Index: client.scm
==================================================================
--- client.scm
+++ client.scm
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@
 	(exit 1))
       ;;
       ;; Alternatively here, we can get the list of candidate servers and work our way
       ;; through them searching for a good one.
       ;;
-      (let* ((server-dat (server:get-first-best areapath))
+      (let* ((server-dat (server:get-rand-best areapath)) ;; (server:get-first-best areapath))
 	     (runremote  (or area-dat *runremote*)))
 	(if (not server-dat) ;; no server found
 	    (client:setup-http areapath remaining-tries: (- remaining-tries 1))
 	    (let ((host  (cadr  server-dat))
 		  (port  (caddr server-dat)))

Index: server.scm
==================================================================
--- server.scm
+++ server.scm
@@ -167,19 +167,19 @@
 	(day-seconds (* 24 60 60)))
     ;; if the directory exists continue to get the list
     ;; otherwise attempt to create the logs dir and then
     ;; continue
     (if (if (directory-exists? (conc areapath "/logs"))
-	    #t
+	    '()
 	    (if (file-write-access? areapath)
 		(begin
 		  (condition-case
 		      (create-directory (conc areapath "/logs") #t)
 		    (exn (i/o file)(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: Cannot create directory at " (conc areapath "/logs")))
 		    (exn ()(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: Unknown error attemtping to get server list.")))
 		  (directory-exists? (conc areapath "/logs")))
-		#f))
+		'()))
 	(let* ((server-logs   (glob (conc areapath "/logs/server-*.log")))
 	       (num-serv-logs (length server-logs)))
 	  (if (null? server-logs)
 	      '()
 	      (let loop ((hed  (car server-logs))
@@ -218,21 +218,24 @@
 ;;
 (define (server:get-best srvlst)
   (let ((now (current-seconds)))
     (sort
      (filter (lambda (rec)
-	       (let ((start-time (list-ref rec 3))
-		     (mod-time   (list-ref rec 0)))
-		 ;; (print "start-time: " start-time " mod-time: " mod-time)
-		 (and start-time mod-time
-		      (> (- now start-time) 0)    ;; been running at least 0 seconds
-		      (< (- now mod-time)   16)   ;; still alive - file touched in last 16 seconds
-		      (< (- now start-time) 
-                         (+ (- (string->number (or (configf:lookup *configdat* "server" "runtime") "3600"))
-                               180)
-                            (random 360))) ;; under one hour running time +/- 180
-		      )))
+	       (if (and (list? rec)
+			(> (length rec) 2))
+		   (let ((start-time (list-ref rec 3))
+			 (mod-time   (list-ref rec 0)))
+		     ;; (print "start-time: " start-time " mod-time: " mod-time)
+		     (and start-time mod-time
+			  (> (- now start-time) 0)    ;; been running at least 0 seconds
+			  (< (- now mod-time)   16)   ;; still alive - file touched in last 16 seconds
+			  (< (- now start-time) 
+			     (+ (- (string->number (or (configf:lookup *configdat* "server" "runtime") "3600"))
+				   180)
+				(random 360))) ;; under one hour running time +/- 180
+			  ))
+		   #f))
 	     srvlst)
      (lambda (a b)
        (< (list-ref a 3)
 	  (list-ref b 3))))))
 
@@ -305,11 +308,16 @@
 ;;
 (define (server:check-if-running areapath #!key (numservers "2"))
   (let* ((ns            (string->number
 			 (or (configf:lookup *configdat* "server" "numservers") numservers)))
 	 (servers       (server:get-best (server:get-list areapath))))
-    (if (< (length servers) (random ns)) ;; somewhere between 0 and numservers
+    ;; (print "servers: " servers " ns: " ns)
+    (if (or (and servers
+		 (null? servers))
+	    (not servers)
+	    (and (list? servers)
+		 (< (length servers) (random ns)))) ;; somewhere between 0 and numservers
         #f
         (let loop ((hed (car servers))
                    (tal (cdr servers)))
           (let ((res (server:check-server hed)))
             (if res