MetaFic

I can't help you with traffic volume estimates, but I can share that I usually check the site looking for amusing and insightful reading, as well as updates from MIA authors. There's a reason your web master might see an inordinate number of redirects featuring "Elaithin" or "Lost Tower" as the search terms.

552 guests at 11:53 EDT? Sure, why not.

I do not think it is right ... I have me and 551 guests online but I have never seen more than 3 users and maybe 5-10 guests before - usually I am here alone ...

There's probably, though not certainly, a glitch in the code. I'll dig into it when I've got the time, but at the moment, just apply the basic mathematical rule of "ceiling[ guests / 33 ]" and it's far more likely to be accurate to historical data.

I suspect the per-IP time counter for hit tracking got botched in a patch. Something for a rainy month to look into -- after higher priority things like writing are caught up.

Well its back to single figures again, for me at least.

It could also be a bot gone crazy (most like one used by spammers to get people's emails). I've had that happen on one of my websites... Over 1,000 "users" were online at the same time...

Also, I may not know what kind of web application this site is using but I don't think its a good idea to blindly apply patches. I don't trust applying patches blindly. I always do things by hand so I know what exactly has been changed and where. Yes, I know, I'm paranoid about unknown code getting into my sites as well as website security but all I can say is constant vigilance.

The loud thumping noise you can hear in the distant background is my alternate form dancing exuberantly.

(It's not exactly secret what that form is, but…
<_<
>_>
…it's NotACat, that's for sure ;-)

If it influences your order of play at all, I like VoS but VVD makes me weep happy tears.