MrRobbles - 01/15/2018
Hey there. I have recently started playing freeSO and really like what you guys are attempting to do here. I figured it might be a good time to introduce myself.
I own various IT and MSP companies that service clients all over the world. We have multiple software developers and run various infrastructure stacks in Amazaon AWS not to mention own and maintain two very large SAAS platforms.
I noticed today that the server kicks players back out of properties but not from the game. Is this a software implementation issue/bug or a hardware memory/disk space issue? I’m very curious as we have hardware kicking around all the time that might benefit the project.
I guess my question is, do you need help hosting the infrastructure? Obviously, this would be at no financial gain to myself or my companies but my way of helping the community.(edited)
The Architect - 01/15/2018
Nice to meet you! I'm away on vacation but I forwarded this to the lead developer. Thank you very much, I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about.  I return in Thursday. I develop a few features, and the only other developer is the lead developer who does everything. He's rip in peri peri  on discord.
MrRobbles - 01/15/2018
Ok cool!
January 23, 2018
The Architect - Today at 4:18 PM
I have no forgotten about this message. I did pass it along to the admin team. Your post in 3D remeshing reminded me that I owe you an update.

While I cannot speak as expertly about the lot hosting service as the lead developer, I can say that we're ever trying to improve the hosting service.

He recently identified and fixed two very major bugs, one to do with shop lots (still currently the most demanding lot type on the server) as well as an issue when client's avatars disconnect from lots. These two fixes has improved stability and performance tremendously.

Our biggest obstacle with server side performance is that we're running on a Linux server (mostly because Windows servers are very expensive due to licensing fees) which has made logging almost impossible. Mono's logging system simply doesn't provide the data we need to see where we have an obviously memory leak.  Despite that he was able to identify two deceptively simple yet extremely effective bugs that have improved performance.
To directly answer your question about hosting, we're currently using a solution that is allowing us to beta test without scaling the server size, in order that we might continue to tweak the efficiency of the server before it becomes too large to monitor properly.  When FreeSO exits beta and goes into full release, we may have need of changing the "structure of the admin/staff" so to speak, so that the game might be properly in the hands of an experienced server administrator. rip in peri peri is merely a developer, and will definitely move on to other projects at some point, leaving the community to figure out how it wants to host any/all global servers of FreeSO.
Being licensed open-sourced does mean anyone can host their own private servers, but we're really discouraging that at this time, since any traffic diverted to private servers at this time is traffic we can't monitor and test in the beta. Bugs might go unreported if they're on a private server.
Also to speak quite candidly, we're competing with two private servers (of minuscule populations) because two individuals felt that for whatever reason they wanted to violate the wishes of the developers and creating competing worlds. The situation has provided much enmity between the development team and these individuals (and a few others) and has frankly created an environment of incredulity and skepticism as others step forward offering to help with the server and/or hosting.
MrRobbles - Today at 4:26 PM
Interesting
The Architect - Today at 4:26 PM
All this to say that if you're truly interested in helping FreeSO, then at this point I think the best thing to do is introduce yourself to the admin team (specifically rip in peri peri) and perhaps stick around a while and let him get to know you.  I sincerely doubt he's ready to trust someone with the keys to FreeSO any time soon.

Sorry if that sounds cynical and grim, but it's the state of things.  You wouldn't believe how difficult a dozen or so people in this community have been since day 1. There is a long sordid history of unsanctioned servers, closed source code stealing, etc.
MrRobbles - Today at 4:27 PM
Ha! I totally get it, we have major products that host medical, student and financial data. Hiring or even bringing someone on to run a front counter is a test of patients.(edited)
The Architect - Today at 4:28 PM
There was a whole Brazilian server that was taking closed source code and even using EA's intellectual property illegally, and we were quite afraid that EA was going to send us all a cease and desist—despite FreeSO being a 100% legal project, that is something that no one on the development team has the time and/or money to fight.
MrRobbles - Today at 4:28 PM
Fair enough
The Architect - Today at 4:28 PM
That being said I don't want to scare you off or discourage you, because we could really use help.  Right now it's only 2 developers, which is why it takes so damn long to get anything done.
I just think it's smart to start out in a transparent manner.
MrRobbles - Today at 4:28 PM
I manage a small dev team, totally understand.
For sure. I have extra windows servers and Amazon AWS we use but long term maybe puting something in our colo space might be better
The Architect - Today at 4:29 PM
Cool.  Yeah and we're 100% volunteers.  rip in peri peri did almost everything while finishing graduate school, and I only get things done when my toddler isn't being needy, haha
MrRobbles - Today at 4:31 PM
I run mutliple companies and get little time for entertainment so this platform is great for me since I am sitting in one or more offices all day. Sometime this week I will introduce myself to the others. Thanks!
The Architect - Today at 4:32 PM
May I paste this chat to them?
So they know what I've told you? (It's a long saga) haha
MrRobbles - Today at 4:32 PM
Sure.
The Architect - Today at 4:33 PM
Cool. Looking forward to collaborating at some point