Time to Revamp MFM Maps Downloads?

[shawchyn]

The Downloads Page had been done and put into "production"

Who ever try to download from the main link, it will automatically detect the country for the user.
If user from Malaysia, it will automatic connect to the download servers located in Malaysia. It will automatically download it from either my server or bro LiteSpeed's server.

For user from Singapore, it will divert to bro chaicka's server where it located in Singapore.

For those users from other countries, it will direct to those "public file share service" provider. ie: Rapidshare.

We should keep monitoring the downloads. What is the total bandwidth that's on both your servers? bro litespeed is about 200GB. Will it be sufficient for existing downloads?

Not sure how is it now affecting bro litespeed. for me, it is nearly 50% off loaded. The "Random" is not so random it is abt 70% still with my server download and 30% goes to bro litespeed's server.

But for sure we had stop a lot of the traffic from SG and CN.

[bcg]

Request Garmin to post MFM link or server. I don't think so. Since when they approved MFM? I thought MFM uses 3rd party compiler to compile the map for Garmin devices.

Papago. yea. Maybe they likely will help their customers on this issue. But are there any maps for them in the future?

Maybe the MFM server download links could place at the end rather at the front. Most likely people will click the 1st link rather the 2nd, 3rd....

What about P2P?? Safe? such as, torrent?

Furthermore, are the maps files need to be replaced all the times? or just few core files? If playing online games, I found out if changing of sound and skill, only certain files updated. If updating of screen or bosses, then few files will be replaced automatically.


bcg

[chaicka]

The Downloads Page had been done and put into "production"

Who ever try to download from the main link, it will automatically detect the country for the user.
If user from Malaysia, it will automatic connect to the download servers located in Malaysia. It will automatically download it from either my server or bro LiteSpeed's server.

For user from Singapore, it will divert to bro chaicka's server where it located in Singapore.

For those users from other countries, it will direct to those "public file share service" provider. ie: Rapidshare.

We should keep monitoring the downloads. What is the total bandwidth that's on both your servers? bro litespeed is about 200GB. Will it be sufficient for existing downloads?

Not sure how is it now affecting bro litespeed. for me, it is nearly 50% off loaded. The "Random" is not so random it is abt 70% still with my server download and 30% goes to bro litespeed's server.

But for sure we had stop a lot of the traffic from SG and CN.

I think those CN & US traffic coming to my mirror.... There is an increase over the past few days for traffic from CN & US.

Jan 2010 963 1286 1580 1580 74.27 GB
Feb 2010 1883 2245 4573 4573 186.97 GB
Mar 2010 2486 3201 4415 4415 215.94 GB
Apr 2010 609 978 1407 1407 56.18 GB
May 2010 1036 1680 2278 2278 106.46 GB

[chaicka]

Request Garmin to post MFM link or server. I don't think so. Since when they approved MFM? I thought MFM uses 3rd party compiler to compile the map for Garmin devices.

Papago. yea. Maybe they likely will help their customers on this issue. But are there any maps for them in the future?

Maybe the MFM server download links could place at the end rather at the front. Most likely people will click the 1st link rather the 2nd, 3rd....

What about P2P?? Safe? such as, torrent?

Furthermore, are the maps files need to be replaced all the times? or just few core files? If playing online games, I found out if changing of sound and skill, only certain files updated. If updating of screen or bosses, then few files will be replaced automatically.

bcg

bittorrent has its limitations too, not to mention all ISPs in SG have throttled the speed for p2p (not those cheapo solution of blocking/rate-limiting specific ports but high-end ones that's fully capable of application header detection).

[chaicka]

Here are some thoughts to enhance on the auto-redirection approach that bro shawn has done up:

1. Design a simple web-based GUI which the map compilers can submit. Backend should be running on SQL (eg. MySQL). Potentially, if possible, automated scripting/mechanism to upload to designated mirrors.
2. Design the download page to automatically update itself simply by tapping into the information on the SQL (eg. MySQL), thus remove the need to manually edit the html file to point to the URL of latest map released every week.

