This is my very first post. Who knows, maybe my last.

I have to say that the appeal of a forum where people can express their experience about Web Hosting Providers is a great idea, and I have tried more than one of the hosting providers that people have recommended here.

I don't know if this is new, but I have only noticed it this last year - that the sharp, cut-throat, trash talk is on the rise, I have been a lurker here for more than a year, and I don't remember this forum being so disgusting.

Curiously, I see mostly the same hosting providers mentioned over and over, and I am starting to suspect that there are more hosting providers than users of hosting solutions participating here during any specific period.

I am speculating here, but it is the kind of speculation that includes how I feel when I read some this crap. We can discuss the facts and actual experience of a host all we want, but ultimately we purchase based on how we feel. I am starting to feel that the whole lot of you are just recycling business and the good hosting providers are rarely mentioned here.

I don't really care that you don't talk about my hosting provider, I just don't think that recycling the same customers through the same hosting companies and trash talking them all as you move through amounts to a good forum for talking about web hosting.

For instance, I have been a ViaVerio reseller (going back to iServer) since the mid 90's and I never see much about them here. It is true that I lurk here and elsewhere trying to find a good alternative from time to time (even tried a few), but I have never found a solution that I feel will be as reliable as ViaVerio has been.

I must say that I do find some excellent info here. It is just the majority of it that is rather unflattering.

I don't think there is any need for speculation. A lot of hosts used WHT in it's earlier years to kick start their businesses. Do a search for some of 'popular' hosts around here and their first few threads will be ones asking for free control panels and selling cheap templates to cover the cost of servers. The popularity of these owners is what has made them successful and thus they'll always be recommended on this forum. It's no great big mystery IMO.

Moved to feedback.

I don't know if this is new, but I have only noticed it this last year - that the sharp, cut-throat, trash talk is on the rise, I have been a lurker here for more than a year, and I don't remember this forum being so disgusting.

If you see any posts that appear to be breaking the forum rules, please report them. Click on the button with the horizontal lines below the usernames, and your report will go to the helpdesk.

Curiously, I see mostly the same hosting providers mentioned over and over, and I am starting to suspect that there are more hosting providers than users of hosting solutions participating here during any specific period.

That's probably true, depending on the forum.

I am starting to feel that the whole lot of you are just recycling business and the good hosting providers are rarely mentioned here.

I don't really care that you don't talk about my hosting provider, I just don't think that recycling the same customers through the same hosting companies and trash talking them all as you move through amounts to a good forum for talking about web hosting.

I've thought about that recycling business. Some hosts focus more on client acquisition than on providing quality service to keep and attract clients. Thing is, if the second or third host to get a client isn't very good, that host will be out of business soon. Personally, though, I wouldn't apply that to "the whole lot of you."

You're right that not every web host is discussed here. You're welcome to post a review of your host. :)

I must say that I do find some excellent info here. It is just the majority of it that is rather unflattering.

Unflattering with the truth, or unflattering because some people just want to put down the competition? If it's the latter, please report the posts so that we can look at them.

Lois

. . . I don't know if this is new, but I have only noticed it this last year - that the sharp, cut-throat, trash talk is on the rise, I have been a lurker here for more than a year, and I don't remember this forum being so disgusting.
I think the forum's getting sterile. It's not the same place it was a few years back. I don't see much "sharp, cut-throat, trash talk" anymore.
Curiously, I see mostly the same hosting providers mentioned over and over, and I am starting to suspect that there are more hosting providers than users of hosting solutions participating here during any specific period.
Well, WHT is where Web Hosts talk. :D
I must say that I do find some excellent info here. It is just the majority of it that is rather unflattering.
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. :)

WHT these days is pretty sterile, imo, and not like it was a few years back. There's now a small army of mods, and they enforce the rules to the letter, which is not a bad thing, imo.

Thanks for your feedback! :)

WHT is not only for people seeking hosts, they are also a medium through which many people start their hosting and various bussiness.

