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Gene
Café Forum Developer
Howard City, MI
543 Posts
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Posted: Feb 21, 2006 5:16pm
[ANNOUNCEMENT]
As of yesterday at 5PM (Eastern US), the Café's search engine was shut down due to being the cause of the recent slowdowns. The specific cause is keyword searches. All other functions of the search engine do not appear to cause any problems. Links to the search engine have been removed, except the "view posts in the last 30 days" link on the member profile pages. I will be removing that soon so there is no confusion.
I will be looking at everything as soon as I can. There will be a lot of thought put into this, so it will not be a quick process. My goal is to come up with a solution that does not change any of the search engine's features, yet still provides accurate results within an acceptable period of time.
[SEARCH ENGINE HISTORY]
For the benefit of those who have not been with us since the beginning, the search engine has been a focal point of many discussions and has undergone several revisions. The original version was very slow and extremely limited, but it did offer one thing that nearly all present-day forums don't: Exact phrase searches. This was possible because it used a very slow database function. It didn't take long for that to start crashing the Café, so we had to come up with a solution. I don't think anybody ever really realized it, but version 2 was an almost complete copy of the search engine used with phpBB2. That one, too, started to crash the forums. I thought it would last a long time, but in reality, it didn't last that long at all. There were still complaints about it, too, most of which were because it didn't offer exact phrase searches. I made some changes to the original phpBB design to include certain limits so that it wouldn't crash the Café. It worked - but there was a deluge of complaints. People were very vocal about it. Everybody seemed to want the whole smash: Two-character words, being able to search all posts without regard to when posted and, of course, exact phrase searches. It took me a while, but I came up with a version I really thought would do it. It answered (nearly) everyone's needs and wants, but at a delayed price. That one was shut down yesterday. Soon I will begin considering options and thinking about the next version: V4. Who knows where that one will end up?
[GENERAL THOUGHTS]
Trust me, this is not going to be an easy task. I fully understand how important the search engine is for the Café - indeed, for any site - and I will do my best, but please allow me the time I need to work it out. Technically speaking, there is nothing wrong with the search engine we have been using, it's just not efficient enough to handle the massive amount of data in use here. In fact, I am using the same search engine structure for two other sites with perfect success. It's simply a matter of data. For those who have any interest in the figures, the total size of the Café database is over 1.4GB. (That's 1.4 gigabytes, folks.  ) The search engine itself currently contains 282,387 keywords, with a total keyword/post-ID data size of nearly 235MB. These are gargantuan numbers to deal with on a single server. Is there an answer? I don't know that yet. I'm only one guy. Other forum packages have several developers, or a complete team. However, if there *is* a solution, I will find it. Hey, I figured out how to offer exact phrase searches in a modern forum, didn't I? 
And now, let the process begin ... hang in there, everybody!
Somebody kick me off the computer, will ya?  
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pegasus
Inner circle
(UK) Airborne Forces
1887 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 3:21am
Apparently you can use google to search specific websites, including the Café, but I cannot remember how exactly. If anyone knows, then could they please post it here for others?
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pegasus
Inner circle
(UK) Airborne Forces
1887 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 3:26am
As a quick fix then you can use Google as an internal site search engine.
Example= torn and restored site:www.themagiccafe.com
Type in what you are searching for, then leave a space, then type the following. site:wwwthemagiccafe.com
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GarySumpter
Special user
UK
831 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 6:31am
The only problem is that the google results wont be up to date, but better than nothing I suppose.
Can you not just move th ecafe to a more poweful server?
Gary
CLICK HERE TO VISIT WWW.MAGICFREEADS.COM
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Edith
Regular user
Germany
112 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 7:21am
I am looking forward to see the result... of all your good and hard work, Gene!
Edith
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pegasus
Inner circle
(UK) Airborne Forces
1887 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 8:37am
The following link allows google to operate as an internal search engine. Perhaps it can be used until a proper fix has been found.
http://www.javascriptkit.com/script/script2/google_site_search.shtml
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Marco S.
Inner circle
1017 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 11:22am
Hope you will find a solution quickly.
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evolve629
Inner circle
A stack of
3838 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 12:07pm
Perhaps you can install an auto delete function on the members search so that key words are not memorized by the search engine to prevent overloading the system. Just a thought!
One hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in - Wayne Gretzky
My favorite part is putting the gaffs in the spectators hands...it gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside! - Bob Kohler
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Tom Jorgenson
Inner circle
LOOSE ANGLES, CALIFORNIA
3758 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 2:03pm
We all appreciate your past efforts and grand successes....we'll survive this one....good luck. Does Starbucks deliver???
A Compendium of John Well's excellent Mentalism effects,and Card Work:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/jorgenson
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mshanker
New user
Frankfort, KY
81 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 3:47pm
Gene, several sites--including U.S. government ones--embed the Google search engine into their sites. Couldn't that be a solution to the problem?
I for one think it's a shame to disable the search feature.
Manoj
Manoj
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pegasus
Inner circle
(UK) Airborne Forces
1887 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 4:14pm
Already mentioned manoj
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Gene
Café Forum Developer
Howard City, MI
543 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 4:22pm
Yes, I'll be doing something about that when I can get to it.
Somebody kick me off the computer, will ya?
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Bill Hallahan
Inner circle
New Hampshire
3046 Posts
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Posted: Feb 22, 2006 6:32pm
Someone mentioned searching using http://www.google.com/ in another topic. Just add "site:themagiccafe.com" to your search string without the double quotes.
You can even search titles in a specific forum using Google. For example, to search the Pick a card...any card forum titles for an exact match to the string "three card monte" you would enter the following into the Google search text box.
Quote:
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"three card monte" "Pick a card...any card » »" site:themagiccafe.com
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The double quotes cause a case insensitive exact string match. You could leave them off on the first quoted string and you'd find topics that contain "three", "card", and "monte", but not necessarily together or even in that order.
Of course, someone could put "Pick a card...any card » »" in a post too and it would show up in the title search I describe, but I doubt anyone has posted that, and I hope they won't.
This is not quite as good as the Magic Café's title search was since each forum's titles have to be searched separately, and also the search data is not updated in real time. But it does work pretty well.
Humans make life so interesting. Do you know that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to create boredom. Quite astonishing.
- The character of ‘Death’ in the movie "Hogswatch"
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Foucault
Elite user
New Jersey, USA
424 Posts
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Posted: Feb 23, 2006 10:37am
Quote:
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On 2006-02-22 18:32, Bill Hallahan wrote:
but I doubt anyone has posted that, and I hope they won't.
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erm..you just did! 
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MikeRaffone
Special user
574 Posts
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Posted: Feb 23, 2006 1:07pm
I can't find the link "view posts in the last 30 days". Has this feature been removed too?
I am trying find a post from a few days ago and can't find it.
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
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Gene
Café Forum Developer
Howard City, MI
543 Posts
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Posted: Feb 23, 2006 1:43pm
Yes. Read my first post.
Somebody kick me off the computer, will ya?
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stannmaple
Elite user
487 Posts
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Posted: Feb 23, 2006 9:00pm
Gene, Do you really live in Rockford, MI? That's crazy! You're like my next door neighbor. I live in Grandville. Why did I never notice this before? Crazy!
Dann
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Gene
Café Forum Developer
Howard City, MI
543 Posts
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Posted: Feb 23, 2006 10:25pm
Actually, you just reminded me that I have to change that. I live in Howard City now. If you ever want to stop by and learn how it all started just let me know. 
Somebody kick me off the computer, will ya?
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willmorton
New user
79 Posts
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Posted: Feb 24, 2006 7:19am
Gagging for the search engine to return! Google is ok, but the Café-specific one is vital!
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ClouDsss
Inner circle
1799 Posts
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Posted: Feb 24, 2006 9:09pm
I really miss the search function 
all the best and hopefully a solution is found
Think outside the box, cos people are all thinking inside now!! - ClouDsss
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Jordini
Inner circle
San Francisco
2766 Posts
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Posted: Feb 24, 2006 9:10pm
Let the reposting of topics formerly discussed, BEGIN!
"Illusion is the first of all pleasures."
Oscar Wilde
"If you only knew the hours I spent just thinking about practicing"
-The Amazing Jonathan
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equivoque
Elite user
484 Posts
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Posted: Feb 24, 2006 9:28pm
People are just going to post the same topics over and over now...
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Alym Amlani
Inner circle
Canada
1428 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 4:07am
Quote:
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On 2006-02-24 21:28, equivoque wrote:
People are just going to post the same topics over and over now...
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Sigh, they already do.
