feddit.de has been giving “Server error” for some time but I read that the server is still working when using a Lemmy app. Tried the Photon front-end today and choosing feddit.de as instance.

My question (I’m just curious, I have no account on feddit.de) is : Can an alternative front-end on their server co-exist with the other server software ? I guess it would be a matter of installing Photon and then point nginx configuration to that. Or am I missing something crucial ?

  • taladar@sh.itjust.works
    5·
    7 months ago

    It is not that the regular frontend doesn’t work and alternative frontends do, it is that half of the stuff on their server (including image uploads and the frontend) don’t work because the admin has no time to deal with it. The problem isn’t the software used but the lack of maintenance.

    • Victor@lemmy.world
      4·
      7 months ago

      Isn’t there a software issue if it breaks with time unless you maintain it? What has happened more specifically? Memory leaks?

      • KISSmyOSFeddit@lemmy.world
        3·
        7 months ago

        The server’s hard drive filled up completely from image uploads, which in turn corrupted the database.
        By the time the admin noticed it and had time to troubleshoot, the automated backup process had replicated the corrupted database, overwriting all backups that had a still-functioning database.
        There was some personal event in the admin’s life as well as a long planned vacation at that time.

        The lesson to be learned here is that a private server administrated by a single person in their spare time isn’t something you can rely on.
        The Feddit community is currently trying to found an organisation that can share the administrative load and is able to receive donations.

        • Victor@lemmy.world
          2·
          7 months ago

          hard drive filled up completely from image uploads, which in turn corrupted the database

          This is so baffling to me. How does this happen? There needs to be checks in place so that this can’t happen ffs lol. No space left on the device to complete the write? Abort. Or like, starting to run out of space => stop accepting new content until fixed, to protect the integrity of the data. Something.

          Anyway, I hope they manage to find a solution to sharing the load of work! 🙏😌

          • KISSmyOSFeddit@lemmy.world
            2·
            7 months ago

            You can set up safeguards against this. You can also make sure some of your backups are never overwritten. But you have to do it in advance.

  • Titou@sh.itjust.works
    3·
    7 months ago

    I created my first lemmy account on feddit.de, it was in july 2023, and since some months i was unable to access to my account on pc but worked on Voyager. Tired, i decided to switch to sh.itjust.works