Site performance - update

To All,

I would like to start off first by saying I am very sorry that our recent move has not proven to be more stable than I hoped. To be honest it was a quick fix to get us through a rough patch until we were ready to move to a dedicated server. During this time I had other projects that I started quite a while going that needed to get wrapped up such as the forum re-design, various updates to the site, contests (books, knife give aways) and a whole slew of other items to numerous to write down.

You may or may not know this but part of the problem for us is our framework which runs the site. There several different technologies we are using to run the site that all worked very well when we first start out and only had say 700 registered users. Now we are over 16,000 and we just can't handle the bandwidth. I am in the process of switching frameworks (cold fusion to php for those who are interested) and with a full time job, family etc it takes a long time to get to things.

Please know that my main focus at this time is getting this site on a dedicated server and running smoothly. It has been nothing short of frustrating the amount of emails, pms etc on the database timeouts.

Please be patient I will have this situation tied down within the next 1-2 months.

I see timeouts now and then - but the "temp" patch is vastly superior to the prior. it may not be perfect but it's a danged sight (site?) improvement!

I really appreciate that. Like I said I am working on this full time from here on out. I think part of the issue that I have spent a lot of time researching the right framework since I don't want to get into the same mess I am in now.

Also, our google listings are huge and in order to move it will require a large effort to make sure we retain what we have.

In short this is not a small move it is a big one for us and I need to make sure everything is in place. It will happen we just need to be patient for a little while longer.

I've just been browsing other sites that use a format similar to the "old" ChefTalk design and now I'm really appreciating how great this new format looks. Great Job! It did take me a few visits to get used to it, but now I love it. Thank you so much for all your hard work.
I do have a question: What's the meaning of the new and varied ways our user names are displayed? Why is mine in yellow and others are in red or black?

The change in username color and font is for your usergroup. You are a ChefTalk supporter so your name is in gold! Red is for Admins, ChefTalk Green is for Mods, and the regular old font is for everyone else. :)

Support ChefTalk and get your name in lights!