Web Hosting Talk : Other Forums : WHT Announcements, Feedback and Questions : HostSpy Beta - Misleading???

[Tina J]

HostSpy only shows the results of the nameserver that affordablehost.com is on...not all of our other nameservers. I think it needs to be a h*** of a lot clearer that this is most likely NOT all domains that a company is hosting. On the result page, there is one little note that asks if you know of any other nameservers for that host. That is NOT the same as saying "This is probably not all of this hosts' customers".

Our results showed about 700...while we are well over 3000 and growing every day. HostSpy would never show this increase - because we do not put new customers on those nameservers anymore.

Personally, I'm not really happy about this.

--Tina

[Incognito]

I am in total agreement with Tina. Its great to have useful tools. However, when we interpret them to mean something they don't that is worse than not having them at all. In our case, we currently use over 30 different sets of name servers and I estimate that our customers and resellers probably use 300+. Any implication that you can determine the size of a host by the number of domains using the same name servers as they use on their web site is just plain wrong.

I believe webhostingtalk has a responsibility to include this information, a caution or warning so to speak, with this tool if it is to be left operating.

[Tina J]

I'm not as mad as I was 10 minutes ago.

That said, I think it needs to be ALOT more clearer that it is probably not all of the domains hosted by a host. Currently, there is a disclaimer - but it's kind of generic and doesn't seem to protect (that's not the exact word I wanted to use) the host.

I actually had to go back and read it a second time, before I saw that they didn't actually mean that it was ALL of the domains hosted by our company. If I missed that information - I'm sure alot of our potential customers would miss it as well.

--Tina

[Tina J]

Originally posted by Incognito
In our case, we currently use over 30 different sets of name servers and I estimate that our customers and resellers probably use 300+.

Ahhhhh! I just gave Matt a list of all of our nameservers - but I totally forgot all of our resellers' nameservers.

--Tina

[Incognito]

I also missed any disclaimer if there...now the site is down for maintenance. Will revisit upon return from maintenance.

And, I'm not angry....just don't want people to be mislead.

One of the best things of the internet is the incredible amount of information.

One of the worst is the incredible amount of incorrect information.

The best thing about WHT is the lack of bias. I get so tired seeing all the host rating sites with paid advertisers on top and more and more people led down the path to disaster. My neighboring host continues to lead the pack in poor service, but what I would give for hist PR department.

[Pilgrim]

Well it IS called a beta

I'm sure Matt will look at the feedback and make adjustments before taking the beta part away.

Having said that... I really have no clue what hostspy is or is supposed to do.

For all I know it means one of those X10 thingies is pointed at me at this very moment

[MattF]

I've updated affordablehost.com nameserver list. If host has multiple primary nameservers let us know and we'll add them to the database asap.

With regards to notices etc... I will make them more clearer, and add special notices for those hosts who give their resellers anonymous name servers.

[Chicken]

Ahem, first I want to mention that I don't think the intent was to *be* misleading. That said, if you have suggestions on how the owrding could be clarified to actually represent what the toll does, and what the results indicate, I'm sure Matt would be open to hearing it.

My recommendation is that it be renamed to start. I think 'nameserver lookup' would be more appropriate, as that is what it is and does.

[Tina J]

It's back up now.

I think this has a great potential, but the information is just so incomplete that it seems like it might cause more harm than good. Potential customers may pass on a good host, because it appears as if they have a fraction of the customers they really do.

Our results showed around 700 accounts - while, now that I see the updated results, its at least 4000+

...and that didn't include our resellers nameservers and it ONLY includes .com, .net and .org domains. Like most hosts, we host every type of TLD - .co.uk and .ca being two of the biggest...not to mention .biz and .info, which are starting to really take off.

I'm guessing our number would be over 5000. HostSpy says that 700 is a "rough estimate"....it's REALLY rough!!!

--Tina

[Tina J]

Originally posted by Chicken
Ahem, first I want to mention that I don't think the intent was to *be* misleading.

Oh, I have no doubt that it was simply an oversight. I can't imagine Matt trying to mislead anyone!


--Tina

[MattF]

.biz and .info will be added shortly.

[Incognito]

I also have no belief that there was an attempt to mislead anyone. Just an oversight in developing and presenting.....we are all subject to oversights.

Appreciate the prompt response and attention to addressing concerns.

I also think it might be appropriate to allow hosts to opt out if they so desire...I, for one, do not want it understating my sites, but at the same time I do not really want to provide my competitors easy access to how many sites I do host.

[Tina J]

Since its public information - we really have no right to expect him to NOT include our information. The only thing we do have a right to is to make sure the information presented is accurate and fair.

--Tina

[cbaker17]

Where is hostspy?

[MattF]

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/hostspy.php