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  1. #1
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    Vunerable Web Hosts

    This is something that has been bugging me for a couple of days now, and it is a critism to all people who use WHT to just bitch about their web hosts.
    Over the past couple of days there have been various threads saying along the lines of "don't host with joebloggshosting", just because they have a personal dispute with their own web hosts. Then the general pattern is that, the web host who is a forum member will reply to their customers post defending themselves. An example is the "beware of featureprice" thread that was deleted in the end.
    I don't know why people don't go down the obvious lines, for instance trying to contact their host before posting here. I mean all hosting companies come across problems at some stage or another.
    Imagine a newbie looking for some info on a potential host and they then do a search, but to find a thread saying "joebloggshosting is terrible", and the thread contains a complaint because their site isn't running, and its because the host has experienced a denial of service attack. Not the hosts fault.

    WHT is a great place to come, and we have all learnt a great deal from it. But too many people are just using it as a means to complain.

    Anyway i've finished complaining myself (erm, doesnt that make me a hipercrit).

    What are your views on it?
    Last edited by essexguy; 03-08-2003 at 10:38 PM.

  2. #2
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    Hi essexguy

    That's such a tough one, imo.

    On one hand, wht is such a valuable tool for prospective hostees to learn about those companies that are very likely to hurt them or their business through inept business practices.

    On the other hand having that seems to automatically pave the way for the forms of bitching that you have described and dislike as I do and no doubt many others too.

    I don't really know how you could stop it without removing the beneficial and valid complaints as well. Other than those who recognize it as such just not responding to the obvious 'bitchy' threads. I don't know

    Maybe having a sticky thread available that outlines the sorts of proper procedures you described that a person can read and checklist against before they post a complaint... That's just one thought anyhow.

    Thanx for the post, anyway... its good food for thought.
    Pia
    Chalice Web at www.chaliceweb.com.au
    CPanel Shared and Reseller Hosting

  3. #3
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    Yeah, down with the complaints, also why isn't "bitching" censored?

  4. #4
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    And what about praise threads? 2-way street.

  5. #5
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    "Maybe having a sticky thread available that outlines the sorts of proper procedures you described that a person can read and checklist against before they post a complaint... That's just one thought anyhow."


    Thats a good idea, setting some kind of guideline. But like you said its something that is very hard to implement. I would never want WHT to be turned into a place where it was wrong to complain, that wasn't the point of my post. Because WHT is still the best place to come to find out a hosting companies reputation, and there are still many valid complaints.

  6. #6
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    Originally posted by Curtis H.
    And what about praise threads? 2-way street.
    Apart from the obvious spammers, there isn't enough good host stories. I suppose its like any business, an annoyed customer is more likely to spread the word than a happy one.

  7. #7
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    it's a bit like china trying to control what 1.2 billion people can see on the internet and what they can't. just gota take the good with the bad my friend.

    now back to business: i have "unlimited" bandwidth on my shared server. 486x /20mb drive/8mb ram/ and a wopping 9,600 modem! care to sign up? well get in line!

    Blades

  8. #8
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    Originally posted by Blades
    it's a bit like china trying to control what 1.2 billion people can see on the internet and what they can't. just gota take the good with the bad my friend.

    now back to business: i have "unlimited" bandwidth on my shared server. 486x /20mb drive/8mb ram/ and a wopping 9,600 modem! care to sign up? well get in line!

    Blades
    hehehe, so you don't sell bridges anymore?

    <---------- WWOOOOHOOOOOO, i'm now a WHT addict. how sad

  9. #9
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    Feb 2003
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    nope, i sold my last bridge to a young lad in bahgdad - woops i mean uk :-)

    wht addict - u can now start ur 12 step program ;-)

    Blades

  10. #10
    I think a good majority of the hosts that get badmouthed needlessly get noticed right away as long as the company that it is about actually is active on this forum. I can think of one that was started about httpME a few days back that was specifically like this.

    However, *most* of the negative comments on this forum go something like this.

    "X Host sucks. My website has been down for two months. I have contacted their customer service, their help desk and tried calling them. They never answered me."

    Not that extreme, but you get the idea. Usually people do post their problem after trying to resolve it with the host. It is only in extreme cases with some extreme people that they come here first. In some cases it's not extreme people, but only people that see that "everyone else is doing it, so why can't I?"

