Da Vinci Quest Google server errors at crucial final puzzle release time |
While refreshing the page waiting for the final Da Vinci Quest puzzle today, my wife and I both experienced Google server errors, one of which resulted in a CAPTCHA from Google that I needed to type in to be able to continue to refresh the page.
I grabbed a screenshot of the personalized homepage above showing module errors. The errors cleared up with a couple refreshes but Google must have been literally pounded at the time the final puzzle was to be released (10am PST / 1pm EST), the clock module shows the time in the screenshot.
I hope other contestants were able to get to the final puzzle without too many server errors. Google and scaling concerns are becoming a cliche of sorts. This quest, ironically enough, generated some complaints from users about how hard it was to actually search Google for some information. I think this frustration is more representative of how hard it can be sometimes using all search engines, not only Google.
Clearly, as Bill Gates admitted recently:
We’ll look back on this time and realize that search is pathetic. If I ask for something, I should get it, not a list of things to click on.
Yes, search has a long way to go. Which search company will rise up and be the next Google? Or will Google make these advances?
Update 11:26am PST: Here 70 minutes after the final puzzle launch, and the pounding continues. If the movie is even 5% as popular as the Da Vinci Quest seems to have been, then it could make the top 10 films of all time list.
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Google captcha ?
I was playing the very last puzzle in the google Da Vinic Quest game. When I logged into my personalized google home page I saw this warning and captcha request:
Apparently I’m not the only one. I’m thinking that this means the whole wo…
Trackback by Beginnercode.com — May 10, 2006 @ 1:38 pm PST
I got the captcha while I was refreshing too. I assumed it was because I was refreshing every few seconds waiting for the time to tick over to 1pm (and Google doesn’t often get refreshed every few seconds!). Not a problem, I just entered the word and carried on.
I completed the challenge at 1:05pm EDT. No word yet as to whether they’re mailing me a cryptex…
Comment by Alistair — May 10, 2006 @ 3:28 pm PST
I think the CAPTCHA is not because of your requests, but because of the high number of requests the page received in general. From Google algorithm’s perspectives, their home page got a very sudden increase in hits and its responding as if those hits might be a distributed denial of service attack.
I got the message on my first request.
Comment by TomW — May 10, 2006 @ 3:40 pm PST
Has anybody received confirmation on if you are one of the 10,000? I submitted my info ~10mins after the puzzle opened … but still waiting … hoping
Comment by Steve — May 10, 2006 @ 7:20 pm PST
When I clicked on “play puzzle” I had to go through a couple of pages I’ve never seen, getting all kinds of weird new messages… I finally had to restart the process, before entering a capcha, upon which I got dead-ended in some again never before seen page. I restarted the process all over again… got the capcha… and finally got the puzzle. Not sure how much time I wasted just getting the puzzle. I was so flustered by then that I hung on the last question for a bit, and am not sure when I finally finished. Also was quite concerned by never being able to do exactly what the rule require (3 things)… finishing the puzzle, filling out puzzle completion form, THEN FILLING OUT FINAL STAGE APPLICATION (not there). Oh well, I gave it my best… even missed a plane to play the last puzzle! Estimated completion time 1:14 EST, no word yet regarding success as of 7:00 PM EST 5/15/06.
Comment by Tim — May 15, 2006 @ 6:19 pm PST
Steve - reports are coming in today that people are receiving cryptex via UPS. No word yet on anybody receiving an email though. UPS comes late here, so we’ll see what happens by 5pm PST.
Comment by TDavid — May 15, 2006 @ 6:33 pm PST
Well, I got a cryptex. I think they mailed them all by USPS Priority Mail on Friday. (So pretty much everyone got them yesterday — a few stragglers may arrive today)
The e-mail arrived late last night. So clearly it took at least five minutes for ten thousand people to complete the quest… now, on to the Final Challenge!
Comment by Alistair — May 16, 2006 @ 9:26 am PST
I got both the email and the cryptex today. I had to type in the phrase too. it frustrated me and I thought I wouldnt make it. I had fun.
Comment by Rose — May 16, 2006 @ 5:02 pm PST