Day 1: Our site broke because we couldn't scale the notifications system to handle 10,000 plus users. Make sure to clean up your notifications people, even though we never mentioned (or probably never even realized) a performance bottleneck in this area before, it's all your fault!

Day 2: Mass cleanup of notifications disabled because it's terribly hard to actually offer the service we just got done admonishing you for not using.

In the year 2000, on a 300Mhz Pentium 3 I wrote a notifications system very similar to this one from scratch in PHP and MySQL for the largest portal/forum website covering local news for my town. When we hit performance issues as number of notifications scaled N^2 to number of posts (also at around 10,000 users and 5-10 million post items), do you know what I did?

I added a per-user field (scales linearly with number of users) with a date prior to which all posts can just assume to be read. Whenever you cleared stuff, that field was reset to the oldest thing not cleared, or to "now" if you cleared everything, be it via "nuke" or by hand.

To that end, "nuke" no longer accessed or altered the large notification table, it just updated the per-user date field and allowed late night cleanup processes to trawl through and delete notification entries older than that frontier.

End result? Both size of notifications table and number of read accesses into it's index dropped by 2 orders of magnitude, increasing site performance 50x the moment I pressed "commit".

I kept that website and all services online with four nines of uptime for four years. (after which time I left and eventually the building the underfunded servers were in burned down. THAT took site offline for a good while! :P) If the site was down for 45 consecutive minutes I got death threats from our users, none of whom paid us a dime for the service.

So .. nine days of downtime? Because of database inefficiency in the "unread posts" system? really?

Yeah, I'm done with this nonsense. I'll be here: https://happmacdonald.sofurry.com/ instead. :(

I'll check back on notes and such here off and on for a week to encourage communication and then I'm pushing the hide profile button.

I've decided this is basically the best thing ever.

And this.

All made by this guy. Who I've been following off and on for ages, hell he made that one pic I'd used as an icon for such a long time. :-P

This is just a place for  elPatrixF and I to test ze layouts, so that we can perfect an DeviantArt <-> FurAffinity text converter. :3

Finished product so far: http://lightsecond.com/pub/da2fa.html

a test email link
another
test[at]example.com
test[at]example.com

asd

test

test

I am basically just going to test some formatting, here. elPatrixF and I are working to create a DeviantArt <-> FurAffinity code converter. :D

:no: :lonely: :hug: DeviantArt ID 282866776 test test test test

test
* test
* test2
testtest
test


test

test
test

 AmethystLeopord is doing some Wing-it commissions, discount art where she gets a lot of freedom how she draws your char.

I'm a bit strapped right now or I'd throw my hat in the ring; but I've only recently discovered her and she's got such kyoot drawerings, dang it! I figoored I should let you lot know, too. heh heh!

Sketches starting at $5!

FA doesn't seem too bad off yet (one of the reasons I'm posting this rant here, lol) but FA is also less social and far more focused on art.

But I've been an avid Redditor for years now, and lately (as in 3-5 weeks I guess .. coincidentally not long after the PRISM leak?) submission and comment quality there feels as though it's really just went into the toilet. I would say "all of the banal crap appears to be upvoted to frontpage in every sub", except the problem isn't the quality content being downvoted.. the problem really appears to be the quality content isn't getting posted in the first place.

And what's up with Youtube? "Related" videos along the side and at the end of a video you are watching are no longer even tangentially related.. now they're just really bad and offensive parodies of your general interests. Like if you were a vegan and the "here's what you like" fairy deduced that you like food and drowned you in McDonald's adverts. For example, I like certain shows like Dick Figures and Baman Piderman. These are produced by Mondo Media so Youtube shoves Happy Tree Friends gore-porn at me all day long.

It also doesn't help that so many of the channels I've subscribed to on Youtube (yeah, even Laci Green who I've posted positively about in FA journals before) are really beginning to disappoint me. Klaatu42 took down most of his videos. Danebo and Simon's cat and Sheep Films sold out big time.

I feel like all of the real action online is moving to new places but that I can't tell where and I'm being left behind.

What do you guys think?

Ahm a bat.

Young at heart, ancient of body. I do have a powerful brain, I just can't always control what it wants to cogitate.

I celebrate cuteness and sweetness, or as the Japanese aptly put it "Kawaii". I like to bring people happiness, and I avoid offering reasons to resent me. Probably to a fault.

