Zen Forum International status

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Gregory Wonderwheel
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Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by Gregory Wonderwheel »

Thanks, My problem is that I have a little knowledge but not enough about how this works. If someone could hold my hand and give me directions to talk me through it then that would help. I sent my IP address to the jumpline support email and I'm waiting to hear back from them.
I have to go to a CT scan and will check in later.
Gregory
Dan74 wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2017 10:45 am A ZFI member inquired and got the following response from the host:

Hello,

Your account 'zenforum' was suspended in the shared server
'cpanel03.myhostcenter.com'.

Suspension Reason : While monitoring the server, it was found
that database zenforum_phpb1 in your account is unoptimized and
is causing resource/load issues in the server.

Please get back to us with your public IP address (visit
https://www.whatismyip.com/ to get the IP) so that we can
un-suspend the account and provided you access to it. Once you
get the access, you will have to optimize the databases so that
such issues does not happen in the future. You may also contact
your developer to help you with this.

Please visit the following links to get steps for optimizing
MySQL. Please check the below links for further details.

======

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/ ... ation.html



I guess that either Gregory W either doesn't have the time or there's another reason why this can't be fixed. A technical person has assured me that it is all quite elementary.

For my part, apart from some occasional gems, I've found that ZFI had devolved into a very small club with a definite flavour that didn't quite resonate with me. Not a comment on the active participants, but as a Forum I find it to be a travesty when it shrinks from a pretty vibrant place to a little chatroom dominated by a few regulars. Not sure why this happened since I was inactive for some years. Active moderation is needed both to make sure the place maintains an open vibrant character, welcoming of new-comers, that no one voice dominates and sets the tone, and to keep discussions on track and with some minimum civility. My suspicion is that somewhere along the line, probably due to inaction, some of this didn't happen.

This is a shame, since as of now, there is no actually place online (AFAIK) where Zen/Seon/Thien Buddhists actively discuss the Dharma.

_/|\_
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anjali
Former staff member
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by anjali »

Gregory Wonderwheel wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:12 pm Thanks, My problem is that I have a little knowledge but not enough about how this works....
Gregory, I'm so glad you have posted! Hopefully, someone will step up and give you a hand.
(And best wishes for a good result on your upcoming CT scan.)
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DNS
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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by DNS »

Gregory Wonderwheel wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:12 pm ...
Do you have a backup of the site? If not, check with your web hoster; it is possible they have one.

I see you're in Santa Rosa; glad to see you made it safely through the recent fires.
el gatito
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Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:23 pm

Re: Zen Forum International

Post by el gatito »

Great news. I am more than sure that DW member Anders, who is a highly skilled technician (if memory serves), troubleshooter, and also a ZFI old-timer and valuable contributor, would be available to resolve this issue in a half an hour. I will remove the temporary forum shortly (as it is no longer needed). As soon as ZFI is ready.

Link to the Database Optimize & Repair Tool, version 1.0.2, works with phpBB 3.0.11:

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/ ... pair_tool/

(this is an add-on to the phpBB forum)

Link to the phpMyAdmin Repair and Optimize Database Tutorial :

https://www.siteground.com/tutorials/ph ... -database/

(phpMyAdmin is accessible from within JumpLine hosting master control panel)

To temporary redirect visitors of ZFI to another website, containing a custom message of you choice, by means of creating a temporary CNAME record from within GoDaddy control panel (that's where ZFI domain name is hosted and registered):

Add a CNAME record | Domains - GoDaddy Help US
https://www.godaddy.com/help/add-a-cname-record-19236

Change a CNAME record | Domains - GoDaddy Help US
https://www.godaddy.com/help/change-a-c ... cord-19237

~el g
dharmadhope
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Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:32 pm

Re: Zen Forum International

Post by dharmadhope »

may all go well with CT scan.
el gatito
Posts: 87
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by el gatito »

To whomever it may concern, and who of you reads this first:

The JumpLine support ticketing is accessible at:

https://manage.jumpline.com/supporttickets.php

The present contact on record must enter his email address as email.

As a side note, my personal feeling is that the best optimization of ZFI would be a "clean install". Both literally and allegorically. I mean the following: removing the forum and the database altogether, starting a new hosting plan at a much cheaper host (to pay usd 30 or 40 per year only, not 100+), installing the latest stable phpBB version (3.2.1), starting a fresh database, and refreshing the management team, that has to be a team (incl. at least a treasurer, a sysadmin, and a global mod available daily).

