hi all,
after 4 days of intensive research here at WHT I arrived to the conclusion that this space is useless for the end consumer.

It just added confusion to my thoughts,
and a feeling of relying on not reliable information.
I don't know about you all, but I have a feeling I can't trust what is written here.

I assume I'm in the wrong forum,
I believe that WHT is a good place for Hosting sellers and resellers. (which is OK).
it is a great place to get help on abuse issues and a place for industry players to chat and discuss about themselves, the competitors and all this.

But if someone (like me) comes here trying to find a host recommendation from "the experts", he/she is in the wrong place.

and is completelly normal because conflict of interests and biased opinions,
my question is: how many users is involved directly (hosting company) or indirectly (resellers) in the hosting industry?
my guess is: 80%... yeah! :) (that's just a feeling but I'm good in my 6th sense)

to know if I'm wrong or right,
here comes "the poll"

But if someone (like me) comes here trying to find a host recommendation from "the experts", he/she is in the wrong place.

This is a reflection of reading the wrong threads, or not thinking about the good advice you've been offered... because there are many experts here and the board is jam-packed with sage, time-tested, valuable advice.

In the end though, you must still choose the host. No one here is going to make the choice for you. The work and responsibility of making a good choice is still fully in your court.

Incidentally, I learned about 3 of our 4 most recent providers through WHT. At the time, the feedback provided was accurate and very helpful. One of my current data centers was recommended by someone here at WHT whom I've come to trust and listen to... I followed her recommendation and have been very happy so far. (Six months and counting)

So yes, as a consumer myself, I do find the advice, feedback and recommendations to be very useful.

However, I don't listen to everybody. There is a pretty high signal-to-noise ratio here. A person has to learn to read many threads and observe the kind of posts made by individuals... I find that most end-users just don't seem to think to do this. And yet that skill is a core necessity when trying to differentiate the credible sources from the noise.

Once I figure out who to listen to (based on reading many of their posts over time, and remembering what they've had to say) then I key into them pretty closely. I give their feedback and advice more weight than others. This is not just in terms of specific providers, but it is also very much in terms of "look out for this sign of fishy behavior" or "be sure to patch against this exploit" or "we do xyz on our servers every 3 days" ... there is so much to be learned, and I am always learning from the smart and helpful people here. :) (And I have been here since 2001, which makes me pretty much older than dirt by WHT standards! LOL)


So, I go back to, if you're feeling that disenfranchised by this board, it's either because you're reading the wrong threads, or you're not processing what good advice you've been provided. The information is here. A person just has to dig in and sort it out.

:lovewht:

:D Bailey

thanks bithost,
I know this board is full of knowledge, and I agree that the ultimate choice is mine...
and sure I read the wrong threads and I miss-processed some information,

in two words: paradox of choice (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/93) ;)

*still looking for the poll results...

I don't know about you all, but I have a feeling I can't trust what is written here.
That's good - you're beginning to learn not to trust everything you read. Next you should learn that almost all other sources of hosting information are much less reliable and honest than this one, subject to greater commercial pressure and fewer checks and balances. Once you understand this you will approach true enlightenment. ;)

I'm one of those users who found my current host here, and I do find WHT a valuable source of information. And to be fair, there's not much blatant self-promotion here by hosting companies.


Maybe I'm biased, but I do agree it would be better to encourage more users here, so that the reviews are more meaningful and there's more two-way dialogue between providers and users going on. One suggestion for achieving this is to make it easier to search for comments by host. In the past I've suggested separate host-specific forums but people felt that wouldn't work. Maybe some sort of tagging or categorisation could be added instead?

I guess the moral of the story is that hosts should choose quirky names for their companies so they can easily be searched for!

