[Wikipedia-l] Database queries + an apology

[Tim Marklew]

>Tim Marklew wrote:
> > LDC - could you comment on how potentially dangerous this function is in
> > terms of slowing down the site for others?  If a query results in a big
> > table, this can slow down the server.  Is there an upper limit for how
> > long a query can take, or the size of a table, before it would time
> > out?  If so, how big is the limit?
Brion Vibber wrote:
>Umm, not that I know of....
>On that note; currently the MySQL server is running at 99.5% CPU.
>Whatever it's doing, it's slowing the wiki to a trickle; I can't even
>get a connection through.....
>The IP address on this query looks suspiciously like yours, Tim! Exactly
>what query did you run?

It looks like it was me that brought the server to a standstill yesterday.  
I would like to apologise to everyone who was inconvenienced.

This at least unequivocally answers the question about how dangerous direct 
database queries can be - it is quite possible for a sysop to bring 
Wikipedia to a complete standstill by accidentally entering an inappropriate 
database query.

That said, the direct database queries can be really useful when done right. 
  I suggest that anyone who wants to experiment with them asks Lee Daniel 
Crocker for sysop access on the Wikipedia test site 
(http://www.piclab.com/newwiki/wiki.phtml?title=Main_Page).  That way you 
can test that things work as they should before trying them out on the main 
Wikipedia site.

Again, sorry to everyone for any hassle caused.

Tim (Enchanter)

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