Here is one of the proposed hosts: https://www.smarterasp.net/linux_hosting_plans
It is USD $2.00 per month only, $12.00 per year, incl. Mysql 5.x database hosted on a separate server.
michaeljc
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Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 4:37 am

Re: Zen Forum International

Post by michaeljc »

Hi Folks

The founding owners if ZFI were Gregory and Carol. Due to a SOS from Carol regarding renewal fees due last January I, along with 3 other general members, financed the annual renewal. As payment went via my private credit card I became owner by default. I made it clear that I would take this role for 1 year only.

Some months back Gregory asked if I would hand back this function prior to next year's payment date. I agreed, sending him my user names and passwords.

The Ball is in Gregory's court. He has my email address should he need these usernames and passwords again.

Cheers to all

M
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anjali
Former staff member
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by anjali »

A great number of posts have been split off to a new topic, Looking ahead...(split from ZFI topic), in our new subforum, Zen Community Round Table.

At this point, we can now use this topic to post updates on ZFI status as they become available.
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anjali
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by anjali »

Update: There is a little to report, but not much. A member has been identified who is willing to help Gregory out, but back-an-forth communications have been slow, and I don't know if that person has contacted Gregory. Hopefully Gregory will either post an update here or let me know how things are going in an email.
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Larryo
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by Larryo »

There's another update at zenspace.tk
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anjali
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by anjali »

Larryo wrote: Fri Nov 10, 2017 11:23 am There's another update at zenspace.tk
Thanks for the pointer! I had to dig around a bit to find the update info I think you are referring to. Unfortunately, there is no direct link to the post. The best I can offer for others to find it is the board path: Board index/Zen Space Announcements/Forum News/This Forum Future. Here is the posted update...
el gatitio wrote:
Larry wrote: Something has changed....slightly....

"Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /search.php on this server.

Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request."

That's right. The reason is that, the hosting firm was asking for the developer's IP address to unlock the site for him personally (and lock for the other people) to give him possibilities to control the performance.

As DW forum is showing, Gregory has requested the unlock on Fri, which the hosting did the same day.

Now ZFI developers must optimize the database either from within the MySQL server control panel or possibly from within the forum itself by means of installing an add-on for that purpose. And report back to hosting support when done.

Support then must unlock the site to the public. The question remains, if the optimization possible, if it works, and what is the outcome.
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Larryo
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by Larryo »

el g also posted today....

"Just sent mail to Gregory offering to answer questions and possibly work together towards resolving technical problems (including possible migration of the ZFI forum to a better and cheaper host, and/or attempting to rescue the main database, either partially or in full). Let's see."
el gatito
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Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:23 pm

Re: Zen Forum International

Post by el gatito »

Yes I did and have not heard anything back, as of yet. To clarify things: I feel personally not very comfortable communicating with the present ZFI owners, and for some reason I don't believe they would want help from me. However, directly or indirectly, I was asked or hinted thrice, so I would try to help or answer their questions. Though, I am not a Linux specialist, unlike some other people here, who, in my opinion, can troubleshoot things related to MySQL/PHP in a much faster and effective way. Even the temporary zenspace.tk phpBB board I put on a Windows host.
Last edited by el gatito on Fri Nov 10, 2017 4:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
el gatito
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Re: Zen Forum International

Post by el gatito »

To continue: IMO, to fix the problem the developer has not to "hold someone's hand and give directions". He (or she) has to have simultaneous access to the forum's admin panel, webhost cPanel control panel dashboard, and phpMyAdmin control panel, all three at the same time. But this is not possible technically as the host firm has unlocked the forum for one IP address only. From that address only Gregory would be able to access the forum admin panel, but I am not sure he could, even under remote guidance, accomplish all the steps required to either optimize, or partially truncate and re-build the database. This locking the server to a single IP address makes the situation complicated. Especially if the IP is assigned dynamically. Mine, for example, is. Means, it is different each time I go online. That's why I thought about moving to another host. But in that case, if the current DB will have a very large size of the backup dump file, to transfer it fully would be problematic, to say the least. And to transfer the forum just to the empty forum template, starting afresh, no-one wants, as far as I understand.
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bokki
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Re: Zen Forum International status