I think it's usefull, I did some homework here, before chosing my current host, I share my experience with others.
One has to understand that there are different people: one user may come angry in order to blame host for everything; second will see the post of first and decide to defend host; third will come to watch and ask questions; fifth will come to tell experience. In this group, only 1 and 2 users are almost useless as they do not notice the other side. All others may help.
As for me: I thought about chosing host and searched here. Results were: 50% very positive and 50% very negative. I asked people and they told me that if host has such reviews, I'd better stay away. I did and do not regret it.
I did search (both WHT and Google) about my current host, read both positive and negative reviews. They helped me.
I read WHT every day and learn about other people. There is a lot of information and I know WHT is the best choice for knowledge. At least for my knowledge.

hi, thanks for your participation.

I appreciate your views and reviews,
I was just a bit desperate because I can't find what I'm looking for :(

nevermind, I'm glad I discovered WHT, it has good people around, and I really appreciate the efforts all of you make for not promoting directly your businesses (otherwise this would be a mine-field!)

thanks...

If WHT wasn't useful, it'd be dead.

It's far from dead. ;)

I find it a great service in finding who not to use. I find it a disservice to those that are new and actually believe the things they read here.

Yes, a lot of us are hosts; but many are end-users.
In a way it's bad because the strict rules prohibit us from any form of self-promotion... so if you post "I Need X and Y and Z and my main concern is this..." even if I know I have a plan that would be exactly what you need I can't answer. (but I know why that rule is necessary)

However there are a lot of people who post things like "my host is doing this and this and this causes me that problem, is this common or normal?" and I can answer if it is or isn't or give my opinions. That might help someone narrow down their search for a host or let them know if their current "big host" is really a 16 year-old hosting on a reseller plan for gas money or if their host is normal and they are just missing something they need to do.

So think it's beneficial. While I don't offer some services; I know some good people who do, so if someone is looking for things they could handle I can point them to someone I know is honest and has good support for those needs.

Yes, many of us here are hosts, but many people who post are average users like yourself doing their homework. It is harder though because some of us never offer "blow-out specials" to list in the offers forums so we can't say anything about our own services.
However I like to think in a thousand or so posts I have helped a few people like you along the way and kept a few from getting burned.

WHT is definitely useful, so many concurrent online users confirm this. It's the #1 forum of web hosting, the most important is - most reviews in WHT are real reviews, not like the fake reviews in these so called hosting review sites.

I think that a webhost's consistent participation in the WHT forums is a very good sign about their support potential. On the flip side, I believe that the customers here seeking a host demonstrate their intelligence by doing their homework. I feel bad for those who blindly sign up for hosting without checking here first.

It is better then trying to use google to try and find a host.
I will admit it can be really confusing when trying to find a host even on here but at least you can look at what others say and get an idea.

I like WHT because of the specialised web hosting offers section. I was looking for a VPS and I found that WHT had the largest section. The fact that a lot of the hosts advertising here give discounts is an added bonus. I don't think they would give similar discounts in say a newbie forum because newbies would tax their support services more than WHT geeks.

I don't think wht is for lay users. I think its a forum for more knowledgeable users or those interested in becoming one.

There's probably a big difference in members vs. guests. The members are more likely to be hosts or advanced users, while the guests are more likely to be potential web hosting customers.

in two words: paradox of choiceLovely clip. Thanks for the link! It gives the perfect reasoning why one should build himself a limited list of hosts, from various sources, and then work his way through it, to find one that fits his needs. This drive to find the "absolute best" makes a gargantuan task out of even the most trivial choices we have to make.

If you want to transfer the responsibility of choice, you need to get a consultant and have him tell you which host to go with. A thread on a forum will give you pointers and suggestions, not a definitive answer to the question "Which host is the best for me?" That's what it is for, and it usually does that quite well.

WHT is arguably one of the most impartial resources for web hosting customers.

I think it is really useful for end customers!

You can find a lot of great offers here and your questions will be replied to immediately.

So as a end customer, I would love this forum.

But as supplier, I love this forum, too ;)

g-host is right.
Google brought me here, and the titles of the threads and tutorials gave the impression that you could be directed to some recommended hosts. But it looks like the rules deny valuable opinion.
I've joined to find out more, to see if it's a place of free speech. If you can't name and shame, it's just a game.

g-host is right.
Google brought me here, and the titles of the threads and tutorials gave the impression that you could be directed to some recommended hosts. But it looks like the rules deny valuable opinion.Actually, the rules make it so only customers may make recommendations, without the obvious conflict of interest that comes with providers recommending themselves.

