Where Has Watkins Bay Wind Page Gone?!?!

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sflack
sflack
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574 posts
VIC, 574 posts
13 Nov 2008 3:52pm
This is probably the worst news to hit melbourne since the Aquarium had a Salmonella out break!!!

What has happened?!?!?!
Cambodge
Cambodge
VIC
851 posts
VIC, 851 posts
13 Nov 2008 4:22pm
This is a disaster!

Here are his details (from Google):

"Andrew WatkinsAndrew Watkins. Position: Honorary Research Fellow ... Postal: School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010 Telephone:+61 3 9669 4360 ..."

There's his phone no. Someone give him a call!
ddevil
ddevil
WA
43 posts
WA, 43 posts
13 Nov 2008 2:33pm
Hmmm, to me it looks like somebody stuffed up the server . All the personal home pages are not accessable anymore and lots of MySQL errors...
OceanBlue64
OceanBlue64
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980 posts
VIC, 980 posts
13 Nov 2008 5:58pm
I think Andrew is 'Windjunky' and posts on here on Seabreeze. I am sure he will sort it out when he can. It has gone down before when he was away and he sorted it out once he got back.
windjunky
windjunky
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401 posts
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13 Nov 2008 10:52pm
Yeah I am indeed windjunky!

Well i'm as bemused as you guys, cos everything is running fine, just seems to be the server thats cut us off and hence not delivering my or anyones personal pages (which this is for me - it isnt anything official, just a bit of fun i started to help me get on the water for a windsurf).

There are rumours of Melb Uni centralisation of web pages, with restrictions on personal stuff :-( I still haven't heard anything from the IT folks, so i'll assume the best (i.e., somethings gone wrong) till i hear the worst.

As for visits... well till now the home page alone gets 10,000 per day. See:
http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=stats&s=s37baywinds


windjunky
windjunky
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401 posts
VIC, 401 posts
14 Nov 2008 1:11pm
Actually just found out... the server was hacked into and severely compromised, and this has necessitated a major overhaul of how things are done. Might be Monday before things are working again.
MikeyS
MikeyS
VIC
1509 posts
VIC, 1509 posts
14 Nov 2008 2:27pm
Oh NO. No Bay Winds Page for the whole weekend. Arrrg!

Like a tree falling in the forest when no-one's there to hear it, there is no wind unless it's on you website, Andrew.
sflack
sflack
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574 posts
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15 Nov 2008 9:27am
Nice work andy!

Looking forward to having it going again!
ginger pom
ginger pom
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1746 posts
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15 Nov 2008 12:24pm
If you're getting that many hits then maybe you could ask someone else to host it. I'm sure RPS, SHQ etc would be interested.
OceanBlue64
OceanBlue64
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980 posts
VIC, 980 posts
15 Nov 2008 12:55pm
Depending on the bandwidth and db requirements, I may be able to help you out with the hosting as well, thats if the uni stops all your personal sites.

I know I use Bay Winds quite regularly and would be more than happy to help out if required.
windjunky
windjunky
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401 posts
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15 Nov 2008 9:58pm
Yeah, i've often thought about moving it somewhere else, cos one day they gotta kick me off (I finished my PhD and left Melb Uni in 1998, but I am still an honorary research associate in EarthSciences which is very gracious of them, but it cant go forever).

The only concerns for me are that its a) written with some fairly "in house" software (at least the graphs) though i could re-do them with a shareware like gnuplot, but thats more work; b) having it hosted on a site like SHQ or RPS sorta ruins the goal of the pages - simple, effective fast loading pages with no flashing lights and dancing girls, and basically a web page true to the original premise of the web; that its all about the data and c) its written very clunkily and i'd love to re-write it all; any computer boffins would cack themselves at how i've done it (c-shell scripts), but then thats cos it has evolved rather than been planned (originally it was just a graph for Fawkner Beacon and a graph for South Channel cos i sailed at Middle Park and Rye).

