Load Test the New Slashdot Setup

As many of you have noticed, Slashdot has been pretty bogged as of late, but the end of that is at hand. The new setup has a dedicated SQL box and 3 load balanced http servers. We've been spending the last few months getting everything ready, and now its time for the final check. I'd like to ask you help testing the load balancing stuff: You can access the new system at this address. Its a slightly out of date mirror of Slashdot, but it should be more than enough for us to determine if the new setup can cleanly handle the load. Thanks for you help: If this all goes well, we'll transition to the new setup in the next few days. (And just in time, Slashdot was kicking out like a thousand pages (pages, not hits) a minute earlier today and stuff was really bogging down)

Re:Why not just upgrade?

[grrlfox]

god....another troll.....sorry, but i'm just upgrading from NT to Linux.... ok, so moderate it down cuz it's not even funny.

Mindcraft

[miracle69]

And just in time, Slashdot was kicking out like a thousand pages (pages, not hits) a minute earlier today and stuff was really bogging down

Good thing /. is using Microsoft's IIS. We all know linux can't handle a load like that. I guess the Mindcraft study was valid after all.

Now excuse me whilst I wipe my tears of laughter.

Re:Why mySQL?

[Mad Browser]

mySQL is really fast... It lacks features that some people need (stored procs, transactions) but it is SOOOO fast that if you don't need those features, it's really hard to beat.

Re:Upgrading

[Microlith]

You do know Windows2000 has a virus in it? It's called Microsoft...


Obviously you don't use linux. If you did, you wouldn't be dropping Slack 4 for Win2K, you'd be going from Slack 4 to some other distro...


Besides, it's not like anyone will help you, considering how much of a peice of flamebait this is.

Re:Smash it!!!

[Delphis]

(Ensue, ensue... I don't think that's a real word.)

Yes it is :) .. it means to start, take place, happen or begin.

The new server is pretty quick (to add an 'aye, mate' to the other /.'ers out there. I tried hitting reload a few times on three separate links to the pages and all reloaded about 5 times quicker than the regular /. .. of course it's probably not FULLY loaded yet, so maybe a true test is yet to come.

Good stuff, Rob. :)

Re:Put "10.1.1.1 adfu.blockstackers.com"in /etc/ho

[riboflavin]

And how do you propose slashdot generates income?

Re:Mindcraft

[toolj23]

hmm... SARCASM MAYBE???? I just might think so. damn!

Donate old system to Segfault

[Bourbon Man]

the poor bastard's been down since you hit him with the slashdot effect last week

Re:Put "10.1.1.1 adfu.blockstackers.com"in /etc/ho

[DaveTerrell]

Depending on your router tables, this may be a bad idea. If you use a default route and are on a ppp link (or forward it to another machine that does the same thing), it'll forward your query to 10.1.1.1 to your ISP, which may bounce all the way out to a major backbone before getting icmp unreach'd. In which case, it will spend another 4-5 hops getting back to you.. for a round trip of around 300ms.

The correct solution would be to set it to 127.0.0.*, which is guaranteed to have a fast turnaround. Depending on your setup, you can spit back a conn refused right away, or 404 when it accesses your local webserver.

Or perhaps you could investigate the 'reject' option to route? That's the "proper" way of doing it.

Re:Mindcraft

[fougasse]

Anyone want to know what happens when you spend too much time at your computer? See the previous post. Slowly, you start using the words "dick" and "FUD" too much, and lose any sense of humour which isn't connect to somehow linking the words "crap" (or synonyms) and "Microsoft".

In case you still haven't realized it, sarcasm is a form of humour where someone says something that is obviously untrue and is realized to be so by the reader, but is also funny. Like the starting post.

The test thing

[1%warren]

Dumped me 1st try 5.36pm (GMT + 12) been back & forth - in & out + a couple of AOL!'S since - sometimes fast - sometimes freezes.
ftp'd Peanut last night - up till 2.30 - does anyone else use it? - the guy has a sense of humor.
still haven't run Xconfig - not good to be root when you're typing '1' as '!' & cant find '+'

You have been Slashdotted

[Vlad_the_Inhaler]

So the Slashdot effect has finally come home to roost. I have seen a few references to Slashdot on other sites recently and it is our turn to suffer now.

thanx for the GOOD news

[xnixnix]

maybe now i can turn on the pix again?
na, why waste bandwidth?

