The Webmaster Zone

Hello everyone,

You've probably noticed that this website has had some unplanned downtime lately. I'm not sure about the exact cause, it's probably an intermittent hardware failure as the techs keep finding the main server powered off at the console. I've been rebooting and repairing the database as needed to keep things running, while making plans to transition to brand new servers with updated database, webserver, and firewall software.

The good news is I've already run the migration plan on some of my smaller websites, and it's working brilliantly. The bad news is that the frequency of crashes on the old server seem to be increasing, so I'm going to have to accelerate the transition schedule for all the websites and do a lot of the changes, well, right now. That's what all the downtime today (Jan 4) has been about.

By the time you're reading this, the website will be running off new transactional database servers - which means no more biweekly downtime to do backups, better security, stability, replication support, and better support for new features in the future. This is only the first, but probably the biggest, step in the plan to update the hardware & software platform this website runs on.

Unfortunately due to the emergency database move, I haven't been able to fully test compatibility and scaling. There may be some bugs or slowness to iron out over the next few days. If you encounter a bug or error message, please copy the error message and email me with a description of what you were doing. There's a link to email me (the webmaster) at the bottom of every page.

A little bit of background about me, and this website, as I tend to operate behind the scenes:

This website is part of the AutoShrine Network, a group of 20+ auto enthusiast websites that I've created over the last 10 years that now serves 2.5 million pageviews to 250,000 unique visitors every month and is completely free to access.

I wrote most of the code from scratch (I used to be a software engineer) and I'm the sole owner and operator of the whole operation. You may not know that many car forums on the Internet are owned by two large corporations, both of which have approached me with offers, but I turned them down as I don't believe they would deliver the same kind of quality online club experience for you.

In addition to webmaster duties, coding new features, html/css/javascript design for desktops, tablets, and smartphones, and sysadmin duties like provisioning servers, creating backup plans, security, monitoring, and system upgrades, I also provide personal support to 80,000+ registered members, review edit and publish calendar events, review edit and publish tech articles in the library, manage all the social media pages for each site (80+ feeds), and moderate the forums. That's the short list.

It's often more than a full time job, and I've been on call 24/7 for years, but I'm very happy to provide something that useful to so many people and keeps so many cool old cars (and karts and trucks and scooters) on the road.

I thank all of you for your contributions whether it's posting answers to question or financial support, and I promise to continue to provide access to all features and information on this website, to anyone in the world, without charge. I can provide the platform, but it's YOU that makes this a community.

If you haven't already, please consider becoming a Supporting Member.

100% of proceeds go towards operating and improving this website. The new database servers alone cost an additional $300/month.

I've got great plans for new and improved features in 2017, and I'd love to be able to contract out some work - like finishing writing the Help Topics, and catching up on editing tech library articles - so I can focus on the big stuff.

But for the next few months, it's going to be all about finishing the new servers & software platform!

Thanks in advance for your patience through this upgrade process.

Skye Nott
Webmaster

Not much to say... just testing the brand new image uploader system on The MG Experience and making sure it works well for journal posts!

Note: latest journal posts are now listed in the "Journals" navigation menu bar

Another test.... edit test 2

Testing new storage of newlines:

1. first item
2. second item
3. third

This is a postscript. Goodbye!

Edited with another line.
Edited with new modified/touched...

Looks like everything went well, holy smokes the new hardware is fast!!

Relaunch! For Classic Mini (Austin, Rover, Morris) and New MINI (BMW) Owners:

http://www.minishrine.com/

Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates:

http://www.twitter.com/MiniShrine

"Like" us Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mini-Shrine/151769508169112

Stop by and say hello in the Forums, add to the Registry, or start a restoration & repair Journal.