Calculations Lock Whole Site? - DPChallenge Forums

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD

09/08/2006 12:42:20 AM · #1

Why is it that the whole site gets locked when challenge calculations are done? I can see the challenge areas themselves being locked so no more voting can go on or enteries for current challenges. But why does the forums need to be locked?

I'm on the West coast so when this happens it's 9pm here. I don't know how many times that a little before 9pm seems to be the time when things quiet down for me and I can kick back and browse through the forums and catch up on what has been posted. I usually get down a few posts and then hit that 9pm forum is locked screen.

This happened again tonight and I started thinking about how many times I seem to hit this when I'm going through the forums. And then I started wondering why the forums have to be locked at all.

This is not a rant, just a question that I was pondering since I didn't have anything else to do while the site was locked. ;)

Mike

crayon

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

09/08/2006 12:45:05 AM · #2

It happens at noon for me, so you're lucky to have it at 9pm (at least you can watch tv) LOL

MadMan2k

Sony Alpha a6400

09/08/2006 12:45:31 AM · #3

I think it's partly so the server can dedicate more resources to calculating the results, so it doesn't end up taking longer if everyone else is using it. Hopefully one of the admins will reply with the actual reason, I'm curious too.

taterbug

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

09/08/2006 12:49:39 AM · #4

I think it is basically just because of all that happens at a rollover. Results of the challenge are calculated, which means tallying votes, throwing out the under 20 % votes and any irregularities caught. Move any applicable challenges from entry to voting, etc. Post the winning images on the front page, remove any front page results that have run their week, etc. etc.
There is a lot that can go on at the rollover that is easy to not think about :-) I'm not a 'puter guru, but I can imagine that is a lot of coding, etc, and resources being used at that time.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

09/08/2006 12:54:28 AM · #5

Originally posted by taterbug:

Don't forget stats also get tallied.

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

09/08/2006 02:50:27 AM · #6

Yep yep. Those gerbils have to run double-time just to keep up! :)

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

09/08/2006 02:59:27 AM · #7

Originally posted by levyj413:

Yep yep. Those gerbils have to run double-time just to keep up! :)

... and sometimes the Guinea pig gets on the wheel, hence the slowdown.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

09/08/2006 07:39:31 PM · #8

Hamsters go clock wise, Gerbils go counter clockwise and Guinea pigs hang on for dear life. If they start up the wrong wheel, it's no wonder they have to shut down the whole site. LOL!

Mike

Message edited by author 2006-09-08 19:40:01.

Beetle

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

09/08/2006 08:06:48 PM · #9

Sure would be nice if the hamsters and the gerbils would concentrate on the challenges but let us still use the forums while they're busy crunching numbers.

klstover

Panasonic DMC-FZ8

09/08/2006 08:23:47 PM · #10

Guinea pigs shouldn't get on wheels 'cause it's really bad for their backs. I know it was said as a joke but I just can't help myself..

Done hijacking now, sorry and thanks.

sfalice

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

09/08/2006 09:17:40 PM · #11

Originally posted by MikeJ:

Hamsters go clock wise, Gerbils go counter clockwise and Guinea pigs hang on for dear life. If they start up the wrong wheel, it's no wonder they have to shut down the whole site. LOL!

Mike

HaHa. MikeJ, do you realize, that if you decide to start entering Challenges, with that mind of yours, you could easily win the Gary Larson Challenge.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

09/08/2006 11:57:36 PM · #12

Actually, I do have some ideas, but the right challenges haven't come around yet when I've been able to take advantage of them. The latest Far Side challenge has really caught my eye though. If I was good at implementing my inner vision, I probably would do very well.

When I was a kid we had a couple of Golden Mantle Squirels as pets. In their cage they had a big wire wheel they loved. They would spend hours going as fast as they could in the wheel, round and round. Then when they got going real fast they would clamp their claws down in the wire to hang on and spin around and around until it came to a stop. It was so funny watching them fall out and stagger around dizzy. They did this for the whole time we had them. :D

Mike

Message edited by author 2006-09-08 23:58:39.

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

09/09/2006 12:05:24 AM · #13

LMAO! You're not going to believe what runs Yahoo's photo service. A friend of mine put up some pics for me to see, and this is what popped up when I selected a few to enlarge!

FireBird

09/09/2006 09:48:31 AM · #14

Originally posted by MikeJ:

Why is it that the whole site gets locked when challenge calculations are done?
Mike

They have to allow the Update button to cool down every now and again.