Web Hosting Talk : Other Forums : WHT Announcements, Feedback and Questions : Why are there so much host bashing in Webhostingtalk?

[Byron]

Though I don't post often, i have been lurking and reading this forum since it was first started. Those were the days when there wasn't any banners on this forum.

Why are there so much host bashing in this forum nowadays?

Lately, there have been more and more bashing complaint posts here and quite a few are posted by Newbies. Also, I suspect the same person who post a bashing post can easily sign up another username and join in the bashing.

Seems to me that anyone can just sign up a username using a free email account and start bashing and harming other people's or competitors business.

Though there are other good members here, it seems like there are many new resellers who hang around or come to WHT with two purpose.

One to advertise his own service.
Second, to bash competitors.

I may be wrong, but this is the impression I get from the numerous bashing posts which may or may not be true.

I have two suggestions: One to show the IP address and second, registeration with a REAL ISP email.

Hopefully, this can greatly reduce the number of fake bashing and commercial attacks in this forum.

[TotalHst]

I would say it was nice when they did show the IP, and the blockage of free email accounts from being signed up is also a good idea. But, as you notice it does say IP Logged, that means the Mods do monitor this sort of abuse.

[Byron]

I think, there should be some guidelines for posting a real complain post.

And, make posting and registering difficult for abusers, and impersonators who are out to harm other's business.

For example,
- Ban free email accounts
- Person who complain about a webhost must states his/her domains hosted on that particular webhost. If a complain is posted w/o his/her domain then the post shd be deleted. I think this is fair enough.
- Show IPs

[muppie]

Hi,

I haven't been visiting this board much since christmas, not that I am away but I am writing a new software at the moment. I am still catching up on the new posts here..

I personally don't see this as a media for advertisement.... I mean just imagine.... about three quarters of the members here are probably hosts anyway...

The reason I come around here is to learn and hopefully help contribute in the forum whenever I can help... or just for fun as some stuff here are quite funny hehehe sometimes steal ideas from this forum to start the same topic on my forum (not hosting / technical related)... such as "what is your favorite drink" hehe things like that..

I haven't seen real "bashing" for the purpose of making a competitor look bad.... what I have seen so far is just complaints (sometimes quite extreme) from people who have been disappointed... and I think that's a fair go... in fact it's probably one of the purposes of forming this forum a while back

The hosts who got bashed should take it as a constructive criticism and improve themselves... sometimes this can be hard because sometimes people take things personally.... this is one hurdle that I myself often face and try to overcome...

I guess the moderators here are doing quite well too in controlling the spam (fake bashing) and I thank them for that

[Byron]

Just a note, I am not referring to your post about Site5.

There are other complaint posts which look suspicious, some defamatory and some by Newbies (with very few post count) whose only intent is registering a new username and start bashing a particular web host.

I believe the moderators are trying their best to provide a fair and just discussion forum for both users and hosters. But, to my opinion, the web hosts are at a much more vulnerable position as anyone with a personal vendetta can just do a hit and run bashing attack here.

Some forms of counter checks and safe guards should be in place.

[muppie]

How about members who have posts less than N and haven't posted for M days will be deleted and all posts / threads deleted as well.... ?

[perpetual]

How about members who have posts less than N and haven't posted for M days will be deleted and all posts / threads deleted as well.... ?

I agree.. a simpler method would be to delete members who haven't logged in for X days. Then we'd have on cosy community

I'm new here, and I love this forum.. It's full of info.. lots of genuine ppl who are more than willing to help! I'd hate to see this ruined by the minority.

[EssEss]

Let's not put too many restrictions. That will hamper the openness of WHT. Existing rules are quite OK. Moderators are there to move, close or delete a post. When they don't do to some bashing (objectionable?) posts, it means that those posts are according to the guidelines of the forum.

Even if someone put any false complaint against any Host, that Host person can post his views too. And, all those posts will enrich our experiences only.

Let WHT run on its own way. If some changes are required to be made, the moderators will definitely do that.

[Incognito]

I think the answer is only to be found in what we the users can do to effect change ourselves. I do not want to see the freedom of the board lost. On the other hand, I see three issues:

1-I do not believe hosts should ever participate in bashing of their competition. That, to me, is unprofessional. They should offer recommendations, advise users on how to search, etc., but not take shots, however justified, at competitors. Leave that to non-biased users.

2-I believe criticism can be professional and factual. I strongly dislike headlines like "is XXXX dead" etc. which may inflame whether than simply ask.

3-I believe anyone should give their host an opportunity to address problems in private channels such as trouble tickets, email, phone before bringing those problems here. Only after that failure and a demonstrated history of non-performance is this the appropriate channel.

To sum it up, be professional, demonstrate maturity.

[Byron]

Originally posted by muppie
How about members who have posts less than N and haven't posted for M days will be deleted and all posts / threads deleted as well.... ?

I can't see how this will help in preventing abuse and host bashing. Can you please explain?

[Chicken]

Originally posted by Byron
IFor example,
- Ban free email accounts

The banning of free email accounts has been discussed and ultimately, we allow them for the same reason that hosts allow people to use them when they sign up orders. While there are a certain percentage of the population that uses them for other purposes, we have over 700 out of 9,000 members registered and that's just too large of a chunk to give up. Only 22 are in the banned group.

- Person who complain about a webhost must states his/her domains hosted on that particular webhost. If a complain is posted w/o his/her domain then the post shd be deleted. I think this is fair enough.

This is something that stands the biggest chance of being a reasonable requirement. Certainly it will be considered, though it would be difficult to enforce at first (meaning that we'd have to remove 95% of the posts which are currently posted that do not comply). Members had trouble following a similar guideline we were testing in the ad. forums, and ultimately, replies were disabled due to the number of poeple not following the guideline. I fear it would go about the same in the main forums.

- Show IPs

This was decided already, and the decision was to hide IPs. We look after it and run checks on things that look suspicious and that members report. if you see something that looks odd, shoot us a report and we'll look into it. We don't mind...

[Byron]

Thank you for taking the time to read and replying to this thread.

[pgrote]

How about pointing out the a few things:

1) People naturally talk about the bad experiences they have instead of the good.

2) When something bad happens people need help. Whether it's getting back their money, their files or finding a new host.

3) There are good reviews of sites. Notice my postings on HostingMatters and CyberWings.

thanks.

[Mike the newbie]

Originally posted by Byron
...I have two suggestions: One to show the IP address ...

Posting the IP address of participants has been discussed before...

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...threadid=16784

[Byron]

yes, it has been suggested but the thread starter in that above thread didn't touch on the rationales for suggesting such a move. I mentioned it as part of a few possible solutions on preventing abuse and host bashing.

Showing IP may not be an effective method due to various reasons but the idea is to make it difficult for abusers in signing up a new username, do a hit and run attack, and registering another username to do the same thing.

Naturally, it is the moderators who will decide if any of the suggestions are appropriate.