I just had a chat with Vern on Skype, and decided to dig a lil', here's the convo::
[8:34:09 PM] Vernon: I will be giving users a self-audit button tonight. also there will be better reports coming out for you guys
[8:34:14 PM] ME: Can I actually make a few suggestions while I got you?
[8:34:18 PM] Vernon: sure
[8:37:21 PM] ME: Each coin page - that left column = so many inefficiencies for load balancing 50K+ users in different regions. I don't think anyone cares to see 94 pairs fluctuating while on their chosen coin page to trade. Those pages (imo) should only have the order books for that coin - that's it - so much less load.
Second - I don't know who did your algo/matching engine but buying/selling needs 3 clicks, many popups, no grouping of orders, can't buy into big walls, only a few trades a minute, orders pop up in opposite column before showing in proper column, much delay.. I think new servers is great but you guys really need to optimize your data layout per page and the way your engine/algo works.
[8:39:56 PM] ME: Perhaps you're already doing all this, and if so - kudos, I think you are currently in a do or die situation with the market and accepting new users while not being able to keep up with current userbase needs is asking for a lot of trouble. I'm not sure what the sequence to fix all this is and I'm sure your hands are full so this is just me pretending to be in your shoes and prioritizing what's most important - right now your infrastructure and PR are both kinda crumbling and you're a victim of your own success (good problem to have I suppose just hope it's temporary). Hope you don't mind this comment.
[8:42:18 PM] Vernon: yes, right now my main focus is trade engine. I made a change yesterday which speeds it up quite a bit, but then the database had some issues today - that is the next thing that is getting upgraded (probably monday night)
[8:42:35 PM] ME: So YOU actually coded the engine?
[8:42:56 PM] ME: Do you have others working on it with you or just solo?
[8:43:01 PM] Vernon: The tickers on the left are probably the least load intensive, since they are just push notifications via broadcase
[8:43:05 PM] Vernon: *broadcast
[8:43:26 PM] ME: I see - so it's all engine lag - wow mate.
[8:43:44 PM] Vernon: I created the entire site as it currently is. A new developer just started thursday, but it will likely take some time before he can jump into things
[8:43:51 PM] ME: Is there a huge dev. differentiating factor between you guys and say the gox/btc-e engine?
[8:44:20 PM] Vernon: Well, if you remember, the original Gox engine had some major lag itself. sometimes several minutes.
[8:45:26 PM] ME: Yes true - so did BTC-e - however that was during huge pumps, and they only have one pair - your system is probably a lot more robust to be able to handle all the activity but as you see it's overloading for weeks even with your new servers and tweaks.
[8:46:15 PM] Vernon: There are a few redesigns I'm working on, but these things take a bit of time to build and test
[8:46:20 PM] ME: Just trying to gage what/how big to go with you guys, have a lot of reserves, a little afraid to trade, do you actually see your site/engine being as fast as gox/btc-e ever or are you in totally unchartered waters re how to proceed and what the outcome may be?
[8:47:00 PM] ME: I have owned a media/dev company and run 40+ sites so I admire what you've done and respect the challenge, not digging at you hope you see this as a positive critique.
[8:47:44 PM] Vernon: eventually it will be extremely fast, I'm working on migrating the data storage for the order books into a much faster storage mechanism
[8:48:29 PM] ME: Cool, are you guys also buying tons more servers and is that also a big differentiating factor now compared to others or does it not matter after a certain point and it's all engine from there..?
[8:50:28 PM] Vernon: it's both software and hardware upgrades. We can only do so much by throwing more hardware at it
[8:50:30 PM] ME: If that's too sensitive, a better way to phrase my question :: Do you have a timeline re your response to the market or is it an ongoing battle with uncertainty re next needs hardware/software wise?
[8:51:05 PM] ME: This convo is actually very productive and think many need to read this - do you mind if I post the latter part of it on the boards where people are freaking out?
[8:51:21 PM] Vernon: I am consulting with people who have designed large complex systems before, to determine where our bottlenecks are
[8:51:37 PM] Vernon: I would like the system to be able to handle 1m trades a day at least in every market.
[8:51:57 PM] Vernon: You may post it. Just don't post my Skype id.
[8:52:34 PM] ME: That would be dreamy, I would like it to instantaneously fill my orders and eat through walls like btc-e/gox, once you're there, you guys are going to win a big market race, I wish you best of luck and don't mind if I nudge you in the near to check in. Have a great day!
[8:54:28 PM] Vernon: You are on my list now, so I'll likely respond to any questions.
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I won't lie, I do feel a bit better re Cryptsy's near future.