I must really appreciate their service

What? Another WHT down the gurgler thread? :eek:

Seems we get these every three months or so for the last six years :)

What? Another WHT down the gurgler thread? :eek:
ABANDON SHIP!! :D

In the good old days I used to love reading UBC's posts, I didn't even know he still existed until recently and most of his posts are now toned down. Such a shame... he used to be one of my favorite posters.

i'm still here though :evilb:

edit: did the banana code wrong :)

I have noticed a few small changes to WHT over the years, too... but I still find it a useful place to visit and "belong to".

One point to consider is that not every host in the planet knows about WHT or cares to "participate. This is why some hosts are not mentioned.

For example, I do not include my company/host URL in my sig. Nor do I ever advertise it. I've seen a few of my customers visit the forums over the years and make posts, but they never mention my company and I do not mention it in response to their posts. They have no idea the owner of their web host has just replied to them.

Does that mean anything? No. It merely means I (like many many other hosts) have chosen not to participate in that capacity.

There are other hosts, however, who have been build almost exclusively from advertising and posts here at WHT.

Is that bad? No. It's good, I think. Clever marketing for them if they can do it without getting themselves banned. It's their business strategy and there's nothing wrong or inappropriate about it.

As far as threads that bash and are mean-spirited... I've seen a few of those, but no more worse now then it was when I joined a few years ago. In any community there will always be a few people who can't control what they write. The mods do a decent job of controlling this sort of thing, and for the most part... the mods are pretty accepting of people's opinions regardless of how they are expressed.

This is my very first post. Who knows, maybe my last.


Welcome to WHT!


I don't know if this is new, but I have only noticed it this last year - that the sharp, cut-throat, trash talk is on the rise, I have been a lurker here for more than a year, and I don't remember this forum being so disgusting.

As some of the mods have already indicated, they're eager to help, and very good at it. I recommend taking them up on their offer when you see something that breaks the rules or the spirit of WHT.

I don't really care that you don't talk about my hosting provider, I just don't think that recycling the same customers through the same hosting companies and trash talking them all as you move through amounts to a good forum for talking about web hosting.
SmileyBri, first, welcome to WHT. Its nice to finally have you join the forum.

As far as I can see your perspective (and on some level I absolutely share it), I would like to respond by saying that all we can do is work with the information that is available to us and make the best decision possible. If a certain company receives outstanding feedback time after time, I can see how it will always be recommended. On the other hand, those that receive negative reviews will not be up for a lot of those mentions.

A lot of hosting companies that participate at WHT - started with WHT, so this community is deep down in their bloodstream. Some members have very long history in which they had their impact on this community, for which they are now being renumerated by recommendations. But recommendations do not come overnight. As with everything else, these people have been working very hard to get to this point.

Best,

A forum is only as good as its posters. If not enough topics on the unknown good hosts exist, make some. If you are a hosting company, encourage your clients to post reviews here. You can even advertise your company after a few posts. Put your company in your sig.

If you notice, if the big guys are good, they get lots of praise. But if the big guys are bad, they will get pages and pages of complaints too. It works both ways. I think the reason the most popular hosts get most of the attention here is because they are the most popular. Its like the Mac virus debate.

The only problem I've had with WHT lately is not with it's people or content, but actually with its server. Sllllooowwww (on occasion).

If you are a hosting company, encourage your clients to post reviews here.FYI, if you are a host, do not do this! Hosts have been banned for this in the past. Reviews must be unsolicited. Otherwise, WHT would be overrun by shills, and we wouldn't have any quality control on the reviews that get posted :)

I agree that Web Hosting Talk seems to be frequented almost entirely by other hosting companies, competing often pretty viciously, and for that, I would say coming here looking for web hosting clients is pretty ridiculous.