Cool! You had me fooled, with your score 5 thing.

[Bardad]

Nice to see that every system has its weaknesses... :-)

CommentLimits?

[Trepidity]

So will this new setup mean we can finally get rid of those annoying CommentLimits of 25 comments per page?

Consider not using HTML tables. They render slowly

[cpeterso]

Slashdot uses HTML tables to organize the web page "newspaper-like". The problem with HTML tables is the browser cannot draw their contents until all of the table data arrives at the browser. With a dynamic site like Slashdot, some data might take longer to pull out of the database than others. If Slashdot used fewer tables, then at least a portion of the page could be rendered. The users could read the top half of the page while waiting for Slashdot to generate the second half of the page.

1000 pages/min?!

[Bill Currie]

Wow! And I though our requirements (600 calls/min) was bad. FTHWTK, this is in the telco industry (IN Platforms) providing services such as number translation (0800, 0900, etc), number portability, etc. BTW, assuming there are 720000 phones in NZ (not unrealistic, there's ~3 million people) and each phone makes one call a day, that's 500 calls per minute.

Re:1000 pages an hour ???

[Wah]

they changed it, I noticed that blazingly fast 1000 WHOLE pages an HOUR also. Funny how the 'Net can make you a liar very quickly.

BUG: Posting Comments

[ben.b]

No one seems to have mentioned this, but if you try to post a comment on the new servers, takes you back to the old slashdot server, ["Bad absolute links! Bad!" -ed.] so that aspect of the new servers isn't getting tested.

Re:How's it being done? (Score:5)

[ben.b]

Well, (Score: 5) (Score: 1) makes it kinda obvious.

Slow Poll

[dj51d]

The new system seems quite fast so far, except for one thing, the poll. For some reason the poll on the new setup is extremely slow.

-Dan

Re:Mindcraft

[miracle69]

Au contraire, mon frere.

I'm fully aware that /. doesn't use MS IIS. I guess your education path didn't teach you the finer points of sarcasm.

Once again, I shall have to excuse myself as I wipe away my tears of laughter.

And I am a troll (Score:10, Troll)

[Anonymous Coward]

Linux sux, Hemox sux, and all slashdotters sux ('cept for the ones that enjoy squishing avocados between their toes.) MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPT!!!!!

Re:Flooding moderation (re: LIme aNd c0c0 nutz!!!!

[Chris Brewer]

It's called Coconut by Harry Nilsson, available on the Reservior Dogs soundtrack [cdnow.com].

Must have been a finger slip...

[Raetsel]

If y'all don't mind, I'll just fix that link for you...

Netcat for NT (zip file) at ftp.technotronic.com [technotronic.com]

There 'ya go, all fixed.

Re:Put "10.1.1.1 adfu.blockstackers.com"in /etc/ho

[blue]

How much do you get paid to do this?

Re:It's a bit hard to tell, really

[BluBrick]

I had a feeling that a little extraneous verbosity might assist in the conveyance of the impression that the path chosen by the various routers in the succession of transfers between the origin and the destination points of my query seemed to be rather prevaricated. My application of the indefinite article to the continents and oceans covered by the journey was intended as a comparison, not as an indication of plurality. And yet I had to abbreviate my composition for fear of repetitive use of the term "the width of..." and out of a desire not to wax overly loquacious, as occasionally I am wont to do.

But I digress... ;)

Re:ad09.focalink.com

[Yer Mom]

Two words: Internet Junkbuster [junkbusters.com].
--
Yes, that *is* a real email address...

Re:Put "10.1.1.1 adfu.blockstackers.com"in /etc/ho

[Signal 11]

Depending on your router tables, this may be a bad idea. If you use a default route and are on a ppp link (or forward it to another machine that does the same thing), it'll forward your query to 10.1.1.1 to your ISP, which may bounce all the way out to a major backbone before getting icmp unreach'd. In which case, it will spend another 4-5 hops getting back to you.. for a round trip of around 300ms.

The correct solution would be to set it to 127.0.0.*, which is guaranteed to have a fast turnaround. Depending on your setup, you can spit back a conn refused right away, or 404 when it accesses your local webserver.

