Performance Problems on Propeller.com »
Posted By tdrapeau 6 months, 1 week ago in Science & TechnologyI wanted to apologize for the poor stretches in performance on Propeller.com that our loyal members have had to endure over the past months. I have seen a number of members mention bad performance when submitting stories, comments, etc in comment threads for other stories, and I wanted to mention that we are grateful for the feedback, and...
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tdrapeau
Tom Drapeau is the Director of Propeller social news. Although it is the job he always dreamed he'd have, he's had a pretty ...
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Comments So Far: 122
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aceofspades16 months, 1 week ago
Tom - thanks for the response, any improvements would be none too soon. Given the thousands of people who are signed on to this site there are very few who actually post comments.
I think any performance upgrade will make it more inviting for more people to post, thereby expanding the influx of ideas & making the Propeller experience more fulfilling
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ybdogsct6 months, 1 week ago
Thanks for the update. I don't know if this is the proper time or place for suggestions, but I'd like to propose some:
1) Priority number 1 should go toward performance. The site can become sluggish and posts sometimes vanish after clicking the 'Submit' button.
2) Hyperlinking would be a welcome addition. The site oftentimes truncates web addresses, which is a problem for those who cite them as evidence in discussion.
3) 'Response Indentations' sometimes make the text unreadable after too many responses have been posted. This promises to pose even greater problems in the future if Propeller's member base (and therefore the number of posts) continues growing. Perhaps instead of indenting a post that is in response to another, you could instead cause the background color of the response post to alternate?
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ybdogsct6 months, 1 week ago
4) It's become less of a problem recently, but is it possible for spam submissions to voted to the front when a single user/spammer registers multiple Propeller member accounts? Is there a way to limit multiple accounts designed for the sole purpose of pushing stories to the homepage to ensure each member is a unique user? Maybe there should be a limit of 1 member account = 1 IP address and 1 verifiable email address.
http://www.sampletheweb.com/2006/08/09/people-t...
"For example, if a single individual registering multiple Netscape member accounts...is clearly involved in a coordinated effort to push the stories to the Netscape Homepage, this individual would clearly be trying to game the system and spamming Netscape with their stories."
5) 'Share This Story' invitations are limited to only 5, which on second thought may be a necessary inconvenience as it's an anti-spam countermeasure.
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tdrapeau6 months ago
Wow, that sounds just unbearable. If you are interested, you can try deleting your cookies from your browser and trying to access the site again. I've seen cases where this speeds up your experience.
It is no substitute for us fixing the performance issues, but it might give you a bit of relief.
Cheers.
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TheRealizer6 months, 1 week ago
It has gotten discouraging at times, post a comment and it does not appear, I hope the new system will be an improvment. However even with the shortcomings it is still a super good site......
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ETproductions6 months, 1 week ago
Thanks for acknowledging the hiccups, Tom. I'm delighted to hear that you're working on both better performance and a new, improved user interface. Looking forward to the V2 rollout.
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pagey6 months, 1 week ago
The new Propeller is amazing guys, all this frustration will be well worth it. Like I said in the past, it's like renovations, for things to look better they sometimes have to look worse first.
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1-2-Oscar6 months, 1 week ago
The promise of an "improved site" has been made so often, with absolutely no discernible performance, that it is no longer credible.
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Bkumm6 months, 1 week ago
I must say I've gotten quite good at solitaire while waiting for Propeller to do its thing, but that's okay. If this new Propeller is as good as people I trust tell me it is it's going to be worth it.
I would also like to note that while it has been frustrating at times, I know that the ladies and gentlemen involved in making Propeller a place where we all can play, are doing the very best they can to correct any problems.
I am confident that Propeller will continue to be at the cutting edge of social media and with the coming upgrades will be even better than before.
Thanks for the update, Tom. It's nice to know somebody is paying attention (although most of us know you do!).
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Mdiar6 months, 1 week ago
So, working on your solitaire game, eh? I worked on that in virtually every class I've ever been in involving computers!
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catstevensComment removed: User banned.2 Replies
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TheAttacks6 months, 1 week ago
Trust him on this one guys, you should see some of the emails. . . haha.
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Bkumm6 months, 1 week ago
But, are you getting really, really good at solitaire? Heh, heh, heh. LOL>>>
It IS frustrating at times, but I look at it this way:
1. I don't pay for it. So, when Propeller affords me a free forum where I get to vent and run my smack, it's worth it to me to have to wait a few more minutes.
2. I know for a FACT that the Propeller staff busts its collective butt to do what they can do to deal with any issues that arise. We (the users) may not always agree with the decisions or solutions of the staff, but that doesn't mean that they are not trying to accommodate us as best as they are able.
3. Lastly, I'll take a slow, poorly performing Propeller with a staff to help keep us in check (but not too in check!) over a place like Digg or Google forums any day of the year, week, month or century.
