain it and that’s for sure. And we don’t have the financial wherewithal to do any of that anyway. Maybe if we had a couple million bucks at our disposal and a couple years to do it in we could build an iron-clad system. And maybe not.
All I can say is, if someone else can do it better and cheaper, then please step right on up and get ‘er done!! I’ll bow out and retire. Thankyouverymuch.
Hit it boys:
https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/
And no, we have no plans of taking FR commercial. I like it the way it is. Not sure I could handle getting rich.
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- Jim Robinson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2653583/posts?page=168#168
Several years ago I joined the $/day club. To me it’s worth it. I have no other hobby that I spend this amount of time with and as with most others here, I’d at least feel lost without FR. Most anybody who spends time on FR and other online outlets, probably doesn’t need magazine subscriptions and probably not even newspapers. I would think many folks could at least send FR some of the money they saved by cutting out some of these subscriptions.
Also, Jim, from a 25 year veteran in software development, myself: You have the right idea.
A rewrite is probably a formidable task, since this is an enterprise-level web app. My offhand guestimate is that it would take 2 senior developers, 1 fulltime tester, and one SOLID architect to pull off a full Free Republic implementation in 9 months to a year. Let us say, it is a year. Senior developers go about 100k, testers 60k, and an architect of the caliber you'd want is about 200k. That's 450k, and we haven't even talked about licensing development software and the equipment for them to develop on, much less the server farm itself. Figure 600k-750k to do a redevelopment.
John's system is, frankly, amazing for the price it's cost. it's obvious it's a labor of love. Plus, for him to have accomplished it in a bass-ackwards language like Perl, is truly mindboggling. (Poke poke, John.... lol.... told ya .NET was the way to go......lol.....)
Anyways, the plan you have adopted -- Keep up with the existing software, for it does work, and when needed, troubleshoot -- is viable. Objectively speaking, it is a decent plan.
There may come a time when the Perl system you have simply won't cut it any more. When that happens, I suggest a conversion to a robust enterprise solution. I favor C#.NET with SQL back end. It's battle-tested and well-regarded for enterprise apps. John would be a pro in it in about a month.
Way to go, Fawn!
Does that impact the load time?
You have freepmail, as an answer.
On this subject we agree completely.
DB2 is the best database system out there, but DB2 means Big Blue, and that means mucho dineros!!
Just throwing some ideas out there.
Below: the FreeRepublic "ServerOne" at HQ:
I’m here for the long haul and with that my monthly donation is as well. I almost wish Jim would make the site a paid, members only site so they could ease a little of the financial stress they have got to be feeling each and every quarter. Did anyone notice how long the Freepathon lasted last quarter? They seem to be getting longer and longer...I know things are tough for a lot of folks but if you’re coming on every day you should be contributing SOMETHING. Even if it’s only a couple of dollars!
Oh Jelly! I love that! LOL
Oh my, I did not even consider this site was still using PERL for such a high volume website.
One plan for a future change is to keep the old posts in the depreciated PERL version as an archive and just start fresh with a new system/database with username/password imported from the old database.
Converting a CGI forum when millions of posts would not be a fun thing to do. Personally, I would just leave the old system in place and move on a new system for new posts. Just my 2 cents.
Ok not meaning to be a smart as* here but I am paid 6 figures as a web and database programmer and have 3 websites and 13 years experience. So with my pedigree stated, I fail to see why this board cost gazllions to run each year. My three websites, 2 of which have dynamic content, shopping carts, stream video and link to most social networking sites, total web hosting cost per month is 150 bucks. The highest end dedicated, unlimited bandwidth server can be had for 1000 per month, and we are talking Facebook like data traffic there. There is no way, probability 0 that this site cost 70k a year in technical costs to manage, not possible. Technical costs cannot cost more than a few hundred per month, if they are are the board founder is getting ripped off. For 100 bucks an hour and maybe 200 hours of total development and testing time, some shrink wrap PHP scripts for forums, and some other cheap addons I could write an ASP app that would do it all here with minimum maintenance. Don’t mean to pull on Superman’s cape , but educate me why it cost so much.
What about Beck or Rove, everyone knows that FR is the ONE place that is a site that gives a Quick overview of the Worlds information on a subject.
This is due to posters taking part in the ebb and flow of the site.
Does the thought of having to rush around the internet going from site to site trying to get info on a given subject or even appeal to any of us. I highly doubt it.
But, those that have used FR to further their abilities in their PROFESSION, the bill has come due. Contribute NOW.
FR has the impact that it does because it's open. FR has impact. It would not if only a select few were here.
This is not an indictment of all who post there, of course. However, there are plenty of religious forums on the internet where those who seem to exist only for religious controversy and doctrinal dueling can post their piety or prejudices to their hearts' content.
Leni
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