--

Re:Slashdot's location

[BluBrick]

Thanks for the clue.

I'm not sure if you were trying to "throw another shrimp on the barbie" but, if you were, you say "g'day" not "good day". (an eye for an eye, a clue for a clue :)

(I hope the pseudo tags come through the formatting)

Is it not working - or is it me?

[Lantheaume]

I can't seem to get the new link to work. But I am kinda dumb.

Still truncates my name to 20 characters.

[Ungrounded Lightning]

I used to be "Ungrounded Lightning Rod."

I thought it was uncachable because...

[Ungrounded Lightning]

... if it's uncachable it gets more hits on the adds. B-)

Seriously: making it more cachable would have cut the load DRASTICALLY - and still will for the new config. When a user tries to follow a thread, he hits the server again when he pops back up to the level above, doubling the number of hits on the servers.

It also is a pain in the tail when the servers are slow - which even the new config will eventually become.

Re:Why not make slashdot better cacheable?

[Hard_Code]

Anonymous users still require dynamic content. They must still be able to retrieve updated news, etc.

Server in place??

[Hard_Code]

So is the server in place? I've been getting unusually fast page loads. I thought it was my cache or something, but I cleared that. Even the adfu ads are coming up fast.

Good

[zinger]

Just tried it. Fast. Good. Nice. Do it.

Why not make slashdot better cacheable?

[Holger]

I was always wondering why slashdot is so heavily depending on dynamically generated pages. Even if just the main page had proper caching information, you could already hand off all the anonymous users (people not logged in) to the worldwide caching hierarchy out there.

See [ircache.net] what the cacheability engine on ircache.net has to say about slashdot.org. At least the gifs are cacheable, but why is that "Expires"-Tag set? Do you expect the gifs to change every week?

Overload

[BiGGO]

I'll be very happy not to see "system overload showing first 30 messages" again.



---
The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck,

If you really want to test it,

[Anonymous Coward]

post a good evolution or FreeBSD article exclusively on it with a link from the normal /. to it, then sit back and watch the load rise....

My C$0.02

[Stone99]

Just did my two cents Canadian over there, and now doig it over here. Much quicker to do it over there. Can't wait for the new server to be up.

Of course it's fast

[bafful]

Nobody is using it yet.

what about blockstackers?

[Anonymous Coward]

It seems to me that my browser pauses the longest when waiting for adfu.blockstackers.com...

1000 pages an hour ???

[informagicien]

well, that makes 16 per minute.
is it my calc that's gone wrong or is it that your server is reeeeeally waaaaay too slow ?

Re:what about blockstackers?

[toolie]

I agree totally. Keep your setup as it is and donate the new one to blockstackers.

Much faster

[bravehamster]

I went to the new site, did a couple of reloads. Reloads on current site usually take about 10 seconds (384 kb DSL). New site takes about 2 or 3 seconds. So hurry up and move over!

-BH

Re:Consider not using HTML tables. They render slo

[Photon Ghoul]

That's a good point, but that only speeds things up on the client end (not counting the few bytes taken up by the table elements themselves.)

Why is it...

[John Fulmer]

That Slashdot is immune from the 'Slashdot Effect'. Slow yes. Dead no..

Nice to see the new server(s?) are still breathing.... :)

jf

Re:Of course it's fast

[j-p.s]

Well, I'd hope that CmdrTaco, Hemos and (err, quick backpedal to "About..." - I'm bad enough with names, let alone nicknames) Roblimo are scaling up, using the number of people they've got visiting it now and the load averages now to predict as best as possible how often it will fall over^W^W^W^W^W well it will perform when everyone is using it. Of course they are. Yes.

It /is/ nice and fast, though. Even using Netscrape.

Re:Consider not using HTML tables. They render slo

[Photon Ghoul]

Oh and AFAIK the database is queried before the complete page is sent. It's constructed and then sent.

Re:It's a bit hard to tell, really

[Pascal Q. Porcupine]

Um. There's only one each of Australian, African, and North Ameican continents, and one each of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Interesting (and cute) way of putting it, whether you meant to or not. :)
---
"'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.

Aye, aye, Sir! Smashing!