I am still on that path of self-discovery. Still discerning the difference between my character and platonic expectations placed upon my by our culture. Finding out which bits of me can change, and which bits are less expensive to own and to demand the world make room for instead.

I am the only person I know who has worked the same job for ten years straight now. My Secondlife avatar is 9 years old, too. Asciiart login banners I've made for MUDs are still online today, 18 years later.

I am curmudgeonly, bahaha! xD

I love the friends that I have made but I feel like I am getting to a place where I need to meet people who understand me better still. Like I cannot be a good friend and honor the people who I know now unless I can also find support and fit in somewhere on deeper levels.

To borrow a parlance from this "pokeyman" thing that all the kids are doing today, "this is not my final form. I must evolve".

I just ran into somebody today who highlighted this journal from a few years back about the right ways to go about the informal business of offering or buying commissions. I felt like it was an insightful read so I wanted to point it out as well. :3

Enjoy!

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/924810/

 huiro did this icon that I is wearing right now, and that's the commission style he's got on sale today for $16 too. :3

You'll has to act fast to claim your spot, tho! :D

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4863959/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyZnIAU9yXw

Yeah. So that happened. \o/

Top comment: "press printscreen, get new random kickass wallpaper :D"

Because everybody esle is doing it and I wanna fit in. x3

So ask me a question but I get to ask you a question too and then you can ask me queshun again and then .. uh .. hai. :3 Wat am I writing again?

Is this email?

(tries to attach file of kitty climb into too small of box)

 toddlergirl talked me into starting to write more and I'm apprehensive that nopony will want to read about the daft things that occupy my thoughts, but I will try and practice and we'll see how it all goes. :3

Proposed topic: How bats get into furry fandom?

Well, I've only ever been involved in the fandom digitally. I've never attended a con or worn a suit, cons always happen too far away from my small town and I'm too poor to go gallivanting around to attend anything.

So I've always been a fan of illustration. In the late nineties after coming online, I noticed that a lot of artwork online (and yes, a lot of naughty artwork xD) was anthropomorphic in nature and that this was called "furry", and there was a community around that. I normally rather liked the artwork because I do enjoy things that are fundamentally cartoony and cute and approachable, rather than jaded or vile or everyday life.

In '97 I found a chat system called "FurryMuck" and wanted to log in, but they were very srsbzns about names. You couldn't just have any name at all (I went by "Heckler, kook of Ellington" at the time) you had to pick something that would be realistic or not distract from everyone else's RP atmosphere. So I somehow came up with "Happ", and when asked on species and such I chose for him to be a slightly cartoony fox.

I didn't do a lot with that account, but fast forward to 2004 and I'm signing up for the online environment Secondlife. (I'd read about it in a Wired article and it looked interesting..) They too want some kind of a regular-sounding name, and worst yet you have to make up a first name and then select a surname from a dropdown! Well, I figured this would be a fine time to revive the name "Happ" from Furrymuck, and settled (with probable subconscious intent, aside form the fact that every other surname looked rediculous!) on "Happ MacDonald". :3

So Happ in this environment started out looking a bit like a latino migrant worker, because I had a little bit too much fun with the avatar settings. ;3 But in SL it was too hard to navigate and communicate at the same time (switching back and forth between walking, moving camera and texting) and things loaded too slowly, too buggy. Very promising but frustrating in a practical sense.

I peeked back in every year or so, and by 2008 armed with a brand new lappy with good 3D I was able to actually begin having fun there. Among the people I met in SL and chatted with, I found that a majority of the human avatars were snarky and jaded and intolerant, while the furries I met in Luskwood were warm and kind and welcoming. So I purchased a furry avatar among those available that I felt suited me, and never bothered to look back. :3

So how did you lot all get into the fandom? Any fun stories? Also, what sort of things sound interesting to hear about from a bat in future journals, eh? ;3

Sent to my friends I feel like would probably appreciate it best.

Pauley Perrette co-wrote, sang, filmed, starred, directed, produced this ditty. She got a friend Tom Polce to run the powerful backing. She got her friends at CBS to add it to the NCIS official soundtrack, who then shot another version of the video (which I haven't seen, don't know where you'd find?)

All I want to know is how to talk her into doing any combination of the above verbs more often. D:

My friend  toddlergirl says that one thing that really makes her happy about participating in Fur Affinity, and drawing and having so many friends is that she gets to inspire and encourage so many other artists. And I've seen this take place myself, and I think it's great. :D

Well, I'm not an artist (or, at least not much of an artist :P) and while I luffs gemmy to bits I have to admit that my strongest inspirations come from other places. But I figured I could share some of that with you lot!

