Time to Revamp MFM Maps Downloads?

[Inggo]

What is the difference between weekly map update and 2 weekly map update in term of slow download process? Is it the dowbnload volume? I would thought that if it were monthly update, the problem could actually get worst (is it?) due to people anticipating and want to get the latest map, instead of for weekly, not that many people actually care to download because they know that if they miss this week, next week is stil just around the corner.

I totally agreed with bro sandmanz, if reduce the frequency of updates, it will sure make the map release day worst. The problems that we are facing now is basically as follow:

1. We have > 23K registed users, 10% of them download the file mean 2300 downloads and is about 134Gb of data downloaded

2. We do not have ENOUGH servers to distribute the download sequence. So, existingly MY server seem to be served for all the users

3. Many users doesn't like to download from other "Share Files" service provider, ie RAPIDSHARE

I have ask my programmer to working on a solutions to detect the user IP and route it to their nearest download server. My ideas is to provide "automatic" push the users to use the correct server to download the maps. For example: If the user is identified from Malaysia, he/she will NOT able to download from bro chaicka's server located in SG. Same thing applied to SG user, priority server in MY will serve MY users.

And others countries users will redirect to Share File site for download for the first 4 days of the maps release, the slot for download from MY server will only availabe at the later time of the week. I think it is more fair to MY users.

Again, if any of you guys have better ideas/sugguestion, it is welcome for discussion.

sounds good

[drsec]

For those who feel that by reducing the frequency of map update releases to monthly will increase congestion, I urge you to rethink your reasoning.

The congestion is caused by a certain number of Users trying to download at the same time during the first 2 days.

The real problem is bursting the download volume limit.

The file size would NOT increase dramatically if the release was done monthly as opposed to weekly. From what I have observed, the file size in fact at one time decreased when you cleaned up the map and the average increase is just a few Ks. So this would not increase congestion.

I also do not believe reducing the frequency increases the number of Users dramatically. I believe it would be the same number of eager Users. So this would not increase congestion.

Given the Internet Host cap on download volume, releasing the map once a month reduces the download volume per month to 25%, not increase it.

Restricting the main download server to "contributors" would create an elite clique tantamount to a "member only" club. "Non-contributors" take whatever that is thrown at them. This is contrary to our community basic philosophy. I say "our" because I would like to think that I am still a member of this community. Or is it that there is now a caste system here. One would only get the "Contributor" tag when one is bestowed it by the "inner circle" irrespective of whether one has really contributed. If this is line of thought is continued in deference to the silent majority, you are repeating the same mistake. I really urge you to rethink.

[cwyap]

Restricting the main download server to "contributors" would create an elite clique tantamount to a "member only" club. "Non-contributors" take whatever that is thrown at them. This is contrary to our community basic philosophy. I say "our" because I would like to think that I am still a member of this community. Or is it that there is now a caste system here. One would only get the "Contributor" tag when one is bestowed it by the "inner circle" irrespective of whether one has really contributed. If this is line of thought is continued in deference to the silent majority, you are repeating the same mistake. I really urge you to rethink.

That's pretty harsh to say that "non-contributors" take whatever that is thrown at them. They still get the same quality update as those who put in the effort to make MFM a better map, just have to wait perhaps a couple of hours later. The assumption that there will be an elite clique or "members only club" or, horror of all horror , "caste system" doesn't hold water as in fact the volunteers are actually making things easier for everyone; instead of everyone squeezing into the same pipeline thus slowing the traffic to a crawl (and not forgetting the hosting service providers screaming their heads off), the volunteers seed the internet with various download locations for the convenience of others.

[shawchyn]

For those who feel that by reducing the frequency of map update releases to monthly will increase congestion, I urge you to rethink your reasoning.

The congestion is caused by a certain number of Users trying to download at the same time during the first 2 days.

The real problem is bursting the download volume limit.

The file size would NOT increase dramatically if the release was done monthly as opposed to weekly. From what I have observed, the file size in fact at one time decreased when you cleaned up the map and the average increase is just a few Ks. So this would not increase congestion.

I also do not believe reducing the frequency increases the number of Users dramatically. I believe it would be the same number of eager Users. So this would not increase congestion.

With respect, Reduce the frequency for maps release is definitately will cause congression and jam up the download. I had the proof. Take the example of our bros in navigasi that produce Indonesia maps. We here also host their maps release too. Their frequency of maps release in average is once a month, and sometime is about 1.5mths.

When they release their latest v1.74 maps, our server is serving about 28Gb of data download, it serve about 559 users from MY and SG (in 1 day). And this is only for those who know our server link. Imagine, if is the MfM maps, it sure you trigger lots of people to come to download it.

Restricting the main download server to "contributors" would create an elite clique tantamount to a "member only" club. "Non-contributors" take whatever that is thrown at them. This is contrary to our community basic philosophy. I say "our" because I would like to think that I am still a member of this community. Or is it that there is now a caste system here. One would only get the "Contributor" tag when one is bestowed it by the "inner circle" irrespective of whether one has really contributed. If this is line of thought is continued in deference to the silent majority, you are repeating the same mistake. I really urge you to rethink.

I DO NOT agreed to restrict the download is limited to "constributors" ONLY. I think it is violet the core of the MfM to provide free maps. But, by directing the download for users to the correct servers is to server the members with better users experience and will not cause unnecessories issue.