[Raetsel]

Whack Whack Whack Whack Whack... thud?

Well, Bones?

Dammit, Jim! I'm a doctor, not a webmaster! ...It's dead, Jim.

Well, maybe not exactly dead...

Hehehehe, that was fun.

Re:Smash it!!!

[Ledge Kindred]

>> (Ensue, ensue... I don't think that's a real
>> word.)

> Yes it is :) .. it means to start, take place,
> happen or begin.

Hmm, someone's not a _Sam and Max_ fan. :)

-=-=-=-=-

Breaking the long msg view would still be faster.

[cpeterso]

Even so, my browser oftens prints the Slashdot menu and sidebars, but hangs for a looong time waiting for the long list of messages. My browser has to wait for all (say) 200 message titles to download before printing even the first title. If the message list used no tables, the first title could be printed immediately. The message list could even be broken down into multiple tables, stacking them vertically. That way, my browser could print the title list in chunks of (say) 20 titles per table. Of course, this would need to be benchmarked. :-)

Flooding moderation (re: LIme aNd c0c0 nutz!!!!)

[mcc]

perhaps this is just another way of "testing" slashdot? although he's testing the wrong server, dagnabbit. He's supposed to be flooding the _test_ server, to see how it stands up. Ha.

A note to Taco-san or other /. admin type people: maybe you should consider adding a special "flood" category to the Moderator list, along with Offtopic and Troll.. then set up the servers in such a way that anything with a "flood" rating would immediately be given a much much shorter amount of space to run before the cutoff for "Read the rest of this comment.." happens. That might help to cut down on scroll times when floods like this one happen, without hurting posts that just happen to be really long.

and God dammit, what the hell IS the name of that "put the lime in the coconut, drink a bowl up" song? that's a cool song but nobody seems to know where i can find it. :P

-mcc-baka
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IS THEFT

Please design for the common case.

[cpeterso]

True, I have a slow connection. Funny, though, how other sites like Yahoo [yahoo.com] or photo.net [photo.net] have snappy performance on the same Internet connection.. :-)

Please see Jacob Nielsen's The Need for Speed [useit.com]. As the Internet grows, the mean bandwidth per user decreases. Most new users are using modems, not T-1s. Web sites should design for the common case and minimize response time.

Fast from 14 hops

[Jadeus]

She's fast like the speed (2.2Mbps DSL, Ottawa). Almost as quick as my LAN, I like it. :)

How's this work

[mmarker]

Ok, so how does this "automatic load balancing" work anyways? I'm curious about the underlying mechanisms behind it.

Disclaimer: I am a moron. I only play a computer geek on the Internet. I'm really a ChmE by training....(I play with explosives, not networks ;) )

--
"... the deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they are found because it was possible to find them."

Re:dA LimE! dA c0c0nUt!!

[BadM0j0]

do i have to tell you were to put that cocnut? uP dA bUtt0ck5

Re:Server in place??

[Hard_Code]

like 1 second page loads AND post submissions
wow

Re:Mindcraft

[Mornelithe]

That's absolutely right! The original poster should be ashamed of him/herself! I'm about to throw up I'm so disgusted. Even though it was but a joke, we must not forget the main commandments around which Linuxism!

1. I am Linux, you shall have no other operating systems before me.

2. Thou shalt not speak any ill against the greatest OS of all time, be it in jest or not.

3. All who worship the borg shall be cast into the fiery pit of Redmond, land of the one called Gates, Overlord of all that is Evil and Corrupt!

As penance, I command thee to look up old stories about large storage capacity disks and fast networks and to seek out foolish jokes about beowulf clusters, and read them until your mind goes numb. Then, thou shalt say 10 Hail Linus's and 10 Our Linuxes. Perhaps then you will see the error of your ways!

Re:Why not make slashdot better cacheable?

[Holger]

The main page could be served "pseudodynamic" (read: changed only when a new story appears, comment counts left off). The same could be done for all users who are logged in but still use default settings (ok, the personalized line at the top would have to be missing), or for all articles (ok, maybe not updating for every single comment, more like every 10 minutes or so). This should take some serious load off the servers.
And btw, Rob: Ever thought of offering slashdot via NNTP? It's basically a news site, and that's just what news were meant for. Sometimes I wonder why everything has to be reinvented via the web.
I'd love slashdot.[topic].announce for the articles and slashdot.[topic].d for comments, maybe even slashdot.[topic].moderated for articles that get moderated to, say, two or higher.
freshmeat is available via NNTP already, though I agree that it's a lot easier for them, without as many comments.