I know it wouldn't make much impact on this crowd to mention "Archimedes of Syracuse" or "Warren Robinett" as inspirations, but one of the most amazing people I know that I can really recommend to you lot to check in on is Laci Green. ( <-- dat's a leenk! Cleek eet! xD )

You can think of her as this generation's Doctor Ruth. She eats, breaths and sleeps sex, love and relationships; and she prolifically shares her brain-meltingly well researched wisdom on these topics through her youtube channel in addition to heaven knows how much activism and charity work and personal counseling and teaching that she does in mundane space.

Check her out? Let me know your thoughts, and maybe do your own journal telling us who or what really inspires you and makes you want to rally. :3

Love you all, *great* big hugszj!

- - Happosai

 toddlergirl is doing a raffle to test her new, purty lookin art technique! :D

Here are examples of what the arts ought to looks like: little neko girl, A Random Byron and here is the link to the raffle itself, with full information and entry instructions: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4576397/

Have funs, kiddos! :D

I are trying to convince meslef to crawl outta bed, so I compromise and journal at you lot nsted.

How jur gobble gobble day be goings? Anythin phun plannt? :J

It's called FurStore and accepts Bitcoins as payment. If you're interested in selling art there, contact  ThePiachu. :D

(Warning, ponies. ;P)

I just found this on imgur linked from Reddit.

I not know where it comed from or who make (tineye is there, you know?) but it's called Mirror to Equestria.

My willingness to type things I know won't get read probably just means I'm mental. T_T


1. We all know what we call you, what about the folks at home? Whats your name?
Jesse. Fambly often calls me by the wrong name, confusing me with my eldest uncle or one of my cousins. Mom calls me "Pesty Pains". x3


2. How tall are you?
5'9" I think, but haven't been remeasured in a few years and need to get. :P


3. Natural hair color? (if you can remember it)
Brown, never been'sed recolored


3. What about eye color?
brown, rootbeer candy.


4. What orientation are you?
Pan / Heteroflexible?
Gender doesn't make or break my ability to be attracted to someone, but it does change my standards.
I'm attracted enough to be able to be romantic with maybe 1/100 guys, compared to 80/100 girls.
I don't know, but it's something I like figuring out about myself. :)


5. Are you single, taken, or undecided?
online-only polyamorous, one RL wife and one online boyfriend so my dance card is full. :3


6. What do you do in your spare time?
Fill out memes? lol.
Chat with my friends, play games on steam or minecraft or read reddit, goof around with computer nerdy things. Philosophisize.


7. What's your job?
Systems Administrator at a small town internet service provider.


8. What's one thing you like about yourself?
I am able to be some of these things sometimes:
* clever
* methodical/thorough
* patient
* care deeply about the happiness of others


9. Alright, now what about something you dislike about yourself?
Flipside of those coins is I can also be:
* pretentious
* boring
* not know when/how to stick up for myself
* have a hard time reading people, thus socializing


10. What's some things your friends noticed about you when they first met you?
Online, that I'm normally in the middle of doing something silly. My voice isn't too hard on the ears but I love using big words. I'm like a straightman in a comic duo. :P


Good! Hold on, yer coming up on some deeper questions now... ready?
No. Wait! Hang on! D:


11. Of what faith/religion are you(if any at all?)
Empiracist (that's a species of Athiest). I believe that you can't really know a thing unless you can demonstrate it with empirical evidence, and ideally measure and quantify it. I believe that decisions made — that affect other people and that they dispute — and that can't be defended by measurable, empirical evidence, are strictly unethical. The reason why is because empirical evidence is the real world's way of expressing itself, and that's the medium we share with other people. When we put our "faith" (religious or otherwise) in front of other people's wishes and additionally in front of the demonstrable facts, that is my definition of evil.


12. Do you drink?
Nop.


13. Do you smoke?
Nop.


14. What are your fears?
I fear hurting people. I fear the rules I most rely on changing out from under me.


15. What are your dreams/goals?
I like learning, and knowing more tomorrow than I do today. I'd like to work out a love relationship that can be an oasis for me when the world is too stressful; that is not more stressful to maintain than my other responsibilities already are.