Let me check out some open source CMS and see if it's feasible to use or as reference to create our own customized download management system.

If there is anyone with web programming skills (php & MySQL) and want to help out, it would be great.

[vash_h]

Hi Everyone..

I have been thinking.. MFM had issues with download bandwidth in the past, and will continue to have bandwidth problems as the downloads increase.. even using those free file sharing sites.

i have a 2 suggestion. It may add a little bit more work to the mappers, but i believe it help resolve the bandwidth problem.
Suggestion 1

Why dont we include a changelog with each release? for example, a new map release, we can write something like

Changelog 20100621
-added Taman XXX
-improved PJ area
-Added 1,500 Food POI
-Added Vietnam Maps (wishful thinking)

and such..

this way, MFM users will see the changelog.. and if the changes does not effect them (where they actively use GPS in), then can skip this update and wait for the next.. this will save the users the hassle of getting every single update without knowing what is improved & updated.


Suggestion 2

Since we are having weekly updates, do we actually put roadblocks or road closures due to road repairs? because LDP seem to seal up the LDP (Uptown towards 1 Utama) causing massive jam (and me late for pak toh kena goreng kao kao kao by gf)

Adding in road closures and update it in the changelog.. so when MFM users/contributors notice the roadblock is lifted, they can update the mappers on the roadblock being lifted.. since we have weekly update, it should be possible to do.

what do you guys think?

[moeyhc]

Great idea but the mappers will need more work. To do this weekly is hard work made harder....cheers

[shawchyn]

Suggestion 1[/b]

Why dont we include a changelog with each release? for example, a new map release, we can write something like

Changelog 20100621
-added Taman XXX
-improved PJ area
-Added 1,500 Food POI
-Added Vietnam Maps (wishful thinking)

and such..

this way, MFM users will see the changelog.. and if the changes does not effect them (where they actively use GPS in), then can skip this update and wait for the next.. this will save the users the hassle of getting every single update without knowing what is improved & updated.

It is not going to work, coz each region updated by different regional mapper and the final copy is combine by bro ongcc. To do this will create extremely more load to bro ongcc and others.

Suggestion 2

Since we are having weekly updates, do we actually put roadblocks or road closures due to road repairs? because LDP seem to seal up the LDP (Uptown towards 1 Utama) causing massive jam (and me late for pak toh kena goreng kao kao kao by gf)

Adding in road closures and update it in the changelog.. so when MFM users/contributors notice the roadblock is lifted, they can update the mappers on the roadblock being lifted.. since we have weekly update, it should be possible to do.

what do you guys think?

Again, the problems that we facing the bandwidth issue is, all the user want to get their update as early as possible. With the change logs or not, they still will download it. So, they are actually 2 other solutions can be work on:
1. Purchase more bandwidth, mean more money.
2. More servers to serve. Mean need more bros & sis out there who have server where we can use their bandwidth for free.
3. Ask member to download the maps later? Never work. So, not a solutions.

With the current script that I had done, it is manage the bandwidth much better. We had significan reduce the "unwanted" bandwidth that come from China, Indonesia, and US.

From the statistic that I had, the best time to download is the 2nd day of the maps release. This is due to we actually have more servers to serve on the 2nd day.

[amrul]

... I sense a deja vu... 3 years ago....

Exactly what I thought.

I second that. And that was why I'm here.

Not again.

[tuah]

Just my opinion:

If members want to download now or later is at their own choice. As for contributors, there are many kind of them. We can classify/categories it in many different ways. But for the active contributors, they sure need the latest map for the frequent updates. This will make MFM map more up-to-date map and ahead of the competitors. We can update every six month if that what the members want but please be aware that there are many changes that occur everyday - eg road closed, street flow direction, new ramp/roads/hiway, new housing areas, mistakes make by mappers/other contributors (including myself), areas that have been tracked or not yet tracked by other members, POIs included in the map or not yet included, etc.

So we need the frequently updated map so that we can plan our tracking activities and make MFM stay ahead.
BTW, why this thing happen after Bro Antyong left. Before that it was NOT an issue at all.