It seems WHT and its forums are being used more and more as venue to ask hosts about support issues and/or their particular infastructure. Why not just use their support ticket system and let their response or lack thereof guide you?

Perhaps WHT should consider creating a forum called "Host Support Issues You Can't Get Resolved Anyplace Else". I think there is a time and place for everything. Just as WHT has decided that more than one url isn't the time and place, a similar decision needs to made as to what is unrelevant to this forum.

I understand this is a very grey area, however how many posts concerning 'billiebob had their site shut down by XYZ' or 'A friend of a friend of a friend whom I am not willing to tell you who has a problem with XYZ and they suck' or 'I broke TOS and just want to start some crap here cuz I know you people love to bash each other' is acceptable?

Just some thoughts as I read the posts from the past week or so.

Happy Holidays to all,
Bill

Addressed here (http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29570) ;)

I think WHT is a very good place to discuss certain support issues. Like a network is down, which makes it hard to e-mail support. This way everybody can stay informed without flooding the host's phone system.

If there would be a separate catagory "support issue".. why not...

It's all about leverage, Bill.

WHT is a public forum. The hosting companies as well as current and prospective customers read it. My bid is that many people (myself included in the past- no complaints with my current host) use WHT as a last resort when they can't get any sort of an answer from a host with chronic problems who doesn't answer some of their trouble tickets.

Trouble ticket doesn't get answered, and it's easy enough to write about it here where a host is more likely to respond if they haven't already for fear of looking bad to potential customers.

I don't necessarily believe that it's the best or an appropriate way to handle things, but people put in the position of having their backs to the wall have to resort to something oftentimes to get a problem taken care of. WHT serves many people (and well, I might add) in this regard whether or not that was WHT's original intent.

I know Chicken would rather not have it that way, but this place has been a lifesaver to a lot of people. That's another way to look at it.

<rant>

Okay, how 'bout a separate forum called "HostRocket Support"? I am getting a bit annoyed at seeing every other thread being about HostRocket.

1. Contact HostRocket directly
2. Instead of starting a NEW thread about them, post to one of the 6 that are currently listed.
3. If HostRocket annoys you that much...find a new host and quit griping about them.

</rant>

Just my two cents.

--Tina

And where in this thread does it say anything about HostRocket?

Maybe you need to chill out.

Bad idea. The reason why is because many would prefer to take a problem directly to these forums instead of to the hos's forums or ticket system. I visit and read here, but I will not handle support issues here. These are not my forums, they werent built for me, and never has it been expected of me to handle support here. Granted, some hosts have sucky support. However, such a thing would not merely cause harm to just those types of hosts.

If WHT wants us to start handling support issues here, they will have to lighten up on some rules. I do not agree with the idea of even thinking that WHT can sit here and tell me what I can and cant do on their forums (which is their right), but then practically force me to handle support here on their forums(which is not their right). If they open a forum like that, and some people bring problems here instead of to my own forums first, that practically forces me to come here to handle support. And I do not like my support being under the control of any other company.

So no, it is not a good idea. It's downsides outweigh the upsides. It was a good thought...but abusers would ruin it.. Not to mention I'm not so sure any host would want to handle support here, sometimes have to say things mods may not agree with, and have to worry about those mods interefering and editing things. The rules of this forum and the rules of support can often times conflict.

The good thing about a forum (compared to an e-mail list) is that you can choose what you read.... I never read the Hostrocket threads ;)

exactly... read the threads that are of intrest to you :) kinda like television, if something bothers you, don't watch it.

Originally posted by Scott
exactly... read the threads that are of intrest to you :) kinda like television, if something bothers you, don't watch it.
Well.. then probably what I must do is close my forum of downtownhost.com don't pay anymore the VB license, and tell to my customers to use WHT.. right? :rolleyes:

From a member's point of view, I can understand that people might want an off-host place where they can connect with and contact their host, but I think it isn't something that is right for the forum. If you are concerned with contact, and you should be, then I'd choose a provider that has a backup plan in place.

The most i can personally offer you at the moment is to create a private chat room and handle support there if you'd like.

I'll also add that support threads come in two varieties. Some are blatant, "Bob, please contact me, my server is down!" - which I close and should be reported. Then there are the other kind which start out as a complaint, but the host and customer address the issue here. Sometimes people have tried to contact their host and haven't been able to and while no one wants to just leave these people hanging (meaning, we only require *past* situations to be posted), it would be best if no direct support was handled on the forums. This gets grey and gets harder to moderate.

I like the idea of a forum just for those types of questions, if for no other reason than just to get them out of the other forums and into a little forum that doesn't ever get read by me.

Originally posted by jfraga
And where in this thread does it say anything about HostRocket?

Maybe you need to chill out.

I agree with you .. people here seem to be very jeleous of HR's .. so at any chance they can they bring them up on a critic way.

Originally posted by CRego3D


I agree with you .. people here seem to be very jeleous of HR's .. so at any chance they can they bring them up on a critic way.


Go back and re-read my post. Jealousy has nothing to do with it. I wouldn't want that kind of attention.

I was absolutely NOT critisizing HR in ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. My gripe is with their customers who continuously post here for support, griping and questions....when there are clearly several other similar threads going already.

I think maybe its not me that needs to chill out. :eek:

--Tina

OK guys keep this one on topic or its going to turn into the very thread you're talking all about. We have forums of our own for our customers to post on, to get problems they are having resolved, discuss service related issues and just about everything else. Most of them use our support channels corretly and never would post here if they were having a problem. We openly don't allow people to complain on our forums, especially past customers, which is why the ones who want to complain come here. Reguardless I dont think this thread was directed at us alone, more of a 'where is WHT headed in the future' kind of thread, which is the way it should stay.

-Brendan

Originally posted by HRBrendan
OK guys keep this one on topic or its going to turn into the very thread you're talking all about. We have forums of our own for our customers to post on, to get problems they are having resolved, discuss service related issues and just about everything else. Most of them use our support channels corretly and never would post here if they were having a problem. We openly don't allow people to complain on our forums, especially past customers, which is why the ones who want to complain come here. Reguardless I dont think this thread was directed at us alone, more of a 'where is WHT headed in the future' kind of thread, which is the way it should stay.

-Brendan


Thanks. Exactly my point. I used HR as an example because, at the time I posted, there were SIX threads about HR/support. A couple of weeks ago...it was Technohost. I have no opinion on HR's hosting services.

Basically:

1. This is NOT a support board for (insert host here).
2. If there is already a thread about (insert host here) - please don't start another one.
3. If your host is so bad - LEAVE THEM.

--Tina

Originally posted by AffordableHost


I think maybe its not me that needs to chill out. :eek:

--Tina

Humm, ok