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Challenges, Requests, and Searching for "Stories"


DemonGoddess

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It seems that many of you don't understand the need for not having those posts within the archive right now. It's simple, really.

Understand that the scripted programs which run the archive are archaic and out of date. That being the case, they do not handle data inserts in an efficient manner. For example, a forum post has a file size in the database that is very small, in bytes. Whereas a chapter insert within the archive STARTS at 300k, and grows exponentially depending upon how many words, spaces and etc that there are in the one page. So that's reason number one, database load. As the forum is better suited for handling posting data, the forum is where they were all shifted to. I made it so it was easy, in that there are subforums set up to correspond with the 21 subdomains across the site. No login is required to read, post, or whatever in those forums. Aside from that, there's also the advantage of if one has an answer to a search question, the links work.

Second would be the search engine that doesn't like to work in the first place, as it's not meant to work for a database the size of this one. We are working on that, most likely for the software being written, not the current. All those non fics then impact bringing up stories in the search even more than already happens. We HAVE a search engine which is capable of handling the data load, however, the archive itself really cannot support much more in the way of script changes, including porting in that engine. We do too much more tinkering, and the thing will crash.

Now, to address that, we've been reorganizing the entire site, to make it easier to see what you're looking for at a glance. Unfortunately, there are only 3 levels of categories to work within currently, and only TWO are able to be posted to. So, there are some other things that can be done in the single fandom subdomains, which will be done, to try and make it easier to locate stories visually. Can't do those things that will be done in the multiple fandom subdomains though, because of the three levels available to me.

This is another of those things which will be addressed in the software in development.

Some of the changes you will see will be-

  • A robust search engine, which will allow more than 100 returns on a search, as well as being able to search the tables for data requested without causing a "too many open connections" error. (Something that would happen with the current software were we to port in the engine now).
  • UNLIMITED sublevel ability
    This is where the sorting and cataloguing comes in. Because we will have that ability, one will be able to have several levels of category placement, and choices for it. Ultimately, this will make it an easier archive to search.
  • Mail reply to reviews (posted by logged in users), using the phpmail function, which will mask the sender's and the reciever's address. Very similar to how the forum handles email between users.
  • Selectable user skins, and portal skins with a much smaller footprint.
  • RTF editor built in. This will eliminate the need for uploading files, and hard coding in formattting. One will be able to format text on the fly, within the text editor window.
  • Faster code execution, as the program scripts will be written in the newest version of php, and compatible to the newest version mySQL, backwards compatible to versions 4.x of each program.
  • Spambot protection
  • Drop down disclaimer option, as well as a default autofill (the autofill would very likely only be in single fandom subdomains, as well as in originals)

There are many more improvements as well as just overall changes that will be done with the new software.

I've been asked many, many times why we don't use some of the pre-exisiting fiction software that's available for download. Quite simply, we experimented a bit with a few (offsite), but the database is too BIG for them. In order to KEEP our current database, that makes it so this is not a viable option. After all, why use a program that the database itself, due to its size, will end up crashing? Not to mention the data loss that would follow such a crash. To us, that simply was not an acceptable option.

We're also considering possibly making a queue for the users, for their review boards, where the user can select what reviews will show up. Don't know for sure on that one, was just an idea I threw out there. Reason being, that should a user get flamed, the flame can be deleted before it's ever seen.

Anyway, thanks again for bearing with us as we prep the archive for the new software.

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