NUMA fixes and Maintenance Mode

[Arachnid]

I've just finished migrating NUMA to the new App Engine runtime. With any luck, this should put an end to the downtime issues of late; my apologies for the delay getting it fixed. It's possible bugs were introduced by the migration - please let me know if you spot any.

Thumbnail generation is still down; I'll be porting the thumbnail generation code to the new platform over the next few days, and regenerating all the missing thumbnails.

After that, NUMA will be going into 'maintenance mode'. Non-urgent bugs will not be fixed, new features will not be implemented, but the site will be maintained as it currently is. People are welcome to continue using the site, though I'll put a prominent notice on the frontpage warning people of the site's status, and offering alternatives. I'm removing advertising from the site; it doesn't bring in an appreciable amount of money.

Finally, a note for those of you who have an overactive entitlement complex: I do not owe you anything. NUMA's been in existence for nearly 8 years. In that time, I've put hundreds of hours of my own spare time into building and maintaining it. Hosting fees and other expenses have consumed thousands of dollars of my own money. In the entire time the site's been up, adverts and voluntary donations combined have brought in perhaps $300, every dollar of which I contributed to Kiva (http://www.kiva.org/).

Since I started NUMA, I've been hired by Google, married, moved countries, cheated on (with my best friend), moved countries again, and divorced. My life has not been uneventful, and NUMA, a labor of love at the best of times, has not been my top priority. Those of you who somehow feel that the time and effort I have contributed to the community without the expectation of any compensation somehow obligates me to you are welcome to seek out another site and another person to attach your unreasonable demands to.

Regards,

Nick Johnson
AKA Arachnid

[aids]

I appreciate everything you've done. If you don't plan on sticking around for the new version or just don't care about N anymore, I'll understand. But I hope that you're at least willing to try and find a way to let us make changes to the site if we can. There are many members of the community who will help you, maybe even take you out of the equation completely. The fact that you're fixing the thumbnail problem shows that even though we've been assholes to you, you still respect us enough to help. So thank you for that. Since you're probably going to faze yourself out after this, good luck with your personal life.

Cordially,

Mat

[zoasBE]

This is too much for me.
My english is very, very bad, but anyway I will try to write what I feel.
I'm a relative new member in NUMA/Forums/and N community, since 2010 (I just discovered N 23th April 2010), but since then this shit was a lot to me, a lot. Especially NUMA, I think it's time to publish my big secret. I have not completed N, this is not entirely surprising, but if I say I have not even completed the first column, and I have NO played any other, as if surprised that a little more. I know all maps in the main game, MTI, Mount Doom, ..., but what I really mean, and what this means is that I got involved completely in the mapmaking, and in the mappers community, and the mappacks. This is where NUMA becomes really important for me, and where in this almost two years has been nearly everything to me (it is, I think, my only hobby and entertainment), So this is one of the most important moments for me. I'm 26, and I love that shit. I feel pretty good making maps and playing around NUMA.
You and I never had the opportunity, or know or discuss. But today I want to thank all the great work, at you, at M & R, and at many other members have NUMA (I really want to thank all), I'm happy and nervous now.
I spend really a lot time in NUMA and if I found any bug, just Ill noticed that.
Just today I've send you a PM concerning this, and in this moment I've to say,
MANY, MANY THANKS ARACHNID
Greetings.

A NUMA Lover.

[zoasBE]

As I said before thanks? One more time...
THANKS

[乳头的早餐谷物]

This is good to see, and your efforts in fixing the downtime are appreciated. For many years, you gave so much to this community, and it is inevitable that a project like NUMA will fall down your list of priorities are the rest of your life develops. But, respectfully: the gradual functional decay and then collapse of NUMA without a single notice being given has just about killed this community. Many of us have poured our own time and money into trying to develop solutions and alternatives. You don't owe us anything, but there is a reason so many people have been profoundly frustrated by the situation, and it's not just a misplaced sense of entitlement.

[Paradox]

Damn irony, i was just going to ask you about NUMA today

I told you guys to wait 3 months, & look, not even 3 months later NUMA is back

Thank you Arachnid

Although, i am unable to see NUMA up, 500 Internal Server Error, maybe it's my country or something http://screensnapr.com/e/HUt0Pd.png

[Destiny]

Anybody feeling like running some late dronies? :D

[Paradox]

Anybody feeling like running some late dronies? :D

Yes, i asked oughts/Maestro/ortsz on IRC about it & Aidiera said he would probably be the one to host it if it happened, but yes, Dronies

EDIT

Wow, you're _destiny^- !

[aids]

Anybody feeling like running some late dronies? :D

Yes, i asked oughts/Maestro/ortsz on IRC about it & Aidiera said he would probably be the one to host it if it happened, but yes, Dronies

flag and I will work things out when NUMA is steady again.