Some members are reporting that they can download MfM Garmin maps (~ 60Mb) in just less than 4mins from the correct server then why should we get them to download from another side of the world? We also experience "unusual" high traffic download of our maps from China, as I believe, it is mainly by those 'pirated' version of GPS vendor in China "pre-load" MfM to their device.

So, by limiting that kind of traffic and the extra save traffic can use to serve MY and SG user better.

P/S: More Posts doesn't mean he/she deserve "contributor" ranking. Constributor with not much post, doesn't mean they get the rank by backdoor. Lot of effort that put into these communities is not only seem in the forum post, but a lot of "unseen" works done.

[sulphur]

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

Exactly what I thought.

[aikliang]

Can I throw another suggestions into the picture?

When you download the maps, it is in one "container" i.e. xxxxxx.exe. When you execute the file, there are actually various map tiles on it example for 100514.exe the files are:-

MFM BUSINESS POI: West Malaysia Malfreemaps 100517 71 KB
MFM Brunei BR0005 by Alyem 100515 Malfreemaps 100517 1.02 MB
MFM EPM v3.17 by Antyong/Sunn Malfreemaps 100517 4.31 MB
MFM JHRv2.70.4-Robo,Gerkeng,Pauchai Malfreemaps 100517 5.78 MB
MFM KL/Selangor v6.22 by Antyong, Sunn Malfreemaps 100517 10.6 MB
MFM Melaka v0.84 by Sunn Malfreemaps 100517 1.54 MB
MFM N Sembilan V1.09 by fancheng Malfreemaps 100517 2.23 MB
MFM NPM v3.08 by OngCC Malfreemaps 100517 5.78 MB
MFM POI: East Malaysia & Brunei Malfreemaps 100517 262 KB
MFM POI: Singapore Malfreemaps 100517 1.16 MB
MFM POI: Thailand Malfreemaps 100517 72 KB
MFM POI: West Malaysia Malfreemaps 100517 2.43 MB
MFM PRK v4.27 by OngCC Malfreemaps 100517 4.19 MB
MFM Polygons: Brunei Malfreemaps 100517 40 KB
MFM Polygons: Johor Malfreemaps 100517 1.26 MB
MFM Polygons: Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Malfreemaps 100517 1.45 MB
MFM Polygons: Melaka Malfreemaps 100517 379 KB
MFM Polygons: Negeri Sembilan Malfreemaps 100517 134 KB
MFM Polygons: Pahang, Terengganu & Kela Malfreemaps 100517 4.54 MB
MFM Polygons: Perak Malfreemaps 100517 1.58 MB
MFM Polygons: Perlis, Kedah & P.Pinang Malfreemaps 100517 1.01 MB
MFM Polygons: Sabah Malfreemaps 100517 2.40 MB
MFM Polygons: Sarawak Malfreemaps 100517 4.33 MB
MFM Polygons: Singapore Malfreemaps 100517 1.28 MB
MFM SG Address & Postal Code Malfreemaps 100517 1.37 MB
MFM SRTM 10m Contours (N) v1.03 Malfreemaps 100517 12.4 MB
MFM SRTM 10m Contours (S) v1.03 Malfreemaps 100517 16.9 MB
MFM Sabah/Labuan v1.53 by shideen,johnT Malfreemaps 100517 3.59 MB
MFM Sarawak v1.55 by edchuang, tmpg, al Malfreemaps 100517 3.15 MB
MFM Singapore v1.78 by OngCC Malfreemaps 100517 3.13 MB
MFM South Thailand v1.26 Malfreemaps 100517 3.58 MB
MFM-SRTM 10m Contours (SBH) v1.01 Malfreemaps 100517 19.3 MB
MFM-SRTM 10m Contours (SWK-N) v1.01 Malfreemaps 100517 23.4 MB
MFM-SRTM 10m Contours (SWK-S) v1.01 Malfreemaps 100517 18.5 MB

Can we say instead of putting all these files into one container, just let members decide what they want to download? Example say I want to go Singapore this week, then I will just download all the map tiles related to Singapore, which is only about 5.57 MB in size. They can then open this in mapsource and up-load to device.

[aikliang]

Can we say instead of putting all these files into one container, just let members decide what they want to download? Example say I want to go Singapore this week, then I will just download all the map tiles related to Singapore, which is only about 5.57 MB in size. They can then open this in mapsource and up-load to device.

Can this be done?

[shawchyn]

Can we say instead of putting all these files into one container, just let members decide what they want to download? Example say I want to go Singapore this week, then I will just download all the map tiles related to Singapore, which is only about 5.57 MB in size. They can then open this in mapsource and up-load to device.

Can this be done?

I am not sure about it, but I believe most user still prefer to download the entire package.

[doraemon]

Just for discussion and share of ideas...

To reduce downloads into individual PC, why not create a web updates installer.

Everyweek after each map released, user just run web updates, it check for map tiles files and its version you have in your folders against the server folder before downloading. And it only download files with different version. So for files like
MFM-SRTM 10m Contours (SBH) v1.01 Malfreemaps 100517 19.3 MB
MFM-SRTM 10m Contours (SWK-N) v1.01 Malfreemaps 100517 23.4 MB
MFM-SRTM 10m Contours (SWK-S) v1.01 Malfreemaps 100517 18.5 MB
dun change on every release, so these files will be skipped and reduce download volumes.

[drsec]

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

Exactly what I thought.

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