solving the problems of lag and instability

All systems (without, I think, exception) which operate woth loads close to their maximum capacity and are also subject to random variation in load, are inherently unstable. It is normally the case that when loading gets fairly close to capacity, there is a rapid decline in quality and efficiency. SL may be immune from some of the laws of phusics, but not that one.

That is why things are always worse when the number on line is greater than about 37000, when American and European preferred times overlap. This number is the zone of deteriorating service. Much greater than that, and service gets so bad that many people cant log on, or get fed up and leave (thats why you almost never see more than 39000, even though at these peak periods there are probably about 50,000 who would quite like to log on if service was better).

This is a well-established engineering problem, and there are ALWAYS only two ways to solve the problem.

The first solution is that capacity has to be increased FASTER than the growth in load - with a safety margin to allow for the extra load that would appear if service was better. It simply doesnt ever work to try to try to catch up in arrears, the service level always stays bad and gets worse. It means forecasting the growth trend and providing capacity BEFORE it happens. We should be at about 55,000 peak capacity already, and preparing for 70,000, with a forward plan which always keeps ahead of the game.

If this can't be done, the second solution is to restrict, ration, charge or manage the load so as to reduce it to the available capacity. Ways MIGHT include (and I do not make any judgement on these): ending free accounts; getting rid of troublesome, unpopular or unwelcome members; charging a fee for peak period activity (quite low, I'd guess; and perhaps offset by a reward for offpeak activity by an increased weekly payment or reduced fee); lowering the number of prims allowed per parcel (perhaps with additional optional ones on offer for sale); changing the tier from per square metre to per prim; charging for activities involving extra computing load (I'd guess TPs, judging how that seems to be one of the first signs of impending crashes).

So: increase basic capacity or reduce peak load. And if reduce peal load, use 'market' (price) methods or rationing (planning) methods. All other 'solutions' are evading the issue.

I'd think this is a suitable subject for a considered discussion. Each of the methods has some cost or unfairness or other disadvantage, but the current level of service is really just very irritating.

All this presumes, of course, that SL does manage to solve its other crises and return to growth. I don't think that is inevitable, but it's possible, so worth planning to get it right.

There have been a multitude of threads on this topic already. Apart from the dynamics of the game, all the variations of the internet, the prolifercation of system specs running the game... one of the biggest current restrictions is the asset servers, not offering easy scaleability. The sheer ease that 'content' can be made ingame, whilst offering immense freedom for creativity, can also become the biggest pitfall to encounter this platform. It costs 10L$ to bring in a huge texture into SL and place that on a door knob, it costs nothing but time to create prims by the thousands. Both of which create massive and growing overheads to the system. The very freedom for creativity is also its biggest growing liability, especially when abused. As most things can be copied once in SL, the actual cost for bringing in a 1024x1024 texture which carries an overhead not just for the viewers, but for the system to store and distribute, if copied and sold, even for 1L$, increases the overheads expotentially, although the the one bringing in that texture, after selling 10, the cost of doing so, negates itself to them.

We are all guilty of having bloated inventories which cause ever growing problems with the system, straining trying to download 1,000's of never used objects into our systems each time we log, or transfering those 'assets' between sim servers.

A prim, script and texture tax applied to each sim, would see the game run much more smoothly, coupled with a maximum (prim,object,texture,script) for each avatars inventory would reduce the load on the asset server. This would also make creators work in a smarter and more creative way. No one likes limitations, but then no system can allow to be full open ended infinity. There has to be a balance.

Much talk about 'free accounts' being the biggest cuplprits, yes as stated by LL, they actually carry the lightest load to the system.

both posts have valid points,which ever way the problem is solved ,it needs solving fast.i`am in Europe,and from between about7pm,till 11pm sl isnt worth bothering with.If , i can get logon ,which is generally the case.i can never tp anywhere.this is a constant problem which seems to resovle its self as the number online falls.Some nights i have spent 3 or 4 hrs trying to get on sl properly.As i pay for this right-i expect to be able to logon when ever i like -not when half of europe has gone to bed!!!

Age Verification will cut enough users online for lag and instability to go down.

One of those behind every cloud theres a silver lining deals.

I'll say my goodbyes now then shall I? .. <sniff>

Are you of unverified age bilbo? Or just unverified? j/k lol

Discrimination is hugely supported by those that see themselves on the 'right side' of the line.

Actually there is a great deal the users themselves can do to lighten the loads. I am constantly being told by visitors how much they love being on our island because it does NOT lag and loads real fast. Those 2 things are true because I have spent the better part of the last 3 years learning how to manage the parts of lag a user can manage, first on the mainland and now on hte island.

I am wondering, would anyone be interested in a free class on my discoveries on the subject? Would anyone even try to use the info provided? or would I just be griefed out of giving another class ever ( as happened last time I tried this)?

Darkness, it would be great if you could share your knowledge.

But rather than have a class... can you write it down?

Actually I have written much of it in bits and pieces all over these forums over the years. And usually gotten shredded for my efforts.

I like the class format because it lets me clarify and answer questions immediately. Especially as SL is far more multi lingual than it was 3 years ago and expressions dont always translate well.

The simple fact is that lag control is work, often very hard work. Most folks just find it easier to blame LL for all of it than to lift a finger to fix what they can fix.

Work? ... WORK? ... you dare mention that four-letter word on a friday afternoon?!?

There! .. you've got me all in a lather ... need a lie down in a dark corner ... oh, and a cookie!!

Actually Darkness, I'd be interested in your class .. but time zones and all that?

Sorry that has happened to you. I would love to learn how to be a more stabilizing influence.

I am (like a few others in SL) without a clue about the workings of SL and what makes everything screech to a halt. For instance: I bought a fish rezzer thinking it would be good for my sim, since it was only one prim, until a savvy tenant explained that rezzers are one of the most lagtastic items you can have.

Could you start a Wiki about it? Or is there one already?

Beer is a good word for a friday afternoon...

What about a 30 day free trial rather than a free for all?
Accounts & invs that expire can simply be deleted - if ppl really don't want payment info on file they can just keep creating new free accounts

1L$ for a TP would help alot too

Thankyou Amy .. I feel a lot better for that

That 1L$/tp isn't such a bad idea really .. a kinda subsidised public transport

Ok IF (big IF) I can gather all my info into an organized form in time, I am thinking 2 PM game time Saturday. IF that class goes well I can schedule a second class for a weekday morning (game time) to pick up some of the other time zones.

As for a wiki. I would be clueless how to even go about such a thing and am not certain the information I had would fill one. Although this is not a bad thought since what I know about lag control is an evolving thing. My 60 family members in game now groan when I say "hey guys I got an idea that should buy us some speed."

Damn! Weekend's out for me and game time weekday morning is like my workday afternoon GMT

Thanks! I'll do my darnedest to be there. I'm laying ambushes for my distractable mind, sending myself emails, to remind myself to pull out of the glorious flowery Spring outside tomorrow, and attend your class (if there)! Fun times! -Fo