[kyozo_43]

You are amazing Arachnid. You have my utmost respect.
Also, paradox-dragon, that error is happening to me as well. Must be the site maintenance?

[Arachnid]

The 500 error some people are seeing should be fixed now.

[aids]

The 500 error some people are seeing should be fixed now.

Thank you. Any idea when thumbnails will be back?

[Arachnid]

The 500 error some people are seeing should be fixed now.

Thank you. Any idea when thumbnails will be back?

I'll be porting the thumbnail generation code from the ancient PHP script when I get back from work this evening (in about 3 hours); with any luck I'll have it running tonight.

[ENT474]

Wow. I can't express enough how much this helps. Thanks.

[otters~1]

Nick,

Thank you. In no way is the massive amount of work you have put in to NUMA over the years unappreciated. Seriously. I for one will take "Maintenance Mode" over nothing, and anyone who disagrees with me needs to recall the last five months. I plan to start right back up again where I left off with regards to the various projects I had going involving NUMA. Again, thank you.

Sincerely,

flagmyidol, NUMA admin


PS: I'm a poor college student, but if you have a PayPal I would be more than happy to donate. It makes me sad that you've lost money creating a website that I've spent more time on than any other.

[zoasBE]

I thought I would never see the Over Quota message anymore, but has come back .. sadly moment.

Over Quota
This application is temporarily over its serving quota. Please try again later.

Arachnid, It is assumed that NUMA has been moved to run under Python, this should not happen, right? thumbnails may be affecting? 23:15 in Spain and has been working until now, for what it is worth referring to the runtime...

[Arachnid]

I thought I would never see the Over Quota message anymore, but has come back .. sadly moment.

Over Quota
This application is temporarily over its serving quota. Please try again later.

Arachnid, It is assumed that NUMA has been moved to run under Python, this should not happen, right? thumbnails may be affecting? 23:15 in Spain and has been working until now, for what it is worth referring to the runtime...

The app has been ported, but it's evidently not as efficient as I'd thought. I've temporarily increased the budget to $2/day until I have the time to examine where the inefficiencies are and improve on it.

On the thumbnail front, I've done some of the porting, but it's more involved than I thought, so it'll take a while. Once it's done, since I don't have unit tests, some help would be appreciated examining generated thumbnails for any errors.

[zoasBE]

I thought I would never see the Over Quota message anymore, but has come back .. sadly moment.

Over Quota
This application is temporarily over its serving quota. Please try again later.

Arachnid, It is assumed that NUMA has been moved to run under Python, this should not happen, right? thumbnails may be affecting? 23:15 in Spain and has been working until now, for what it is worth referring to the runtime...

The app has been ported, but it's evidently not as efficient as I'd thought. I've temporarily increased the budget to $2/day until I have the time to examine where the inefficiencies are and improve on it.

On the thumbnail front, I've done some of the porting, but it's more involved than I thought, so it'll take a while. Once it's done, since I don't have unit tests, some help would be appreciated examining generated thumbnails for any errors.

of course, you have my support. and possibly a donation. How I can contact you for the donation?

[aids]

PS: I'm a poor college student, but if you have a PayPal I would be more than happy to donate. It makes me sad that you've lost money creating a website that I've spent more time on than any other.

I'm quoting this to enforce the fact that we will give you money. You just gotta tell us how. :3

[BluePretzel]

Just wanna say a big thankyou for continuing to work with NUMA. I'm positive that those who have chosen to hang in there all appreciate this greatly.
Not much else to say that hasn't already been said, but yeah. Thanks.

[Arachnid]

Thanks for the offers, but donations will not be necessary. If you'd like to make a difference, chip in to Kiva directly. :)

[zoasBE]

Right now, ALL thumbnails are disabled, and in the page of "Active Authors" appears your map number 1, not want to sound pedantic, only if it helps. Thanks one more time.

[Arachnid]

I've ported over the thumbnail generation code - all new maps should now have thumbnails.

I've started the process to regenerate the thumbnails for all existing maps. Until that's done, all maps, including ones that previously had thumbnails, will show broken images, but the process should not take long.

There are a few bugs in the thumbnail function, particularly surrounding maps with things like NaNs in them - I'll fix them up and regenerate just those as soon as I have an opportunity.

[zoasBE]

Thumbnails works again!
THIS IS SO FUCKING FANTASTIC!!
Correctly, the thumbnail for NaN'd, code edited and Nreality maps doesn't work now.
There are possibility or a way to fix that, or we have lost them forever?
Thanks

[Arachnid]

Thumbnails works again!
THIS IS SO FUCKING FANTASTIC!!
Correctly, the thumbnail for NaN'd, code edited and Nreality maps doesn't work now.
There are possibility or a way to fix that, or we have lost them forever?
Thanks

I've made some changes to the generation code that should handle the majority of maps with NaNs and other oddities. There's a few that it still can't handle, but they should be in the miority.