FAQ

Generic Site FAQs

What is this?

Is this for real?

How long has the site been running

Why is the site called DriveMeInsane.com

What are the specs on the server

How much bandwidth does this need/use?

How do the lamps work?

How many visitors does the site get?

How much would this cost to duplicate?

How much time did this take to set up?

While the site has been in service for more than 22 years now, the amount of time spent getting it functional has been relatively minimal. As far as the actual tech goes, I have probably spent less than 200 hours over that period of time on the actual development, assembly, and functional software to make all of the various devices interact with the internet. A much larger timesink has been the effort required to implement abuse prevention and to ensure the site remains functional with a large number of users. I figure I might have spent 2500 hours on those pursuits over that time period. However, that does not mean that the end result has been an efficient development process. I have re-coded the back-end (and front end) of the site on several occasions as the site has evolved, and had I had the gift of foresight, many of those repeat efforts could have been avoided, and the time to create would have been perhps 20% of the actual time, if not less. HOWEVER, dedicating 500 hours to a project to turn a few lamps on and off and let the world see it, back when the expected audience would be less than 50 a day, and for the most part all people you already knew, there just wasn't the motivation or necessity. During the latest rewrite, I have programmed it with the capability to scale to handle up to 4000 users at one time, or about a million visitors per day. Obviously, this would be too much for a single server, but the software is meant to scale and load balance over a large number of servers, if necessary. I've done this not because in my wildest delusional dreams I would ever expect that this would be possible, but to CYA just in case it ever does, and to not have to scramble at the last minute to make some pointless changes just to watch the whole thing melt down anyway.

Are all the cams in one house?

Can we upload music?

Anything related to Big Bang Theory

How is the insanity level calculated?

How did you change my webpage?

Did you know that you were linked to from [INSERT SITE HERE]?

Are you planning to install any more devices/cams/features/etc?

What's up with the screams?

Owner Questions

Money related questions

Behavior

Troubleshooting

Lamps and Other Devices

Critter

LED Matrix Sign

Why don't you just....

Help! The camera won't move.

Unrelated Questions that still deserve answers