On an up note though, I can't deny that I've learned a lot over the years I lurked, and even since I've been an active poster on these boards. There's definately no lack of those cut throat "OMG LayredtEch is a fRuaD they shut off yur servor for spamm1ng!!!1~" threads, and although at times it seems like people think they're leading holy wars against companies whose policies they never read, I like to think that most of us are mature enough to just ignore them and let those threads drift to the back pages. The internet's full of a lot of crap, and for the amount of that the mod's deal with here, I think they're still doing a pretty good job.

. . . If you are a hosting company, encourage your clients to post reviews here.
That's not a good idea, and will most likely get you banned from WHT. :eek3:
You can even advertise your company after a few posts. Put your company in your sig.
Yes, nothing wrong with a sig in your posts, as long as you're not sig pimping etc.
The only problem I've had with WHT lately is not with it's people or content, but actually with its server. Sllllooowwww (on occasion).
Yeah, there's been some server issues of late, but they seem mostly resolved. :smash:

...at times it seems like people think they're leading holy wars against companies whose policies they never read....

A fitting description of some members. But fortunately, they're a minority. And they tend to get discredited pretty fast. :look:

Lois

Referring to the subject of this thread "WHT Value Decline", if they don't improve server performance (or whatever's causing the slowdown in performance) here pretty soon, their value will truly decline as members start just giving up. It took me three minutes to open a topic page last night.:angry:

agree with you Ed, sometimes I do give up with the crawling speed with which the pages are loading. I'm also getting two email notifications to every post notification.

Well I've been here since the UBB days (a lurker then) and I can tell you the changes that have certainly changed WHT, especially the community dynamic:

Growth - The simple fact is, the larger a community gets, like a company, the more sterilized and "policy-driven" it becomes. When WHT started, it was driven by a very small community of individuals who simply loved what they did. I can't even tell you how many owners helped me when I first started, many of whom eventually become a direct competitor... and continued to help.

Advertising - The moment WHT became a "company" most of the dynamics changed. Although Matt started advertising, and (one would assume) making an income from WHT before the sale to Rackshack, it was the sale itself that really sterilized the forums as a whole. Matt, Chicken, BC and a few others were largely the "face" of WHT. BC disappeared before Matt and Chicken, but after all three were gone it kind of lost it's humanity.

Mods - Let me start this by saying I think the mods do a great job. And honestly, you'd have to pay me a great deal of money to cleanup the crap that regularly ends up on WHT. But the moderating style changed dramatically after Chicken left. Perhaps that's because of how involved Chicken was with the community along with his moderating. That simply isn't the case now a days, probably because the mods don't have time... busy folks they are.

On top of that, the tactics involved changed. Chicken had a talent for knowing when a topic needed to run its course, be closed or be deleted. Unfortunately, again probably due to how busy they are, it seems that closing threads is a premptive strike on any rule breaking. In fact... a thread in this forum topic started by a long time member, was closed simply because the moderator didn't want the issue discussed. Which, IMHO, ruins the whole point of a forum, and tends to create an aire of "social status." Why listen to the "little people" when really, the mods (or admins, or whomever) should be making the rules?

Old Farts - A big change was the gradual disappearance of some of my favorite members. I use to look for specific names when I read threads... people like Daniel P, Deb, Martie, Greg (akashik... he gets extra props for moving to the best state in the US ;) ) Carlos, Tim Greer (and a bunch of other folks I'm forgeting) didn't have 19,999 posts, but when they said something it was certainly worth listening to. Sadly, the majority of those have left WHT or don't visit often anymore. Now, I can hardly find a post from someone I recognize, and even less often people that have earned my respect.

The most important reason WHT has changed? Me. At 24, this industry has completely passed me by. Hell, I still remember when 99% of threads were about either VDI or Alabanza... :)) I remember spitting my soda all over my keyboard when Chicken (I can't remember the context) said that "his mom was going to be pissed". It's been a couple of years since those days, and I guess my choice was to change with the industry or leave it and move on to new things.

Fact is... I'm too dang stubborn to change, so now I come here every now and again, whine about the old days and go back to breeding snakes and hitting my thumb with a hammer.

The new jobs are nice... hammers and snakes haven't changed much in the last few years ;).