If you were unable to find valuable opinions...my only guess is you're looking at some other community and accidentally thought you were looking at WHT. WHT only allows what you're saying is missing!

Thank you "the_pm". So show me some recommended hosts. I looked below the surface and found none. In fact, I went back to google to find a solution. Of course I'm not asking for ads, just real customer experience with their providers. Just show me where that is and I'll withdraw my concern.

Thank you "the_pm". So show me some recommended hosts. I looked below the surface and found none. In fact, I went back to google to find a solution. Of course I'm not asking for ads, just real customer experience with their providers. Just show me where that is and I'll withdraw my concern.

If you look around the Web Hosting forums, you'll find plenty of recommendations. ;)

Thank you "the_pm". So show me some recommended hosts. I looked below the surface and found none. In fact, I went back to google to find a solution. Of course I'm not asking for ads, just real customer experience with their providers. Just show me where that is and I'll withdraw my concern.The very first thread (as of 30 seconds ago) in the first Web Hosting forum is this review - http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=664887&highlight=review - between the Web Hosting, Dedicated, Colo and Reseller forums, I'd wager you'll find 20-30 review threads (or thread containing reviews) on the top pages alone. In fact, we get so many reviews (good and bad), there's been a lot of talk about making a reviews-only forum, which could easily see thousands of threads within the first year or two that it's open.

Your withdraw has been cheerfully accepted :)

Edit: Just for kicks, I went through the Web Hosting forum, and on the front page of that one I found seven host reviews.

2nd:
by willigetacake: If you can't name and shame, it's just a game
you are 110% right :D thanks for the sentence

to all: WHT is a grea place full of information, some is valuable, some is not...
is like going to the library...

...but, where is the librarian?

my position is that "information is not instantly equal to usefulness",
but that's just my opinion..

Someone might find useful to go through "thousands of threads" of reviews...

the other point is that to be "one of the most impartial resources for web hosting customers." (as Orien says), in my opinion all the advertising should not be directly related to hosting services..
..As an end consumer, I find it quite strange to be surrounded by banners of hosting offers where I'm supposed to find impartial opinions and reviews...

WHT is a grea place full of information, some is valuable, some is not...
is like going to the library...

...but, where is the librarian?Meet the WHT librarian (http://www.webhostingtalk.com/search.php) :)

my position is that "information is not instantly equal to usefulness",
but that's just my opinion..But since everyone has different priorities, WHT doesn't attempt to set priorities for the members. What you don't find useful, someone else will find immensely useful and vice versa, and WHT shouldn't try to decide this on behalf of everyone.

...As an end consumer, I find it quite strange to be surrounded by banners of hosting offers where I'm supposed to find impartial opinions and reviews...As an end consumer, I think you're smart enough to know the difference between communal content and advertising (as is practically every visitor) ;). Advertisers receive no preferential treatment within the community - we've even banned advertisers before.

And name and shame happens all the time on WHT. I'm seriously beginning to wonder if you've actually read any threads here, or if this "complaint" thread is just some silly game!

I'm seriously beginning to wonder if you've actually read any threads here, or if this "complaint" thread is just some silly game!

You arent alone... :eek:

Sirius

But it looks like the rules deny valuable opinion.
I've joined to find out more, to see if it's a place of free speech. If you can't name and shame, it's just a game.
Well, that's not strictly true:
You can't self promote, which is pretty good for 'you'.
WHT members, shouldn't be rude or make false accusations.

What you will find is many factual comments & a range of reviews
[OK some reviews are pretty 'slim' but there is currently a trend towards more detailed reviews, which is great].
Now don't forget willigetacake, to come back in 6 months, with details of how you got on with who, because, you guys at the end of the chain, are the only ones that matter at the end of the day :cool: