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Archive through December 07, 2007

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Ej  Send Ej a private message!



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Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 11:11 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

This is just one of our problems. A hugh one that changes daily. If you don't understand a terminology then you need to look it up to fully understand what is required. I spend a lot of time looking things up.

http://www.openspf.org/FAQ/What_is_SPF

Ej So.Cal. Zone 10a Click to hear a voice greeting from Ej
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Periwinkle  Send Periwinkle a private message!



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Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 11:24 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Thanks EJ. I don't understand it much but thanks for your work.

Denise--Northern Wisconsin, Z3b Click to hear a voice greeting from Periwinkle
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 11:34 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

I feel for you EJ. I just get a headache researching what camera to buy, let alone how to integrate someone else's technology onto a website. And I'm sure much of this is not easily found.

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Nibbs  Send Nibbs a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 01:04 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Thanks for letting us know Ej.

Diane British Columbia Zone 7b
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Growit  Send Growit a private message!




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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 04:59 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Ej wrote on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 11:11 pm:

I spend a lot of time looking things up.


Thankyou for ALL your work on this wonderful site EJ.

Growit - Hampshire, Zone "8/9"
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Heirloomgardens  Send Heirloomgardens a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 09:09 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Fun stuff, EJ. That's a good example of why GB needs some sort of support... the hours and headaches required to make a great site even better.

Heirloomgardens - Massachusetts, Zone "5b"
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Monique  Send Monique a private message!

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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 09:44 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Heirloomgardens wrote on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 09:09 am:

That's a good example of why GB needs some sort of support... the hours and headaches required to make a great site even better.



Honestly.. ..that's the answer..

If you can contribute a little..even that would help..

A magazine is more than $5.00..

If we want Gardenbuddies to continue..why don't you add it to your Xmas list and send a donation.
Please.

Sometimes it makes me sad to see regular posters that can afford many things and don't contribute.
There I said it again.

GW had no problem getting $20.00
There should be no reason this site cannot.

Monique Quebec Zone 5
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Plantynut  Send Plantynut a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 10:02 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Would one solution be to stop emailing messages?
I've never had the need to use it.

Plantynut - New York, Zone "7"
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Gardenfiend  Send Gardenfiend a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 10:17 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Good idea, Arlene! If it helps.
I think the problem Ej's link refers to is a kind of spam mail that comes in in huge quantities and gums up the works.

Gardenfiend - Germany, Zone "7a"
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Heirloomgardens  Send Heirloomgardens a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 10:19 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Plantynut wrote on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 10:02 am:

Would one solution be to stop emailing messages?
I've never had the need to use it.

That's an interesting question. I remember in my "How do YOU use this site" thread it seemed like I was about the only one who prefers to get posts via email. If that function was cut, I'd certainly visit the site less often and that in itself would lighten the load. LOL. As it is, I visit the site far less often already with the email posts being 3 hours behind.

Heirloomgardens - Massachusetts, Zone "5b"
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Carol23  Send Carol23 a private message!

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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 10:46 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

The email is a convenience for some. ( how many?) If that feature causes or greatly contributes to this site becoming unreliable for everyone, I don't see the value. There are " new" yellow markers posted for the convenvience of all members.

Compared to other gardening sites, this is the least dependable and most problematic and I would appreciate a more stable Gardenbuddies.

Carol23 - Southeastern PA, Zone "6B"
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Gardenfiend  Send Gardenfiend a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 10:54 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

I know for a fact that the automatic e-mail function caused at least one potential participant to leave the site forever. He had unknowingly selected it, with the result that his inbox was swamped. Which in turn infuriated him - so he left.

Gardenfiend - Germany, Zone "7a"
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Ej  Send Ej a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 01:38 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

The server must have email enabled. The problem is not that Gardenbuddies uses email but the 100,000 ( yes, 100,000 relayed every day) spam messages that overload the server. The spammers use new technolgy I can't even understand. Many days are like today. I have spent four hours so far today trying to understand ways to fight this problem and I am no closer to understanding it.

Second is the spambots that hammer the "add your message" box trying to get a post thru. This uses system resources and slows down the site. The same thing happens with the photo albums as some know.

3rd is we are extremely low on memory. This is why some features have been disabled. I can not see spending more money on a monthly basis to increase the memory. To tell you the truth I am embarrased by the total spent over the last five years along with the 1000's of hours gone from my life.

I have struggled with a solution to this problem and I am leaning towards closing this site to non-supporting members in some fashion. Favorite "memory eating" options would be only available to supporting members. Archives might have to be deleted to save space.

The goal will be to reduce cost to a point where it meets mebership support levels. Currently that would mean reducing Gardenbuddies by 80%.

Ej So.Cal. Zone 10a Click to hear a voice greeting from Ej
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Periwinkle  Send Periwinkle a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 01:44 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Why do the spammers do this? I don't understand; do they get money or are they trying to steal money ... or what?

We're hearing you EJ. And I'm glad that you posted this information. I don't know if a lot of Buddies know how much...you do give.

Thank you EJ.

Denise--Northern Wisconsin, Z3b Click to hear a voice greeting from Periwinkle
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Bulliedeux  Send Bulliedeux a private message!




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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 02:47 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

  • Limit access to guests.
  • Drop the photo album unless you're wanting to compete with Photobucket, Dropshots, etc.
  • If your membership then warrants it, allow a few selected adds. I know of one site that was in your position with spammers, tons of pictures, free site and he was outgrowing his old cheap host. It's now a much improved site with unobtrusive ads, still not having to charge but un-registered users are limited to posting in a guest area

Bulliedeux - IL, Zone "5b"
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Gardenfiend  Send Gardenfiend a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 02:51 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Denise, I think they do it because it costs them nothing. People are strange animals...

Ej, what are the memory-eating options? Picture uploads?

I don't know which aspect bothers me more: that you have been paying for our fun and games, or that you have been growing grey hairs on our behalf...
I wonder: are there no teccies among us who could take on some of the work on the same idealistic basis on which Ej has been doing it?

Gardenfiend - Germany, Zone "7a"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 03:03 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

EJ, I have often wondered how you do it. Everyone burns out eventually. In addition to donations, is there anything any of us can do to help you?

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Greg  Send Greg a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 05:08 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Yes, I am guilty of uploading photos to gb and that probably takes lots of space. If you do not allow picture uploading that might take care of a lot of the space issues. Most forums I see only allow linking photos hosted on other servers (like personal photobucket, flickr, etc). I think there are a lot of free sites out there for people to host photos on, or buy web space here. You do not need to allow people to upload photos to the GB forums that are then stored forever.

Greg - ND, Zone "4"
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Greg  Send Greg a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 05:13 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

EJ, one more thing with regards to bots trying to hit the posts. Many forums I visit have some kind of word verification system that one must type every time they post. You know, a randomly generated letter/number sequence or something that a spambot can't read but a human can. Maybe technology like that would help with the spam bot posting. Not sure about the email though.

Greg - ND, Zone "4"
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Sunnyday2day  Send Sunnyday2day a private message!



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Posted on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 05:27 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosPrint Post

Plantynut wrote on Friday, December 07, 2007 - 10:02 am:

Would one solution be to stop emailing messages?
I've never had the need to use it.


Same here. I hate that E.J. is carrying such a burden on our behalf. Monique, you've said what quite a few of us have thought... thank you.

Sunnyday2day - Tanya-Michigan, Zone "5"

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