Don't forget about Geek squad. They can install the Hardware for them.
http://www.geeksquad.com/

I want to play.

there's about 50 or so units like that where i work, 32 units in a cabinet, 4 processors each unit, each processor is a quad core 64bit CPU. (geophysical processing and imaging requires substantial processing power!)

the advantage to that kind of set up is new hardware can be added quickly by connecting it to the network, and there's no need for server migrations for players either, it just increases the pool of resources the game can pull on. its an excellent set up for high demand processing needs that can cycle up as well as down in a matter of hours, without need for human interaction at a physical level..

they just need a LOT more of them it seems.

I just chipped in 60 $#@*%!*!! dollars

I would say more than two would be a good start

I would sure like to visit their server farm.
To cut cost... probably use Linux based.
Maybe with VMware or something to that effect to utilize more powerful systems.

Or maybe they use the google method but with less backup equipment and now we are stuck waiting.

Woo hoo I am in... then it says server not responding awesome...

Ok I am in playing.

probably redhat. its very effective with clusters.

I am stunned that Cryptic did not anticipate this. Star Trek has 4 spin off series from TOS, 10 movies and even a language course in a college teaching one of its made up languages. It spans more than 40 years and has a fan base from Europe to Asia. There have been a dozen or so computer games already made, most expanded on by the fans that play them. It has been made into a cartoon and has been characterized in everything from SNL to The Family Guy.

This isn't WOW or EVE or any other MMO where it was based on a new premise or idea. Cryptic failed to see the bigger picture with this project and has compounded that error in judgment with server issues every single day.

Ah but Star Trek that STO is based off of has been in a constant decline since TNG. Nemesis bombed at the box office and the Star Trek that is now very popular is not the one STO is based on.

You're right in that they should have anticipated more players. But why they didn't is anyone's guess. Me? I blame marketing.

its also had its share of problems as an IP.

Voyager was almost cancelled (only a woman in a skin tight suit saved it)
Nemesis (ST movie ten) had poor reviews and was and is widely regarded as the worst star trek movie ever in terms of box office performance.
Enterprise was re-worked twice, and was still cancelled after 4 seasons even WITH a woman in a skin tight suit..
the reboot star trek (movie eleven) was delayed in release to the summer to cash in on the "summer movie boom" instead of the late december 2008 release it was originally slated for.

not to mention most star trek games have been fairly awful, the last one is still regarded as "the worst one ever" (star trek : legacy)

so lower expectations could have been had... not that i agree, i'm a big fan and i love the fact that even in headstart so many people want to play that we've had to queue (myself included), and it would have been nice if they'd have set up for a potential several million players.. but in business terms you just cant do that..

i just hope they get more equipment (again) and get it in and up very soon.

I have heard that said, about the franchise....and I am surprised about the box office sales of Nemesis.
I found each movie very good and enjoyed them all. There was one thing I didn't like...the $#@!& joystick
that Jonathan Frakes put in.

I sure hope Cryptic fixes these issues before STO is irrevocably damaged.