Re:Much faster

[Flammon]

The new site is much faster in part because there is no load on it yet. Let see what happens when it goes live.

Re:Why not make slashdot better cacheable?

[rrogers]

Maybe it's just my huge lack of knowledge, but how would you allow for moderation?

Re:Will you please explain...

[Pascal Q. Porcupine]

Check my user info and read the various other threads I've been engaged in recently regarding quines. Failing that, read "Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid," which is, as far as I'm concerned, gospel.
---
"'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.

Re:Will you please explain...

[Pascal Q. Porcupine]

Oops... didn't realize those threads had expired already. Um. Look it up on Everything. :)
---
"'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.

Re:Why mySQL?

[gorilla]

are there any good content management servers for Linux yet?

Vignette doesn't count as good.

Bang

[Rendus]

Internal Server Error

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

Please contact the server administrator, [e-mail] and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused
the error.

More information about this error may be available in the server error log.


Apache/1.3.6 Server at linux360.dn.net Port 80



This was brought on by holding CTRL+R

Server runs nice...

[PsychoSpunk]

It runs a lot smoother than the current one, especially with my dial in at work. I probably won't notice that much at home.

At what point is the line drawn between dynamic data, and static layout? (I know probably should read the FAQ, or something, but I imagine that someone here probably can throw a quick answer to me.)

Will /. ever be completely dynamic or is that just a ridiculous idea? And finally, I'm me-tooing the note about blockstackers. If anything times out during my loading of /., it's adfu.

Can't wait to see the new server up for public consumption.

Put "10.1.1.1 adfu.blockstackers.com"in /etc/hosts

[Anonymous Coward]

Then when your browser goes to adfu, it'll find and invalid address with no route to host and give up quickly, allowing the rest of the page to load.

-- adFU.blockstackers.com. "We put the SLO in SLashdOt"

Smash it!!!

[Ledge Kindred]

Step 1) Go to java.apache.org [apache.org]

Step 2) Download ApacheJMeter

Step 3) Point ApacheJMeter at the new slashdot.

Step 4) Watch fun and hijinks ensue

(Ensue, ensue... I don't think that's a real word.)

-=-=-=-=-

Crashing

[Lando]

Rob, Getting a server error at
http: //209.207.224.40/article.pl?sid=99/08/19/0212235&m ode=thread&threshold=0 [209.207.224.40] Lando

Re:Crashing

[Lando]

Okay,
Forget I said anything, by the time I checked again it was working fine...

Lando

Bring back cachedot.slashdot.org for static pages!

[BrianS]

I liked it when cachedot.slashdot.org was available for reading slashdot via slightly out of date static pages. It was much faster. Please bring it back!

Re:How's it being done? (Score:5)

[Rendus]

Before anyone starts with the "How'd this get a score of 5?"

He typed "How's it being done? (core5)" in the subject.

Re:Overload

[justo]

Slashdot:News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters. [209.207.224.220] [209.207.224.40] [209.207.224.40] [209.207.224.40] [209.207.224.40] [209.207.224.40] [209.207.224.40] faq [slashdot.org]
code [slashdot.org]
awards [slashdot.org]
privacy [andover.net]
slashNET [slashnet.org]
older stuff [slashdot.org]
rob's page [cmdrtaco.net]
preferences [slashdot.org]
andover.net [andover.net]
submit story [slashdot.org]
advertising [slashdot.org]
supporters [slashdot.org]
past polls [slashdot.org]
topics [slashdot.org]
about [slashdot.org]
jobs [slashdot.org]
hof [slashdot.org]

Sections books [209.207.224.40]
ask slashdot [209.207.224.40]
features [209.207.224.40]
radio [209.207.224.40]

This page was generated by a Swarm of Psycho Chickens for justo [209.207.224.40] (2858).

