[Hazuya]

Originally Posted by Kitigruqe

I've not been around the emu for very long at all, and I don't mean to step over any boundaries or whatever. I think that no matter how clear and easily obtainable information about server status is, people are going to post questions about it whenever they have a problem. They will fail to look through recent posts or do any sort of searching to notice that their problems are in no way unique.

However, I think that at least some of that could be limited by making the information a little bit more verbose or accessible. As I said, I've only been around for a short time (under a month), but several times I have been confused by the web page and launchpad clearly showing the server as "ONLINE", but then being unable to actually login and as a result wondering if I had some problem unique to me or if there was a server problem.

Yes, the IRC information is available. I don't have an IRC client, and haven't for about 16 years. I don't mean for that to sound snarky -- I can see how would be a good tool for coordinating and communicating in an open-source project, I just personally have moved away from it. Yes, there is the java client available on the web page. I personally don't like installing java because I tend to think that enabling java in a browser opens up more annoyances and potential vulnerabilities than the value of its few worthwhile uses.

While I have refrained from posting before searching, I can easily understand how people are tempted to just ask away the minute they have a problem. Particularly when the web page and launchpad are reporting that everything is "online". Perhaps there could be a second line below the Online/Offline information that adds more specific info, ala:

TC: Nova
Online
(Normal) / (Deadlocked) / (Login Server Down)

I would think a script to fetch that extra info from the IRC channel could be made, or it could even come from a twitter feed or something.

Again I'm not trying to complain or step on anybody's shoes, I just think that some of the excess forum posts would go away if the information was more readily available and the IRC option is just a bit less than ideal for some.

What nice, pleasent comment/response.

Some of the posters above obviously expressed their disappointment less productively.