random sorting broken (was Re: Re[2]: php vs WebCatalog)

This WebDNA talk-list message is from

2000

It keeps the original formatting. numero = 27136
interpreted = N
texte = >Troll alert!Fish on!>Mit freundlichen Gr��en / Best Regards>>Dale Therio>>Dresdner Kleinwort Benson Research>J�rgen-Ponto-Platz, 1>Frankfurt, Germany>+49 (0) 69 263 19977 - phone>+49 (0) 69 263 11379 - fax>>>> -----Original Message----->> From: 100-Watt Puppeteer [SMTP:jtc@brokenmachine.com]>> Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 22:17>> To: WebDNA-Talk@talk.smithmicro.com>> Subject: Re: Re[2]: php vs WebCatalog >>>> I can tell you that the random function in database searches for webcat>> does not work well at all. I've used the random functions in both>> languages and only WebDNA made me pull my hair out.>>> >Maybe you are not using it correctly? I have a site that while>compared to sites by others on this is is 'low-volume' I get about 1.6>million page views per month, all processed through WebCat. And the random>feature has worked fine for me.We are using it correctly. What Jereme is saying here is that the random sort function in webcat searches is not very random, and for many of our purposes, not random enough.At first glance they look random. However, if you do 100,000 random searches and look at the distribution, it doesn't look very random at all.I agree that many people are using random sorting, and it may appear to be working. Just be aware that all entries are not getting an equal shot at being selected.> > For the cart number generator, the number has to be stored somewhere in a>> database or (ugh) text file. You could easily use MySQL or any SQL>> servers auto increment int field to do this and it would never repeat. It>> wouldn't be random, but is randomness necessary?>>> So does this mean that you are backing down from your claim of>being able to create such a routine? As for randomness, I needed and I use>it. It works fine for me.Sometimes randomness isn't necessary. In the case of cart numbers, a unique sequential number would work fine provided that it isn't reused by multiple users. Record locking in SQL should allow increment-and-reference operations to take place atomically, although I don't remember enough SQL to code it.> If you don't like the product, why are you on this list and making>your comments?Because we hired Jereme to learn Webcatalog to develop kick-butt sites as part of our team, and now he's a member of the cult of webcat along with the rest of us...We may start using PHP for some things if the situation is right or the project demands it, and I appreciate having someone on staff with knowledge of other applications. It's good to have a multi-product perspective sometimes, even if you don't always use the best tool for the job every time.-The Other Dale> > >> --->> JEREME claussen --b-r-o-k-e-n-m-a-c-h-i-n-e-->> jtc@brokenmachine.com -http://www.brokenmachine.com/>>>> On Fri, 4 Feb 2000 jpeacock@univpress.com wrote:>>>> :Jerome ->> :>> :Please write me a cart number generator. Do it in pseudo-code, PHP, or>> even C;>> :doesn't matter to me. Make sure it can handle 1000's of hits per second>> without>> :creating a dupe. I don't think you have even considered how to do it,>> let alone>> :tried.> > [snipped]>>-- ----Dale LaFountain mailto:dalel@darkhorse.comVice President of Information Technology, WebmasterDark Horse Comics, Inc. Ph: 503-652-8815 x324http://www.darkhorse.com/ Fax: 503-652-6917-------------------------------------------------------------Brought to you by CommuniGate Pro - The Buzz Word Compliant Messaging Server.To end your Mail problems go to .This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list .To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to Associated Messages, from the most recent to the oldest:

>Troll alert!Fish on!>Mit freundlichen Gr��en / Best Regards>>Dale Therio>>Dresdner Kleinwort Benson Research>J�rgen-Ponto-Platz, 1>Frankfurt, Germany>+49 (0) 69 263 19977 - phone>+49 (0) 69 263 11379 - fax>>>> -----Original Message----->> From: 100-Watt Puppeteer [SMTP:jtc@brokenmachine.com]>> Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 22:17>> To: WebDNA-Talk@talk.smithmicro.com>> Subject: Re: Re[2]: php vs WebCatalog >>>> I can tell you that the random function in database searches for webcat>> does not work well at all. I've used the random functions in both>> languages and only WebDNA made me pull my hair out.>>> >Maybe you are not using it correctly? I have a site that while>compared to sites by others on this is is 'low-volume' I get about 1.6>million page views per month, all processed through WebCat. And the random>feature has worked fine for me.We are using it correctly. What Jereme is saying here is that the random sort function in webcat searches is not very random, and for many of our purposes, not random enough.At first glance they look random. However, if you do 100,000 random searches and look at the distribution, it doesn't look very random at all.I agree that many people are using random sorting, and it may appear to be working. Just be aware that all entries are not getting an equal shot at being selected.> > For the cart number generator, the number has to be stored somewhere in a>> database or (ugh) text file. You could easily use MySQL or any SQL>> servers auto increment int field to do this and it would never repeat. It>> wouldn't be random, but is randomness necessary?>>> So does this mean that you are backing down from your claim of>being able to create such a routine? As for randomness, I needed and I use>it. It works fine for me.Sometimes randomness isn't necessary. In the case of cart numbers, a unique sequential number would work fine provided that it isn't reused by multiple users. Record locking in SQL should allow increment-and-reference operations to take place atomically, although I don't remember enough SQL to code it.> If you don't like the product, why are you on this list and making>your comments?Because we hired Jereme to learn Webcatalog to develop kick-butt sites as part of our team, and now he's a member of the cult of webcat along with the rest of us...We may start using PHP for some things if the situation is right or the project demands it, and I appreciate having someone on staff with knowledge of other applications. It's good to have a multi-product perspective sometimes, even if you don't always use the best tool for the job every time.-The Other Dale> > >> --->> JEREME claussen --b-r-o-k-e-n-m-a-c-h-i-n-e-->> jtc@brokenmachine.com -http://www.brokenmachine.com/>>>> On Fri, 4 Feb 2000 jpeacock@univpress.com wrote:>>>> :Jerome ->> :>> :Please write me a cart number generator. Do it in pseudo-code, PHP, or>> even C;>> :doesn't matter to me. Make sure it can handle 1000's of hits per second>> without>> :creating a dupe. I don't think you have even considered how to do it,>> let alone>> :tried.> > [snipped]>>-- ----Dale LaFountain mailto:dalel@darkhorse.comVice President of Information Technology, WebmasterDark Horse Comics, Inc. Ph: 503-652-8815 x324http://www.darkhorse.com/ Fax: 503-652-6917-------------------------------------------------------------Brought to you by CommuniGate Pro - The Buzz Word Compliant Messaging Server.To end your Mail problems go to .This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list .To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to Dale LaFountain

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random sorting broken (was Re: Re[2]: php vs WebCatalog)

2000

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