Mods - Let me start this by saying I think the mods do a great job. And honestly, you'd have to pay me a great deal of money to cleanup the crap that regularly ends up on WHT. But the moderating style changed dramatically after Chicken left. Perhaps that's because of how involved Chicken was with the community along with his moderating. That simply isn't the case now a days, probably because the mods don't have time... busy folks they are.
Welcome back Justin :wavey:

Let me start by saying this :P Firstly we have roughly 112,000 more members since Chicken stopped modding here. Most days I spend at least 12 hours "cleaning up the crap" as you so elegantly put it :) How many more would you like me to put in? :smash:

Welcome back Justin :wavey:

Let me start by saying this :P Firstly we have roughly 112,000 more members since Chicken stopped modding here. Most days I spend at least 12 hours "cleaning up the crap" as you so elegantly put it :) How many more would you like me to put in? :smash:

Here's what I'd like to happen:


Receiving a decent salary, with full managerial compensation.
Hiring of considerably more staff, to take the load off current staff
Start working 8 hour days, 2 of which should be dedicated towards interacting with the community.


Sound okay :)?

I think ya'll are overworked, and seriously over paid (unless your taking in about 6 figures). And to be honest, if I had your job, I'd start closing threads that had more than 4 vowels just to keep my life interesting.

I don't want you to think I'm coming down on you guys, I think the fact that your spending 12 hours a day cleaning up the trash tells me management, not moderators are the irresponsible ones in the case.

If one of the 13 owners a year this place gets turns it into the "community-oriented" place it once was... I'd imagine some changes for the good :).

Justin, the problem is that no one who purchases WHT as an investment is going to have any desire to participate for the love of the community. I wasn't around before iNet (and now Stoddard), but I know the difference between a community owned and led by someone who loves it and owned by someone who only sees the value of it.

Not that I blame Stoddard for it. WHT is a great investment, it is a business (no sense wishing or deluding ourselves otherwise), and Stoddard didn't do anything wrong buying it. I would love to see the Leaders whip out their checkbooks and buy the farm, but Lord knows that's not happening anytime soon (WHT is a mighty expensive commodity :) ).

So it's not a matter of the owners turning into a community-oriented place. As nice as it would be, it's really up to the active members to do this. Advertising or no, business or no, the forums are as good as the collective membership makes it. That's just my poorly informed .02 :)

Here's what I'd like to happen:There are three Leaders and a couple dozen Liaisons who couldn't agree more :D

Justin, the problem is that no one who purchases WHT as an investment is going to have any desire to participate for the love of the community. I wasn't around before iNet (and now Stoddard), but I know the difference between a community owned and led by someone who loves it and owned by someone who only sees the value of it.

Not that I blame Stoddard for it. WHT is a great investment, it is a business (no sense wishing or deluding ourselves otherwise), and Stoddard didn't do anything wrong buying it. I would love to see the Leaders whip out their checkbooks and buy the farm, but Lord knows that's not happening anytime soon (WHT is a mighty expensive commodity :) ).

I could care less of Stoddered or anyone else joins the community. We already have a group of leaders that are obviously doing their job because they care about the community. You should know, you're one of them :).

But I do expect, love it or not, that they be compensated for their work. I love breeding snakes... seriously there isn't a better job in the world. But to be honest, the amount of time I spend doing it certainly isn't worth not earning anything from it. If I wanted to work for free, I'd just hang out at the beach with my kids all summer :D.

So it's not a matter of the owners turning into a community-oriented place. As nice as it would be, it's really up to the active members to do this. Advertising or no, business or no, the forums are as good as the collective membership makes it. That's just my poorly informed .02 :)

You're dead on... the only thing the owners need to do is compensate the staff and give them the opportunity to be a part of the community. Once you spend 12 hours a day working to clean up the alleys, it's hard to see the beauty of main street.