Post by bokki »

this is all very strange to me.
i have posted an posted in jundos reviving zfi like a fool, trying to entice to revamp the site format an whatnot, and many ppl had good interesting and helpful ideas.
finally g said nothing is going to change, y do u post so much, basically had a laugh.
now, when he does nothing, for reasons that may b trivial, or serious (he could hand the reins to someone) it seems that the whole archive of zfi rests at his whim..ok, his place his will.
.
.
we could , if any1 knows, get in touch with macdougdoug, he probably knows what is going on.
where is desert, org, fuki, spike, ..oh well. :shrug:
Another log on the fire,
10,000 frogs singing in the rain,
burst into flames.
- Linda Anderson
el gatito
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Re: Zen Forum International status

Post by el gatito »

pokii wrote: Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:15 pmnow, when he does nothing, for reasons that may b trivial, or serious (he could hand the reins to someone) it seems that the whole archive of zfi rests at his whim..ok, his place his will.
No updates on ZFI status from me, as of yet, other than there are most certainly very serious life circumstances that prevent the current forum owners at the moment from working towards resolving the website suspension problem.

The experimental "zen space" board is currently interrupted, and a brief report with a number of notes regarding the board follows, shortly.
el gatito
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Re: Zen Forum International status

Post by el gatito »

Regarding the Zen Space board, I have found myself not entirely capable of running a forum, speaking from ethical perspective. From 12 members who have registered 2 have already left, both because of my own improper action (in one case) and inaction (in another case). Specifically, a new forum member generously offering space on their own online boards didn't receive proper welcome greetings on the Zen Space board (to be precise, no attention at all). That was an example of inaction. The other case was my very unskillful attempt at word play, intended to be humorous, but the outcome of which was not beneficial to anyone.

Technically, though the idea of running a site on a free platform sounds interesting, in practice, testing dozens of free hosting providers for the phpBB/MySQL combination resulted in none of them being able to perform in a proper way. And the super-fast paid platform, the free-trial of which I was using to host the board, cannot last long, unless converted to paid plan. Further, the free dot.tk domain name registrar management tools started to misbehave, so that it looked as I could lose control over the domain pretty soon. Running fully paid, proper, fast and reliable, adequately moderated board requires a greater number of people involved, and this must include a financial sponsor and a Zen Buddhist authority (and not just a sysadmin as a solo administrator).

Regarding ZFI database rescue, there are way more reasons that makes it problematic, than I initially thought. Other than purely technical. For example, it contains a huge database of sensitive info, private messaging system and hidden sub-forums including, that would be revealed to anyone having access to the database server. But without such access nothing is possible. I won't speak of the technical side as this is just a question of time and patience, and lots of work (not just an half-an-hour as I initially thought). For the database is most probably several gigabytes in size.

So, as this has been already suggested, those interested to discuss things, they can with no problems do it here on DW.
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Lindama
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Re: Zen Forum International status

Post by Lindama »

Thank you for your efforts el G.... seems it takes a village as I hear you describe the situation. and, thanks to Anjali who has extended a helping hand.

at this point, there is DW. I"m holding warm thoughts and blessings for the owners.

:namaste:
linda
Not last night,
not this morning,
melon flowers bloomed.
~ Bassho
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KeithA
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Re: Zen Forum International status

Post by KeithA »

Thanks for your hard work on this situation, ElG. Perhaps down the road, the current owners will have the energy and a healthy situation in which to rectify the problems or pass it on to someone interested in reviving ZFI.

In the meantime, DW does seem better equipped to keep our little herd of Zen cats on topic and going in the right direction. :twothumbsup:
When walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking,
being silent, moving, being still.
At all times, in all places, without interruption - what is this?
One mind is infinite kalpas.

New Haven Zen Center
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bokki
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Re: Zen Forum International status

Post by bokki »

thank you gatito for your efforts. starting a new forum without resources and without a base of "folowers"was , well, kind of idealistic, imo. who works also makes mistakes, but that is much better than doing nothing. so thnx
i do have two questions, i may be able to understand better.
1. if the host of zfi is payed, do they zfi open again? michael was last years "owner", maybe he could clear things up, is it a mater of money?
2. again, maybe macdoug could help, too.

finaly, whatever, dw is great, and i also thank their hospitality and anjali's interest to help.

ps: btw Linda, is my signature haiku well remembered, since..well,zfi crashed, lol
Another log on the fire,
10,000 frogs singing in the rain,
burst into flames.
- Linda Anderson
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