I remember being on Freenode last year when the network almost crawled to a halt, it so happens everyone was flooding a channel called #sparkfun. I’ve been hearing about this so called “free day” for a few days but I disregarded it. During the event all I remember is:
- People were frustrated, extremely. I think someone may have jumped through the window and onto the lawn, on the first floor. Where they were bit to death by ferocious red ants.
- You couldn’t access their website, the server just decided to end it’s life by booting up Windows (just kidding you guys!)
- There was almost nothing on stock, the moment the site went back up I remember seeing a tumbleweed going by.
This year though, it was different! — Yes, even though the site crashed and everyone jumped through the window -again- they changed the concept into something a bit more “manageable” and generous. This gave everyone a fair chance (Yeah… If you were American) and overall it was fun since you had to answer very hard questions — The type you’d get Stephen Hawking on the phone for. The fact that some of the money went to a charity is also quite reassuring.
I must admit I wasn’t obsessed with the F5 key and I wasn’t even trying. Truth be told I had a meeting with the torpedo department that afternoon and when I came back I managed to login, click on the survey button and answer a whopping four (4!) questions before all the greenies ran out.
Later the other day I found out that’s pretty much when the second server came back up (was it ever up? you bastards!) and hence why the requests were being processed IN A TIMELY FASHION.
So anyway, thanks SparkFun for the fun moment! — I don’t like the fact that you left my country out of your “money per country” list, I resent that. In fact you’re dead to me (after I receive my order, that is).
Just kidding!
PS: I know what you’re doing, It’s a clever marketing campaign. But I won’t tell anyone, promise. Well maybe the cats.