PROPELLER FOREVER!!!!
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catstevensComment removed: User banned.1 Reply
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flyonthewallzz6 months, 1 week ago
Sure does make me feel better.
Thursday was my one year anniversary here, and I thought my friends had dissapeared.
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flyonthewallzz6 months, 1 week ago
Does that mean it is time to give up on good old Netscape?
One of the reasons I am here is that I thought I was among windmill tilters.
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catstevensComment removed: User banned.
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1-2-Oscar6 months, 1 week ago
You missed the point, child.
I am fully in control of myself. It is the site and staff of Propeller who seem incapable of performing.
They have repeatedly promised improvements (and not simply "improvements," but a "bigger, stronger and more impactful" Propeller). After months of such promises, it is normal to begin to disbelieve. You are free, of course, to continue to extend your good faith for however long the Propeller staff is willing to abuse it.
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tdrapeau6 months, 1 week ago
I am not abusing the good faith of the Propeller membership. The new site has taken longer to complete than we originally thought, but we are moving forward and making progress.
Upgrades of this size take time to complete, and I am thankful for all of the Propeller members who have stuck my the site during these slow performing times.
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MichaelRhodenteComment removed: User banned.13 Replies
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tdrapeau6 months, 1 week ago
Hi there-
Unfortunately, we have taken the # of profile views down, for performance reasons. :-(
We'll try to bring it back on the new site.
On search, try:
http://www.propeller.com/search
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Francisca6 months, 1 week ago
I am very glad to know that I am not the only one!!Since a few weeks, I didn't understand why I couldn't see anymore if there were friends of mine on line...It was frustrating!
I thought that I broke something...LOL, or I made something wrong and I was punished...LOL. Courage to the organizer: we love Propeller!!
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flyonthewallzz6 months, 1 week ago
I thought the Trilateral Commission was screwing with me.
Or maybe it was the NSA.
Sigh::: I guess I am just insignificant afterall.
Oh well: I am getting to be a better speller.
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flyonthewallzz6 months, 1 week ago
It may sound strange, but I don't really mind when the Propeller spins slowly.
I actualy get some work done.
I am usually alone in my woodshop with a really slow computer and Propeller is not the only thing I let it grind away at while I go about my grind.
I do wonder though: if it is more expediant to restart or just wait patiently.
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Goppy6 months, 1 week ago
You TELL em ninny!
ALL media is a vast array of duplicity ... all designed to extract the essential fluids necessary for America to remain a Far Right Wing nation!!
You tell em!!!
Of course, dont mention that all media is owned by far right corporations ... each with self servin legislation in Congress, requrin goverment handouts ... which they got from Republican legislators!
THAT, my friend, will be our secret.
PARANOIA LIVES!!!! ITS ALIVE!!!!
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Bkumm6 months, 1 week ago
It's only propaganda when you disagree with it. If you agree with what is being said it's "news". Cuts both ways.
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Beau78906 months, 1 week ago
It's a vast left-wing conspiracy, isn't it, ningyo?
Seriously...you might think much of what I post is propaganda too. But I'm just patient. I imagine those you call the "hard left loonies," as well as Alpha Gnosis and BoBo in Texas, who also appear to get quite a few stories to the top of the home page, are also patient enough for their submissions to go through.
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TOD3966 months, 1 week ago
"I wanted to apologize for the poor stretches in performance on Propeller.com that our loyal members have had to endure over the past months. I have seen a number of members mention bad performance when submitting stories, comments, etc in comment threads for other stories, and I wanted to mention that we are grateful for the feedback,"
"Poor stretches in performance" to describe propeller is sugarcoating the situation. Poor performance means that the right thing will happen, sooner or later. With Propeller, it is a crap shoot as to whether your post will appear, and if it does, it is a minor miracle if it shows up where you want it to. These are not descriptions of "poor performance", but of a website that doesn't function. Another user suggested the removal of all associated with running Propeller and replacing them with new staff. Why, that might just be the cure.
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gamahuche6 months, 1 week ago
100% wrong, imo.
That would be equivalent to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
The scouts and anchors, in my experience, are unfailingly polite, helpful and positive and are not shy to express, as they have here on this thread that they suffer the same frustrations as the rest of us.
It would have been good to have heard directly from TD before now on this topic - especially perhaps in the darkest period a few weeks ago.
Good that he's here today and that we know that he's aware of people's feelings on this.
Overall I have only one regret and that is that a number of people whose opinions and style I particularly enjoyed have not been visible for a long time and I suspect may be gone forever. But of course the site problems may have nothing to do with individual decisions to leave the scene.
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Dicax_Maximus6 months, 1 week ago
Tom - Thanks for the courtesy of informing us as to your aims at rectifying the problems. Always nice to know our "moans" are NOT being ignored.......
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