You might have noticed a slight pause in new reviews coming out. This is because we’re planning to move the site to a new dedicated server.
This will help the site in a few ways:
1) It is cheaper. The deal we have is half the price of current hosting.
2) It is faster. With the entire server dedicated to just one site, it really does reduce the overhead.
The big thing is that it is both a web and mailserver. One of our highest costs is sending out the daily emails, to the extent we have been pruning non-openers from the lists for a while to try to keep it under control. On our original server in 2015 Friday actually took the site down, so we had to pay for a seperate mail server. The new server combines web and mail, creating a huge saving, and even allows unlimited emails so we don’t have to unsubscribe people for going on holiday for two weeks!
As a result the running costs for the site, which as members on the board know were spiralling to the point we were considering shutting down, are likely to be manageable again.
This move is a huge task as the new server uses a completely different system, and we expect it to take a couple of weeks. Once the new site is set up, we will put a freeze on new content on this side for 24 hours and flip the site over.
The first step of the move is planned for this weekend, so if you want to add books to show in that period, please do so before close of business Friday.
The real difference for users, aside from site performance, is that extra features like Kobo, combining bargain books, and the bookmap system can finally be added. We’ve had the functionality available since Feb/Mar but the server simply could not handle the extra load.
If you want to help with funding, as always we’re on Patreon, or put a book cover in the sidebar for a month. Slots are open for July.