Slashdot Load Testing (Continues) [209.207.224.40] Posted by CmdrTaco [cmdrtaco.net] on Mon August 30, 02:13 PM EDT
from the ain't-this-fun? dept.
Fixed so far:

• Dropped http MaxClients down to 75
• increased mysql max_connections to to 250

(they were 150 & 100, so we had 450 http forks fighting for 100 mysql connections. Oops! Thank god for load testing! I guess its problably good that I post another story just so that we can simulate normal Slashdot a little better: Slashdot doesn't usually have just 1 story with people posting on (well, unless we mention evolution or the GPL being violated or something) (Oh, and don't post comments with bug reports, there is no way I'll be able to keep up, email 'em. I won't reply, but I'll read it)

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 190 [209.207.224.40] of 190 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Help Test Our New Server! [209.207.224.40] Posted by CmdrTaco [cmdrtaco.net] on Mon August 30, 12:51 PM EDT
from the load-testing-is-cool dept.
So here it is: A mirror of Slashdot (as of a week or so ago). It exists now for testing: So feel free to post comments and help test the new load balancer. For the curious, the new system has 3 http machines (P2s) and one mysql box (a dual P2) with a load balancer trying to keep everyone all equally busy. And its about time: the old setup has been really stressed out trying to keep up with everyone. Anyway, don't get to attached to any of your comments here, when we're satisfied that the new setup is stable, I'm gonna mirror over Slashdot and make the final switcheroo.

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 335 [209.207.224.40] of 335 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Interview: Mandrake Answers [209.207.224.40] Posted by Roblimo [andovernews.com] on Fri August 20, 12:00 PM EDT
from the x-leads-to-enlightenment dept.
Monday a whole bunch of people had questions for Mandrake [slashdot.org], one of the heavies behind Enlightenment [enlightenment.org]. Slashdot Moderators picked the best ones. We forwarded them, unedited, to Mandrake on Tuesday. His (excellent) answers appear below.

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 11562 bytes in body [209.207.224.40] | 9 [209.207.224.40] of 9 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Geeks in the Space: The Attack of 5 [209.207.224.40] Posted by Hemos [hemos.net] on Thu August 19, 04:10 AM EDT
from the more-stuff-to-listen-to dept.
Well, we've done it again. Yes, Geeks in Space [thesync.com], Episode 5 has been released. In it, we lament the lack of good news, talk about anti-matter, and the hiring of hacks by companies. You can also become...educated in my long-term plan for the hostile takeover of a certain Redmond-based company [microsoft.com].

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 14 [209.207.224.40] of 17 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Apple announces Darwin 0.3 [209.207.224.40] Posted by Hemos [hemos.net] on Thu August 19, 12:24 AM EDT
from the more-to-download dept.
J. FoxGlov [yellojathotmaildotcom] writes "Macintouch reports that v0.3 of Darwin, the open-source foundation for Mac OS X Server is available on Apple's Public Source site. Apple Developer Connection members can get it on CD for $29. Check Public Source for more about the Darwin SDK and the new Darwin. "

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 67 [209.207.224.40] of 68 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Microsoft's New Audio Format Cracked [209.207.224.40] Posted by Hemos [hemos.net] on Wed August 18, 05:23 PM EDT
from the secure-this-buddy dept.
Barcode (JPB) [mailto] was one of the first to send us the word from Wired [wired.com] that the new audio format Microsoft introduced (Two days ago), supposed to be a secure format (resricting playback) has already been cracked. Dimension Music [dmusic.com] first carried the news-and what a name the crack has *grin*.

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 238 [209.207.224.40] of 240 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Find your Star Wars Twin [209.207.224.40] Posted by Hemos [hemos.net] on Wed August 18, 05:16 PM EDT
from the what-freud-really-wanted-to-do dept.
The_Monk [mailto] writes "Ever wanted to know your Star Wars twin? Now this incredibly important information [outofservice.com] can be verified. It placed me the likes of Astro Mech Droids, 'Tarkin, and R2-D2. " Ahem-as the lost twin of Lando (extraversion), I have a Cloud City I'd like to sell someone. But I'm about as agreeable as Boba, always a bonus.