I guess what i would love to do is find a UNIX box i could install software on and that has a server that would host it under its own domain name. Does anyone know how much such a beast would cost and who does this??
latedropeddy
latedropeddy
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417 posts
VIC, 417 posts
15 Nov 2008 10:56pm
Such an awesome site. it is amazing just how many people "check up" and see what it is doing. At my work I have 3 fishos, 4 sailors, 2 kiters and 2 windsurfers that religiously look at it either as an escape or to make plans on where to go and what to expect.

it would of been great to see todays plot (I was caught pretty far out on a 6.6m and crapping myself) - the 30 minute resolution BOM site doesnt really do it for me.

Ive always wondered about the resolution of the data that you receive - are you getting an average windspeed/direction/max gust over say a 5 minute period or are they instantaneous values from the stations?

good luck with your future endeavors.

windjunky
windjunky
VIC
401 posts
VIC, 401 posts
17 Nov 2008 12:04pm
Its bacckkkkkk...
OceanBlue64
OceanBlue64
VIC
980 posts
VIC, 980 posts
17 Nov 2008 7:57pm
Awesome. Thank you
Jman
Jman
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881 posts
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17 Nov 2008 11:04pm
windjunky said...

Its bacckkkkkk...


But it's stoped at 3:55 pm
sflack
sflack
VIC
574 posts
VIC, 574 posts
17 Nov 2008 11:39pm
Disaster Strikes Again!

Its a pity the wind isnt always 20kts from the south!

Keep up the good work fellas!

Thanks again Andy!
windjunky
windjunky
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401 posts
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18 Nov 2008 11:52pm
I think i need a long holiday!!
sflack
sflack
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574 posts
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25 Nov 2008 11:48am
What does it mean when the Fawkner Beacon is showing no readings on ANY page?

It must have been stolen?!!!
windjunky
windjunky
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401 posts
VIC, 401 posts
25 Nov 2008 2:00pm
sflack said...

What does it mean when the Fawkner Beacon is showing no readings on ANY page?

It must have been stolen?!!!


The BoM boys have said that the wind data transmitter is locked in its boot cycle, but rest assured they're working on it.
MikeyS
MikeyS
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1509 posts
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25 Nov 2008 2:17pm
Thank goodness that a ship hasn't crashed into it.....again.
sflack
sflack
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574 posts
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25 Nov 2008 3:22pm
MikeyS said...

Thank goodness that a ship hasn't crashed into it.....again.


again??? Have boats crashed into the Beacon???

Awesome! Thats for the update guys!

Cheers Again!

Steve

BTW!!! Where is the 30kt South Easter that was ment to hit today?!
MikeyS
MikeyS
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1509 posts
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25 Nov 2008 5:20pm
Allegedly in December 1990, but I haven't been able to confirm that from any official sources like the Aus Transport Safety Board (ASTB) reports yet.
windjunky
windjunky
VIC
401 posts
VIC, 401 posts
26 Nov 2008 12:01pm
MikeyS said...

Allegedly in December 1990, but I haven't been able to confirm that from any official sources like the Aus Transport Safety Board (ASTB) reports yet.


According to the BoM records, the Beacon was destroyed by a ship on 11/12/1990, and hence the wind observations didn't get back up till 1992.
sflack
sflack
VIC
574 posts
VIC, 574 posts
26 Nov 2008 1:36pm
wow thats pretty intense!!

Andy... when do ya reckon they will have the Beacon back up and going again?

Cant you just turn it off an on again?!
sflack
sflack
VIC
574 posts
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1 Dec 2008 10:12pm
When do you think Fawkner will be back up and running again!

Are there any other (sailing club) websites that have the wind on them?

Cheers Steve
windjunky
windjunky
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401 posts
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2 Dec 2008 10:47am
sflack said...

When do you think Fawkner will be back up and running again!



I've spoken with the guys in charge, and they have arranged for a crew to go out to the beacon on Thursday to change over the transmitter - weather/sea state dependent of course. Best other option is the St Kilda Marina obs, IMHO.
sflack
sflack
VIC
574 posts
VIC, 574 posts
2 Dec 2008 12:41pm
awesome thanks andy!

I rang them up today, the dude sounds mighty pissed off... i think loads of yachties, kiters and windwackers have been ringing up to let them know.

Thanks for ya help andy!

See you all out on the water soon!

BRING ON THE SEABREEZE'S
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