The more involved they become with the community, the more the community feels like they "matter". And as long as Jan and the other ol' man running this place are spending all of their time with the proverbial Spic and Span, there is always going to be a feeling of "the other guy" running the place. And, to an even greater degree, it's hard to remember what being a member is when your always the moderator.

The quality of the members, the quality of the posts, the quality of the entire community is almost entirely based on the quality that it is managed. WHT may be a business, but running it as such is going to run it into the ground.

Justin, g'day :wavey: long time no see. Hope things are good with you. :)
Receiving a decent salary, with full managerial compensation.
It's never been confirmed or denied, if Dennis and Jan are paid by INET for their moderating work on WHT. IMO, they'd have rocks in their head if they're not getting paid.
Hiring of considerably more staff, to take the load off current staff
There is a small army of Liaisons that can tend to the footwork, as far as moderation goes. So your "staff" is already there, albeit the Liaisons are volunteers and receive no wage from INET.
Start working 8 hour days, 2 of which should be dedicated towards interacting with the community.
Jan interacts a lot now, albeit more in the hidden moderator's forums than in the public forums, but we still see her poking around in various threads. :)
I don't want you to think I'm coming down on you guys, I think the fact that your spending 12 hours a day cleaning up the trash tells me management, not moderators are the irresponsible ones in the case.
The Private Equity Group that owns INET, operates their assets as just that, assets. They don't participate in communities such as WHT. For all we know, Dennis and Jan could receive nice salaries from INET, for their work on WHT, so management can't be held at fault for the level of moderation needed to keep WHT sailing smoothly. :)

Jan interacts a lot now, albeit more in the hidden moderator's forums than in the public forums, but we still see her poking around in various threads.
Probably true, but how would you know this? ;)

Justin, g'day :wavey: long time no see. Hope things are good with you. :)

Great actually :). I still poke around every now and then to see what you and Vito have to say.

It's never been confirmed or denied, if Dennis and Jan are paid by INET for their moderating work on WHT. IMO, they'd have rocks in their head if they're not getting paid.

I agree with you... but a community this size needs a bit more than 2 or 3 paid moderators I should think.

There is a small army of Liaisons that can tend to the footwork, as far as moderation goes. So your "staff" is already there, albeit the Liaisons are volunteers and receive no wage from INET.

Jan interacts a lot now, albeit more in the hidden moderator's forums than in the public forums, but we still see her poking around in various threads. :)

The Private Equity Group that owns INET, operates their assets as just that, assets. They don't participate in communities such as WHT. For all we know, Dennis and Jan could receive nice salaries from INET, for their work on WHT, so management can't be held at fault for the level of moderation needed to keep WHT sailing smoothly. :)

I guess that just sums up my last point... I'm the proverbial old fart that doesn't like change. And like it or not, the dynamic here has changed. WHT went from a community of like-minded nerds to a business. A change like that has its ripples, and I suppose some of us were done swimming when water settled.

But that's why your here Bob, to keep us ol' timers amused and keep up the tradition of complaining about how things used to be :peace:

Great actually :). I agree with you... but a community this size needs a bit more than 2 or 3 paid moderators I should think.

I guess that just sums up my last point... I'm the proverbial old fart that doesn't like change. And like it or not, the dynamic here has changed. WHT went from a community of like-minded nerds to a business. A change like that has its ripples, and I suppose some of us were done swimming when water settled.

But that's why your here Bob, to keep us ol' timers amused and keep up the tradition of complaining about how things used to be :peace:



:fairy: Humm, HEY JUSTIN!!!! Yayyy!! One of the old timers!!!! Wish we could find everybody :spiny:
Im still here (occasionally) and Im still with Alabanza. I wish I had the time right now to quote all your posts. I certainly would agree. I tend to throw a post in about once a year with similar suggestions of "paid moderators, devoted review forums", and probbaly a few other things.
Some more old faces rarely seen here at all anymore, would be Duster, Annette, Incognito. I think that if you were able to experience the forum back in the day, and then see it TODAY....well, unfortunately you spend so much time weeding the good from the bad that its almost pointless. :peace:

. . . I'm the proverbial old fart that doesn't like change.
You're only 24 for Pete's sake. My oldest son is half your age. You're not in the old fart catagory . . . . yet. :D
And like it or not, the dynamic here has changed. WHT went from a community of like-minded nerds to a business.
Yeah, had to happen. Change sucks. :erm:
But that's why your here Bob, to keep us ol' timers amused and keep up the tradition of complaining about how things used to be :peace:
Yeah, things were always better in the old days. :buck: :eek2:

You're only 24 for Pete's sake. My oldest son is half your age. You're not in the old fart catagory . . . . yet. :D

In the traditional sense no... I just couldn't keep up with this crazy industry :).

Yeah, had to happen. Change sucks. :erm:

See, ol' fart mentality... just developed it early :D.

:homer: Yeah, things were always better in the old days. :buck: :eek2:

:homer:

This seems to always go around in circles whenever it's brought up.

How this community was more of a community when it had < 5,000 members.

The big city isn't going to remain the little town it sprang from.

I wonder if there's a way to start a community, make it popular, and keep it small and close-knit as when it began.

Lots more activity than "the good ole days."

:lovewht:

We could start up WHT Clans!

This seems to always go around in circles whenever it's brought up.

How this community was more of a community when it had < 5,000 members.

The big city isn't going to remain the little town it sprang from.

I wonder if there's a way to start a community, make it popular, and keep it small and close-knit as when it began.

Lots more activity than "the good ole days."

:lovewht:

Sure, as long as the community remains a community based on something non-profitable, or at the very least, so niche that it won't attract the gold diggers. Unfortunately, that simply won't happen, especially since web hosting has generally become a commodity.

In the world of commerce, profit rules all :). Even in the very niche market of snake breeding, we are starting to see a huge push from the love of the game to the profitability of it. How much more niche can you get than snakes very heavens sake :eek:.

It's just my own idealistic views that makes me hope I can find an everybody loves everybody business but that isn't ever going to happen.

Better stop before I give Milton Friedman a heart attack. :D

I like this site better now than I did when I first joined.

My major problem with WHT is the lack of any captivating threads being created recently. The closest we have come is the NetNation vs Hiya Corp thread in the lounge a few weeks ago (you might remember that one Bob). It was the kind of thread that makes you want to refresh and check the forum every few mins for an update.

In the past we have had the TimPD threads, the night the FDC/KingComp Data Centre shut down, Marc (MCHost)'s threats of legal action. It just seems the community was a lot more vibrant in the past and seems to have lost its edge more recently.

In the past we have had.... Marc (MCHost)'s threats of legal action...

Soon... ;)

But seriously, change is not always bad. The "old" community was good -- I arrived just at the tail end of it, just before chicken decided it was time to go. heh.

The only way (imho) to allow the forums to regain and retain a sense of true intimate community is to somehow "break" it into smaller groups, while still being a whole.

I know this will be controversial, but... there are two other types of "niche" (industry based) communities that do this sort of thing well.

- Terrorist groups (think small cells, within larger parent groups)
- Large "corporate" churches. (They also have the concept of "small groups", all activing in accord within a larger megachurch parent.)

I wonder if WHT could take a page from the large corp church system and maybe think about a way to enact some sort of "small group" branch communities. In a way, they do this already by having topic categories.. but I wonder if it's possible to do it a bit differently.

That's about the only thing I can think to bring back the sense of true community... but in all honestly, I don't often come here looking for comraderie and/or community. I visit these forums (these days) mostly only for a business purpose. It's a nice place to see what others are doing, get some advice/opinions, talk shop, etc. As change comes along, the forums here change, too.. and so we can keep up a bit easier. Stop visiting the forums for a few weeks, and the industry does start to feel like it's passing me by...

