Author Topic: Time to Delete Old Private Messages  (Read 27907 times)

Offline Phillip Dampier

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Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« on: November 09, 2008, 02:48:12 pm »
Our forum continues to grow in size, and the file that contains private messages is larger than ever.  While there is no problem keeping around important messages you wish to archive in your PM box, please consider deleting any messages that you don't feel you'll need to review again.  If you are hopelessly overwhelmed with PM's (some people have well over 3,000 in their mailbox), it might be time to consider the more brutal approach, and just delete anything dated before January 1, 2008.

We have plenty of disk space, but the larger the files grow, the longer it takes for the forum to display messages, and the longer it takes for our daily site backup, which has grown enormously in size.

Thanks for helping us keep things efficient and fast for everyone!
You're a part of our family - BetterMost, Wyoming

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2008, 06:23:46 pm »
I now have zero personal messages.  I bet that'll show up as a change in the file size.

If anyone wrote to me, and is still waiting for an answer, please re-send.  I feel pounds lighter!

Offline Kerry

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2008, 06:47:48 pm »

Have just deleted all PMs in my In Box and Out Box.  :D
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Offline CellarDweller

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2008, 07:14:27 pm »
Hello Phillip.

I can talk from experinece about this  issue.


We had severe issues on the Dave Cullen forum with this matter.  Forum loading time began to slow, and we even had a few crashes as well.

We soon discovered that excessive PMs were the problem.  We found one member who had over 8,000 PMs saved!

 :o

Once people began to get rid of older messages, the forum's problems stopped.


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline optom3

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2008, 12:21:23 am »
Down to low double digits, just kept a handful of my faves.

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2008, 03:07:02 pm »
Im having a hard time deleting my pms.  I certainly dont have masses but there's a few and as I read I realize just how much my Bettermost friends mean to me.   I willl go back later and try to delete more.    :)

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2008, 03:21:56 pm »
Ive been busy deleting both outbox and inbox, but the number of messages shown at the top of the screen has stayed the same.   :o

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2008, 04:47:15 pm »
I deleted about 200 messages over the last days. And on I go....
Oh, and then there's the outbox ::)

I'll continue deleting until I reach a reasonable number... whatever this will be.

Offline CellarDweller

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2008, 04:49:10 pm »
If you really want to keep the content of the PMs, you could just copy them to a word doc, and then save them on your computer.


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2008, 05:05:33 pm »
I am down below 300 pms.  Ive been pretty diligent, but its time to take a break. The outbox doesnt affect the total number of pms, but Im deleting them too.

Offline Pipedream

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2008, 05:38:09 pm »
I just took a journey through two and a half years of pm history and got rid of most of it. Was about time... :P

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2008, 05:38:46 pm »
... and another 100 gone ...


The outbox doesnt affect the total number of pms, but Im deleting them too.


But it does effect the disc space of BM, doesn't it?

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2008, 05:42:10 pm »
I just took a journey through two and a half years of pm history and got rid of most of it. Was about time... :P

I am not yet able to delete some of the more heartfelt pms.  Bettermost friends are some of the greatest you will find.  :)

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2008, 05:43:31 pm »
... and another 100 gone ...



But it does effect the disc space of BM, doesn't it?

I think the outbox does affect the disc space because Phillip asked us to remove them too.

Offline RouxB

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #14 on: November 14, 2008, 08:13:31 pm »
don't kill me-60 pages of private messages. I just spent the last hour deleting but some of the oldie but goodies will need to stay. They remind me of how I got here and why.

 O0

Heathen

Offline CellarDweller

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2008, 08:17:46 pm »
don't kill me-60 pages of private messages. I just spent the last hour deleting but some of the oldie but goodies will need to stay. They remind me of how I got here and why.

 O0



Rouxb!!!!!   :-*


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2008, 04:24:20 pm »
I came across a wonderful gem as I was "pruning" my pms.  This one I kept, but would like to share it with you all!