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 94 [209.207.224.40] of 94 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Now Police Can 'See' Through Walls [209.207.224.40] Posted by Roblimo [andovernews.com] on Wed August 18, 12:40 PM EDT
from the move-along-there's-nothing-to-see-here dept.
Bram [bramatgrmbldotcom] writes "Just found an article about another way to invade privacy." He's talking about hand-held radar systems [apbonline.com] police can use to detect breathing, beating hearts or other motion through walls and other obstacles. Sounds like a declassified version of the Ground Support Radar [GSR] units we used years ago in the Army. I can see why police would want them, and I can also see why Bram considers them a privacy threat. Depends on how they're used, I suppose.

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 205 [209.207.224.40] of 205 [209.207.224.40] comments )

FreeType posts patent warning [209.207.224.40] Posted by Hemos [hemos.net] on Wed August 18, 11:53 AM EDT
from the i-want-my-verdonna dept.
Anonymous Coward writes "According to the the FreeType web page [freetype.org], there have been some new concerns raised about Apple's patents on TrueType. I hope this doesn't affect the planned TrueType support in XF86 4. " It appears that they are still checking into the issue, but I'd really like TrueType support. A lot. Let's hope Apple responds nicely.

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 202 [209.207.224.40] of 206 [209.207.224.40] comments )

Microsoft to "publish code" to Instant Messenger [209.207.224.40] Posted by Hemos [hemos.net] on Wed August 18, 09:49 AM EDT
from the want-more-market-share dept.
VFVTHUNTER writes "According to this article at cnet, MS, in an attempt to gain a share of AOL's Instant Messenger Service Market, announced today it is going to publish the protocol to its own messenger service. " It's important to note it's NOT the source code, just the protocol.

( Read More... [209.207.224.40] | 192 [209.207.224.40] of 192 [209.207.224.40] comments )

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Re:1000 pages an hour ???

[HeghmoH]

Read it again. 1000 pages a *minute*, not an hour.

ad09.focalink.com

[mr_burns]

I wait a good 20 seconds for the focalink ad server

Re:Why is it...

[MindStalker]

Well its more than what you would think. Slashdot is tuned to the number of users it gets in a day. Latly even slashdot has been going down on rare occasions thats why they are getting new servers. The reason the slashdot effect is so much more hardhitting is the fact that if you take a site that say gets the same number of hits per day as slashdot. Then link to that site from slashdot, assuming you have no crossover (eg persons who would have visited the site anyhow) you have instantly nearly doubled the amount of visits to that site for a short amount of time. This sudden doubling effect generally leads to a very buggy site which causes people to hit the reload button. This increases the page hits by several percent more. Finally bringing the server to its preverbral knees

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Methods of testing

[ajakk]

Try jmeter from the apache group. You can find it at the Java Apache site [apache.org]

fast

[RoLlEr_CoAsTeR]

I was going to post this comment in response to someone's comment on the mirrored test site:

their topic: Hell
My comment:
hell? faster!

"You're driving like a bat outta Hades!"
But I couldn't post the comment because of 500 Internal Server Error, or something like that... oh well

It's a bit hard to tell, really

[BluBrick]

Seeing as I am 21 hops away from 209.227.224.40

Or, if you prefer, an Australian continent, an Indian Ocean, an African continent, an Atlantic ocean and (at least) a North American continent. Check out this snippet of traceroute


---
11 Pos1-0-0.wel-core1.Sydney.telstra.net (203.50.6.46) 207.687 ms 1968.950 ms 519.342 ms
12 GigabitEthernet5-0-0.wel10.Perth.telstra.net (203.50.113.37) 337.857 ms 369.053 ms 548.711 ms
13 Serial1-0-1.paix1.PaloAlto.telstra.net (203.50.126.2) 781.644 ms 609.641 ms 409.682 ms
---

For the geographically impaired, that's the East coast of Australia to the West coast of Australia to the West coast of the US! (Huh?)

Hmm, just tried it to slashdot.org, and the intercontinental part of the route seems a tad more sane (i.e. Sydney straight to San Francisco), but this time it was 24 hops overall! (WTF?)

No wonder /. always seems slow from here!

Just where in the US is /., anyway? North, South, East or West?

Re:RIGHT ON!

[FLuke27]

wtf does that mean? do you know what a bottleneck is? it's something that keeps stuff from getting through as well... why would we want "the bottle" (whatever that represents) to "break"?