    I'm not going to give a negative post a second look if someone hasn't specifically said what the problem was and what they've done with their host to try to resolve the matter. Same thing with a positive post for someone that has been with a host for a week (although I'm sure their intentions are good).

    Bottom line, I agree. Their should be a sticky in this forum detailing how negative and postive threads should be structured to ensure that the problem is a legit one.
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  11. #11
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    And should we have a "Sticky" for hosts who knock other hosts?

  12. #12
    Yes, I see nothing wrong with that either Curtis. I see nothing wrong with people with a business trying to truly help someone else, but people who simply post stuff to be malicious or something like "that sucks, better start looking elsewhere" hoping that the user will click on their "homepage" button and sign up with their plans should be looked more closely at.

    I think the constructive ones can be fairly easily differentiated from the destructive ones.
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  13. #13
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    Agree.

  14. #14
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    WHT is a great place to come, and we have all learnt a great deal from it. But too many people are just using it as a means to complain
    Ummm... I just clicked on your WEBSITE and it says "WebActiveNet coming soon, in association with HostBlackList.Org" HostBlackList.org huh? hmmmm....
    Joe - HostingWave.Com / TXINSURANCE.COM
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  15. #15
    Even when the trollers stroll by to try and blacken someone's eye it can be a positive reflection of the host. I've seen some threads where there was complaining for no reason and the host comes in with an intelligent and thought out reply. My opinion of that host went way up as a result. On the other hand I've seen hosts that have been badmouthed jump right in the trenches with the trollers. Not professional or impressive and not someone I would host with.

    There are many advantages to the way things go around here, my thoughts are if the people coming for information cannot figure out good and bad by the post and response of a forum, then they will probably be one of the ones back here complaining about their host in a few weeks anyway....

  16. #16
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    I'm not on the fence, I'm on both sides of the fence on this issue.

    Sometimes a complaint is posted and it's clear if you read it carefully, the poster is probably a Professional bellyacher. Such posts should be ignored and are totally useless to chosing a host and possibly unfairly damaging to the host.

    Then there are others that one can't tell whether the complaint is justified or not. If others response and say, I've had trouble too, then the thread can be useful.

    No business is perfect, but we shouldn't hold webhosting to a lower standard than our bank or favorite restaurant. If they screw up our account or serve us poorly cooked food, we don't need to wait till the third strike before moving our feet to another location.

    The first time, shame on them, the third, shame on us.
    Last edited by Gordo; 03-09-2003 at 01:28 AM.
    You'll get fewer complaints from over performing than from over promising.

  17. #17
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    All you can do is take those threads for what they're worth. Whether it be unfounded flames or senseless praise. It rarely takes long to notice the truth. This community is so large that those threads will continue. I see nothing wrong with them. It can help the consumer make a more informed decision. And it can help the host fine tune his method of operation. Of course there will always be the trolls. Just as there'll always be the fake customer. It all comes out in the wash though. (Usually)
    There is no best host. There is only the host that's best for you.

  18. #18
    I don't think the forum should became an Orweillian world. Unless the post it really off the bat, it should be up to the readers to decide for themselves.
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  19. #19
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    Originally posted by intraweb
    Ummm... I just clicked on your WEBSITE and it says "WebActiveNet coming soon, in association with HostBlackList.Org" HostBlackList.org huh? hmmmm....
    Yes!?!? so what if you clicked on my website. (hostblacklist was originally going to be a list of hosts to stay away from, not poor hosts, but scammers, but things aren't really moving forward)

    Well at least i achieved what i set out to do, and create a discussion on the topic. Many valid comments have been made and have given me some thought. The one thing i love about WHT is that the trolls and scammers are spotted so easily. But only by people that use the boards frequently, which i know is the majority. But this may not be the case for the general newbie.

  20. #20
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    But, without that, would it really be WHT? Nah.
    What does one host say to the other? "(HostA) Want to go see a movie?" "(HostB) Sure, can your parents drive?"

    I'm premium, and no, I did not have to pay $6 a month to figure that out.

  21. #21
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    Originally posted by DarktidesNET
    But, without that, would it really be WHT? Nah.
    this is 100% true

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