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #17 on: November 15, 2008, 04:59:45 pm »
What a wonderful picture Dev. Thanks for sharing! :-*

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #18 on: November 17, 2008, 01:53:23 am »
Hey Jess, do you think you could show me how to save my pms to yahoo?
Ive still got plenty to go.

Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #19 on: November 17, 2008, 09:32:22 am »
Working on it, bit by bit. A challange to my pack rat nature.
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Offline Lynne

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #20 on: November 17, 2008, 08:26:31 pm »
I did it.  I took the Prune Messages approach, but it was still painful.  And yes, I know they're saved in my email, but s--t--i--l--l !!!

 ::)
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #21 on: November 17, 2008, 08:42:31 pm »
I came across a wonderful gem as I was "pruning" my pms.  This one I kept, but would like to share it with you all!

What a great picture! Thanks for sharing!
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Phillip Dampier

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #22 on: November 18, 2008, 08:13:06 pm »
Hello Phillip.

I can talk from experinece about this  issue.


We had severe issues on the Dave Cullen forum with this matter.  Forum loading time began to slow, and we even had a few crashes as well.

We soon discovered that excessive PMs were the problem.  We found one member who had over 8,000 PMs saved!

 :o

Once people began to get rid of older messages, the forum's problems stopped.

8,000?  That's like my Gmail inbox!  I had upwards of 1,500 myself.  I'm down to 800 or so.  I am trying to purge a few dozen a day.  I honestly read every last one of them, but sometimes a lot of my PM's are comments and input, which I don't always have an instant answer for, but usually those things get implemented down the road, so the input is absolutely honored and appreciated. 

We've never really had any technical issues because of the number of PM's, beyond just keeping everything backed up.  I suspect the DC issues may have had to do with the hosting company used and how much memory was allocated to SMF, which can be a memory piggy at times.  DC is also larger than we are, so the specs of the server and the resources provided by the hosting company can also make a difference.  What John and I have learned is that the best way to host an SMF forum is to place it on its own server, or use one of the virtual server technologies that are out there, which allocate "slices" of resources which are guaranteed to be exclusively available to the forum and no other customer.  That way you don't run into a problem with oversold hosting companies or servers that, over time, simply have issues with memory leaks or other problems that require rebooting.

With SMF, the biggest reasons for crashes or slow responsiveness comes from:

 1) the hosting company
 2) installed modifications (mods) to the SMF basic software which are not well written.

Most crashes happen because of the hosting company.  We used to go down about once a month until we finally ditched an older company and switched.  We've been up for several hundred days with no problems ever since.  And third party software mods can also be an issue.

Should DC wish to explore switching hosting companies down the road, you can PM me and I'll share our experiences and recommendations.
You're a part of our family - BetterMost, Wyoming

Offline Phillip Dampier

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #23 on: November 18, 2008, 08:16:06 pm »
I am not yet able to delete some of the more heartfelt pms.  Bettermost friends are some of the greatest you will find.  :)

You are in no way being asked to remove anything you really want to keep here.  We don't have disk space or resource issues.  I just like to remind people to practice good housekeeping whenever possible.  If you want to keep it here, that's fine.

We've also been testing BetterMost e-mail accounts.  I have been wishing and waiting for a mod that can integrate them directly with the forum software.  They would give everyone an e-mail address of [email protected] and let them have as much e-mail as they like - it uses Gmail technology and the messages are stored by them.

I haven't pushed these because they don't integrate with the forum the way I want.  I don't like having disconnected pieces that don't fit well together. 
You're a part of our family - BetterMost, Wyoming

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Time to Delete Old Private Messages
« Reply #24 on: December 24, 2008, 04:32:09 am »
Remember, you can click to make all your PMs go to your email address.  After spending quite a while going back and deleting one by one, I finally pruned em all.  It feels good.  That was about a month ago.  Now I'm trying to keep them deleted after I respond to them.