16. Ever had any crushes/ex's in the past/present?
Dumb question is dumb. :< this works out to "have you ever felt attraction towards another human being in your life". ;P


Almost done!!! Time for some lighter topics now :D
*grumble*rabble*, about time you poopy survey! xD


17. Who's your best bud?
Was  miharuu, but I'm not hear from her no mo. So now it's Lily (Xero Hour, she has no FA) and my boyfriend  wolveman. :3


18. Alright, you got the cravin' for munchies, what'cha reachin' for?
At present? Kettlecorn. :O


19. Favorite drink?
properly made rootbeer float, or properly made peach tea, or properly made apricot slushy? x3 To clarify, I can't properly make any of these. T_T


20. Favorite color(s)?
I'm like bloos and greens, but I identify with reds and blacks. :3


21. If you had any super power, what would it be?
Chameleon Rewind. Can look like anyone or anything you wish, or be invisible or insubstantial or supersubstantial. Can travel to any point in time and space with a thought, including alternate timelines.

I know that's a lot of powers, sounds like godmodding, etc. But in all honesty: what sort of power do you think it would take for one person to, say, broker peace in the middle east or find a cure for cancer? Yeah, I THOUGHT so! xD


22. Favorite movie?
(the following have IMDB links, yaey! :D)
10> Twister
9> Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
8> Die Unendliche Geschichte (The NeverEnding Story)
7> Zero Effect
6> WarGames
5> Contact
4> The Matrix
3> Fight Club
2> Inception
1> The Prestige


23. Least favorite food?
Badly cooked/prepared asparagus or seaweed wraps. (eww, slimy and impossible to chew! Dx )
Berries. Any berries. At all. D:


24. Quick! You have only one meal left before you die!!! What is it?
Sweet and sour chicken soba, or lasagna alfredo. :D


25. What do you drive/wish you drove?
Do drive: Buick Regal 1990ish
Do want: Lamborghini Countache. More or less the same 70's model they used in Automan. x3


Last 5 questions. You're in the homestretch, come on, you can make it! Lets see what gets under your skin.


26. Most disliked bug?
Fuck everything about Mosquitoes Dx Dx Dx
I am chill about almost every other kind of bug. :J


27. Most hated pet peeves?
People who keep you off-balance in order to manipulate you.


28. Dislike in life?
As much as I love learning, I would love to be of average intelligence. By that I just mean I wish the rest of the world would get smarter so that at least half of you guys made me look dumb by comparison. Learning is hard when you already know enough about a subject that there aren't a lot of people left in the environment to learn from. x3


29. Most annoying?
Stigma / xenophobia in our culture regarding sexuality. I wish a bigger chunk of the population would take the time to learn about sex. The sex they want, and what other people enjoy too. It's not that sex is important all by itself, but it is an unavoidable edge-condition of social interaction and you cannot completely understand a thing unless you analyze it's edge conditions. People treat each other so horribly in our everyday world, and a hefty percentage of intolerance and prejudice really stems from our own repressed fears about the unknown and about social edge conditions like sexuality. That's why our economy is in shambles and our foreign policy is a joke, but US politics is made or broken by gay marriage and abortion.

It would stop being a "big deal" if we could stop making it one. If we could grow up, learn about our needs and the needs of others, and then move the hell on to the real issues.


30. Most disliked TV show?
Reality shows, bad melodramas (then again most reality shows ARE bad melodramas xD)

 alizabethshepherd draw teh pretty arts and teh smexy smexy's. She can also shade up your line art, and do's icons and all kind of theeng! :D

She's open for commish and back from a long aways and needs le moneys for ramyn noodls n suchlike.

Hire her to draw the fuck out of your charactar! .. or .. back into it, as the case may be! :D

 teekay are hold a free raffle art journal raffle contest event. xD

Go geet eet!

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7565622

This is from  alizabeth_shepherd

Check out the offer heer: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3110830/

DO EET! DO EET NAOksdfjkjh :D

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2451137/

I am norbal compared to some folk: http://yourfreepics.org/Troll-Food.html

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy I figured out how to make my SL avie look one way while the camera is looking another way, without relying on poses or SL animations :3

I plan to use this for me next drawing. In short, I can alt-click to anchor to a point (my avie looks there too) and orbit horiz and go closer and farther, or I can use ctrl-alt-click to orbit vertical and horizontal. But to make the camera start orbiting around a different point from what I clicked (which is where my avie keeps looking) I can use ctrl-alt-shift-click to pan away from that point to anywhere else, and then orbit around that too!

Hard to maneuver as hell, but I'll works it out. I'm stubborn like that. :3