BTW - Justin... snakes? Seriously? You went from web hosting to snakes? That has got to be one of the more interesting transitions I've ever heard about. :)

I have to agree with some of the sentiment that this place is better than it was a year ago. In fact, it seems to me as though the trash talk (which I admit I took part in, too) has been toned way down. This is a good thing, as it will only open things up for more valuable conversations.

However, there is a certain excitement about the industry that seems absent since I have been back. I can't put my finger on exactly what's missing, but something's just not there.

BTW - Justin... snakes? Seriously? You went from web hosting to snakes? That has got to be one of the more interesting transitions I've ever heard about. :)

LOL... well I've always been a python enthusiast, but about the time I started getting sick and tired of web hosting the ball python morph market REALLY started booming. So naturally, with so much free time after I sold out, my hobby started to turn into a business. It's still a very small time operation, but it feels like I'm on vacation at work :).

Sounds like how most of us got into web hosting. :) But breeding snakes is a really unusual profession. Not sure how my wife would take it if I announced I would like to be known as "the snake guy" from now on. ;)

Do you ever get bitten? I suppose it's like beekeeping, where you just get used to the occasional puncture wound?

This seems to always go around in circles whenever it's brought up.

How this community was more of a community when it had < 5,000 members.

The big city isn't going to remain the little town it sprang from.

I wonder if there's a way to start a community, make it popular, and keep it small and close-knit as when it began.

Lots more activity than "the good ole days."
Here's something fun:
http://www.webhostingtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=31&pp=40&sort=lastpost&order=asc&daysprune=-1

This feedback forum, sorted ascending by date starting in 2000.

Apparently the mods used to toss threads and warn people back then.

Pop quiz: which of the following paragraphs was posted in 2001, and which was posted this month?

I've been a member of WHT a while now and have noticed a trend in replies. When a question like; Can you recommend a good host? Members who i will not name at present will come along and tout around a web host that is loyal to a cartel within WHT.Curiously, I see mostly the same hosting providers mentioned over and over, and I am starting to suspect that there are more hosting providers than users of hosting solutions participating here during any specific period.

Interestingly, both of those posts were the first posted under their particular usernames.

Here's an interesting thread title from 2002: "
Webhostingtalk's reputation is being hit by some new users (http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=70607)".

Of course, some of 2002's new users are still here as veterans in 2006... noting how much the new users have changed the place. ;)

Gotta remember to bookmark this thread, so I can pull it out in 2010's first thread about how WHT is going downhill.

Sounds like how most of us got into web hosting. :) But breeding snakes is a really unusual profession. Not sure how my wife would take it if I announced I would like to be known as "the snake guy" from now on. ;)

Well my g/f informed me that if I ever plan on living with her I'd better have a basement :smash:

Do you ever get bitten? I suppose it's like beekeeping, where you just get used to the occasional puncture wound?

Twice, the first was a stupid human error (replacing water after feeding a 2 foot female and didn't wash hands), second was when I was separating a clutch from the female.

Typically they just snag you and jump back, since Balls are really reluctant biters. However, when they think your food, they tend to hold on. Both hurt a bit, and bleed like there is no tommorrow (they have razors for teeth so it doesn't clot).

It hurts, but I'd gladly take getting bit over a 12 hour down time any day of the week. :D

My major problem with WHT is the lack of any captivating threads being created recently. The closest we have come is the NetNation vs Hiya Corp thread in the lounge a few weeks ago (you might remember that one Bob). It was the kind of thread that makes you want to refresh and check the forum every few mins for an update.
Thanks. I do my best to spice up the place, even if it means being the Devil's advocate. :dgrin:
In the past we have had the TimPD threads
Timmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy. :D
. . . Marc (MCHost)'s threats of legal action.
haha, not sure I remember that. I do remember a time when Marc was thinking about buying WHT from Matt, and then headsurfer stepped in. WHT dodged a bullet there. :)
It just seems the community was a lot more vibrant in the past and seems to have lost its edge more recently.
I find WHT fairly sterile these days, with the mods stepping in and locking threads when they get heated. Things used to be a lot more heated, that's for sure. Now it's like we're all old and mellowing away on the nursing home verandah, taking our meds and keeping out of trouble. :eek3:

