GrahamY,

I commented upon site slowness and server error messages in a somewhat off-topic post to the quiescent topic thread 'OLO page defaults', here: http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=2637#60568

I took a screenshot of a server error message I got while attempting to post just a little time before 10:29 AM on Friday 17 April. It was 'incident number 6717-2910'. 'The fault has been reported to staff'. I had been assuming that there would be a log of such incidents available to OLO staff.

Whilst evidence of any denial of service (DOS) attack upon the OLO site itself would presumably show up in the site traffic logs at OLO, attacks mounted upon sites with which OLO interacts would presumably leave no record accessible to OLO. DOS attacks targetted in this way could both slow page loading in the way described in the linked post, and also presumably have a detrimental effect upon advertising revenue otherwise earnable by the OLO site.

If a third party wanted to disrupt or hold OLO back, that could be a way to go. It could be a line of investigation worth pursuing.

Like Forrest, I too have begun to wonder if OLO is having its own "swine flu". Given that the error messages claim they have been reported to staff (which they obviously don't) and that they occur anytime, not just during peak times.

I had to retry several times to post this morning. When I notice that it is taking a while to load, I stop the page, copy the post to a safe location into a word doc, go do something else and try again. This works but is time consuming and very frustrating.

I hope that OLO can find the bug soon, I do not envy you ATM. Tracing a bug takes a lot of patience.

1/5/09
Server Error
Incident number: 7059-1800
The fault has been reported to staff.
11.49" night

4/5/09 6.21" morning
Server Error
Incident number: 4535-4706
The fault has been reported to staff.

I have found that if you take too long thinking about what you are thinking of posting, the system thinks you have gone for a cuppa,and refuses to wake up when you try to post. I think it likes activity, and has a time out setting that trips.

I have found that if I log out and log back in it works fine.

Someone guessed that no-one gets told when those messages appear, and that is the case, or if there is a notification it was set-up to go to a mail box which is no longer monitored.

We've solved some of our problems, and we're looking at the rest. Perhaps I should do some fundraising on the forum to see if we can pay a consultant to come in and look at it and sort it.

What do you reckon?

Graham