Check out my new and improved website:
www.logicdefied.com
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Steve Brooks
Manager
Northern California - United States
4208 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 4:55am
Sorry folks for the big inconvenience, but that's just the way it is - at least for now. Are folks going to post a topic that has already been discussed? You bet they are, but even when the search engine was functioning properly many of our members never bothered to use it. Such is life though and we'll have to live with that for a bit while our resident genius Gene figures out a new design. Thanks one and all for your patience and understanding in this important matter. 
You can now follow me on
 and 
See you there!
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fccfp
Special user
NJ
559 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 6:53am
Gene & Steve,
Please don't let the complainers get you down. The Café has been a wonderful place for me to discuss magic w/ others. I have "met" folks that I would not have possibly run into any other way. I have learned a lot, shared some of the little that I know, & kidded around with a lot of really terrific magicians willing to share what they know and offer advice. Some of the recommendations given in the forums have helped me tremendously in improving my skills and structuring my act. I have gotten many ideas that would have never occurred to me otherwise.
The Café is THE place to go for help when you are having difficulty with a effect. Mechanical, pacing, patter, routining, you will find it all here. Just recently, someone gave me a page reference in one of the classic magic resource books. Just doing that gave me what I needed to know. Just having that page number saved me untold hours fiddling with the prop just to figure out how to set it up. I still can't believe how much is available here.
With all the Café has given us, at no cost, how can anybody complain about a technical problem now and then? Anyone that uses computers learns that they often do not work as anticipated. (My next novel will be "When Programs Collide”.)
Thank you to everyone that works on making the café a truly magical place. We do appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Bruce J. Langrock, CFP
Magician
P.S. Illegitimi Non Carborundum
A.K.A. Jay The Magician
www.jaythemagician.com
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The Great Dave
Regular user
A select and limited edition of
148 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 7:42am
I will offer you $10 per year as a volunteer subscription to your service. I pay more than that for my golf magazine and enjoy your site more. Perhaps others may join in, and with the extra revenue additional expansions can be made to the features of your site, such as the search engine technology. And Gene won't work for free. You may offer me a contribution option anytime. (Ladies and Gentlemen, if you enjoyed the show please Pass the Hat among yourselves!)
Best Wishes,
Dave
Academy of Magical Arts
Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat! Whoops, wrong hat ...
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Mind_Magic
Inner circle
The Sunshine State USA
1133 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 9:10am
Meantime you can seach as following:
At Yahoo Web Page, you select "Advanced" search Option located at the top right side.
Check the "Only search in this domain/site" option, and in the box you type: www.themagiccafe.com
Then into "any of the words" box you write what you are looking for.
Or for more specific search use "all of this words" box.
Finally click "Yahoo Search" option at right corner of the screen.
Guest help you
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Steve Hook
Inner circle
Raleigh, NC, USA
1134 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 11:35am
Ditto:
"Thank you to everyone who works on making the café a truly magical place. We do appreciate it."
And, "Patience is a virtue."
And and, "Virtue is an example or kind of moral excellence."
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todsky
Inner circle
Montreal, Canada
1980 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 12:03pm
Good luck, Gene. Take your time, do it right. Your efforts here are appreciated.
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Gene
Café Forum Developer
Howard City, MI
543 Posts
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Posted: Feb 25, 2006 2:55pm
Thanks guys. And don't worry, I'm not "down" about anything, it's just something else to deal with, that's all. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.
Many people here do not know who I am, or even what I contribute here, because I don't post about magic in the various rooms. There's a reason for that: I don't *know* anything about magic! I've read many times that the Café is important to people because of its wealth of information and being able to contact people that would otherwise be difficult to do, not to mention many more reasons that I can't think of at the moment. At the same time, the Café is important to me too, but for different reasons.
I've been here from the beginning and have watched the Café blossom into what it is. Most of the credit belongs to Steve because of his vision and his ability to bring his dream into reality. For me, while I can claim part of the credit, more important for me is how much the Café has taught me as a programmer. I wouldn't be able to do many of the things I can do today if it weren't for the Café. Some of it still surprises me. (Where else could I find such a proving-ground as the Café?) The search engine is one of those things, even though it is currently offline. I know the codes are pretty solid, it's just a fact that the mass of data here is too much for a single-processor server to handle. Unfortunately, that's where we're at.
The Great Dave was wrong in his assumption that I won't work for free. The fact is, I do. Right here. This is, and will always remain, a free site, and as such, I don't make any money from it. What I pay I write off on my hosting business taxes. It's because of that that I feel I'm just as much a contributor to this site as anybody else.
Somebody kick me off the computer, will ya?
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