Migration - pls read if you can no longer see posts

[robf]

The website migration isn't a straight switch from one server to another.

Once the migration happens it takes hours for the move to register on people's browsers. It takes up to 24 hours to happen. I can do nothing to change this - it's just the way the Internet works.

While this is happening some people will see the site on the old server and some on the new server. So in effect there were two OVFs for a while with people posting on both. However, eventually everyone will move to the new one.

When you move to the "new" site, then the posts posted today on the old server will "disappear". That's because they were (in essence) posted on a different site and you can no longer see that old site.

So, some posts (not many as I was checking who was on the old site) have disappeared. 

However, bear with us. When everyone is ported across (which should be tomorrow at the latest) the hosting team will consolidate the content so the posts on the "old" site posted today will be copied across to the new one.

So, bear with us as for 24 hours some of the old posts posted earlier today may not be visible. 

Thanks,

Rob

[robf]

Hello all,

Just a note on this...

I hope that, like me, you've noticed a difference in the site speed and lack of crashes. 

This is because OVF kept "running out of memory" before - normally during busy periods when lots of people were clicking links, adding posts etc. 

It has been moved across to a new server with lots more memory and as a result it is coping far better with busy times.

It will NOT be 100% perfect as when OVF gets really busy then pretty much any server would struggle with the demand but hopefully those times will now be far less frequent.

The new server is (of course) considerably more expensive. You may have noticed a couple more adverts (only one or two) which help me to cover my outgoings. OVF also occasionally has sponsored posts and links on the blog section. These also bring in useful revenue (often better than the adverts) which also help pay the bills. 

I hope that neither the ads, links or sponsored posts are too intrusive. If anyone ever has any problems with any of them do let me know. I purposefully don't have any adverts which cover any text, pop-up or get in the way of the forum/blog posts. You can bring in more money if you use pop-up ads but I think the annoyance factor outweighs the financial income. 

In an ideal world I'd love to go advert free but the server and software costs on here are now pretty high so I do need some way of paying them. Hopefully, if the adverts, links etc are not annoying anyone then we've reached a happy medium of you guys getting a site which operates well and me being able to pay the invoices.

Thanks,

Rob

[onestepatatime]

1 hour ago, robf said:

Hello all,

Just a note on this...

I hope that, like me, you've noticed a difference in the site speed and lack of crashes. 

This is because OVF kept "running out of memory" before - normally during busy periods when lots of people were clicking links, adding posts etc. 

It has been moved across to a new server with lots more memory and as a result it is coping far better with busy times.

It will NOT be 100% perfect as when OVF gets really busy then pretty much any server would struggle with the demand but hopefully those times will now be far less frequent.

The new server is (of course) considerably more expensive. You may have noticed a couple more adverts (only one or two) which help me to cover my outgoings. OVF also occasionally has sponsored posts and links on the blog section. These also bring in useful revenue (often better than the adverts) which also help pay the bills. 

I hope that neither the ads, links or sponsored posts are too intrusive. If anyone ever has any problems with any of them do let me know. I purposefully don't have any adverts which cover any text, pop-up or get in the way of the forum/blog posts. You can bring in more money if you use pop-up ads but I think the annoyance factor outweighs the financial income. 

In an ideal world I'd love to go advert free but the server and software costs on here are now pretty high so I do need some way of paying them. Hopefully, if the adverts, links etc are not annoying anyone then we've reached a happy medium of you guys getting a site which operates well and me being able to pay the invoices.

Thanks,

Rob

No problem Rob. Pleased that you have managed to get most things sorted. We all appreciate the hard, unselfish work you do and the ovf site is a massive boon to some of us, who don't live in the Potteries, so don't have access to the senile or other local sources of Vale news.  I know these are trying times but would call upon regular ovf posters to perhaps contribute from time to time towards your ever increasing costs.  P.s. enjoy tomorrow you and the family for your belated birthday day out at Vale. A win could round off not only your day but all Valiants. 👍🍷