I find WHT fairly sterile these days, with the mods stepping in and locking threads when they get heated. Things used to be a lot more heated, that's for sure. Now it's like we're all old and mellowing away on the nursing home verandah, taking our meds and keeping out of trouble. :eek3:

I agree Bob, I think this place did get considerably more locked down then it was "back in the day." I think it has something to do with the ol' days taking a little longer to get personal... it seems we have a considerably higher ratio of personal attacks then we did 4 years ago (this could be a case of nastalgic selective recall :) ).

Who knows... :)

This is my very first post. Who knows, maybe my last.

I have to say that the appeal of a forum where people can express their experience about Web Hosting Providers is a great idea, and I have tried more than one of the hosting providers that people have recommended here.

I don't know if this is new, but I have only noticed it this last year - that the sharp, cut-throat, trash talk is on the rise, I have been a lurker here for more than a year, and I don't remember this forum being so disgusting.

Curiously, I see mostly the same hosting providers mentioned over and over, and I am starting to suspect that there are more hosting providers than users of hosting solutions participating here during any specific period.

I am speculating here, but it is the kind of speculation that includes how I feel when I read some this crap. We can discuss the facts and actual experience of a host all we want, but ultimately we purchase based on how we feel. I am starting to feel that the whole lot of you are just recycling business and the good hosting providers are rarely mentioned here.

I don't really care that you don't talk about my hosting provider, I just don't think that recycling the same customers through the same hosting companies and trash talking them all as you move through amounts to a good forum for talking about web hosting.

For instance, I have been a ViaVerio reseller (going back to iServer) since the mid 90's and I never see much about them here. It is true that I lurk here and elsewhere trying to find a good alternative from time to time (even tried a few), but I have never found a solution that I feel will be as reliable as ViaVerio has been.

I must say that I do find some excellent info here. It is just the majority of it that is rather unflattering.

It's not that the 'good hosting providers' aren't mentioned, it is more that the smaller webhosts have time (some of them LOTS) to spend on the board. Although Verio (pre ViaVerio) has advertised on WHT, they haven't (in recent history) really established a presence on the board and their EXTREMELY HAPPY customers don't magically end up here touting how great their service has been w/ them so you don't hear much pro/con about them. I would be surprised if you didn't find the vast majority of Verio's customers extremely happy w/ their services or you would see them here and elsewhere squealing.

Sidenote, I'd be curious to see when the VERY FIRST 'WHT is going downhill' thread was started. I'd guess it was before I found the board. I'd also guess it was w/in the first 12 months. Anyone up to doing some searching? ;)

I started this thread a year and a half ago and I have to say that despite my comments i have lurked here since and have found WHT very valuable all the while. I am still mostly a lurker. I find many answers without asking a question or posting a thing. I am certainly no expert and therefore my opinion not relevant in most discussions.

I will say that now I am moving on from ViaVerio and found this forum an excellent resource for evaluating new hosting companies. Although I did post a question about my new direction, I found most of what I needed before asking a thing as most of it had been asked and answered before.

Thanks everyone!

Normally, thread necromancy is a bad thing.

But thanks for the update, SmileyBri! :wht:

Yep everyone loves the antagonist friendly, gladiatorial WHT until it turns on them

I can always check the accuracy of 1 minute on my watch by the timing between the XYZ host is crap thread and the ticket from XYZ host

Jan interacts a lot now, albeit more in the hidden moderator's forums than in the public forums, but we still see her poking around in various threads. :)


Probably true, but how would you know this? ;)

I'm still curious :stickout:

We don't need secret moderator forums. All of us know what's going on throughout WHT at all times, by instinct. :cool:
I'm still curious :stickout:

What? Another WHT down the gurgler thread? :eek:

Seems we get these every three months or so for the last six years :)


yeah......don't it make you laugh :D
another conspiracy theory;)

owm