About that downtime over New Year :(

Updates on forum status, bug fixes, etc. If there's something new in here its probably a good idea that you read it.
Post Reply
User avatar
Quiff Boy
Herr Administrator
Posts: 16795
Joined: 25 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Lurking and fixing
Contact:
Contact Quiff Boy

As some of you may have noticed Heartland was unavailable from new years' eve until earlier today (2nd Jan).

Basically, the hosting company (Strato) claim that the very first invoice I paid when I moved to them back in August 2009 didn't actually go through, and that they have only just realised that I had an outstanding payment of £58 for the first month's hosting fees. For some reason, despite only just spotting it, they concluded that my account was therefore in arrears and suspended it and blocked the server, making all the sites I host unavailable and my HL email inaccessible :urff: :evil:

They totally disregarded the 2+ years of regular monthly direct debits I've been making ever since :roll:

To make things worse, they blocked the account sometime after 3pm on NYE, sending me an automated SMS message to inform me of this. They advised that to resolve the issue I should ring their customer support, which unfortunately was closed as of 11am that morning and would not be open until today (2nd Jan).

Thus I rang Strato this morning and they have now unblocked the server, and assured me that service will be unaffected while we resolve this so-called outstanding invoice.

In the meantime, if service does go down, please check the HL Twitter feed for service updates & announcements - that will always be the best place to look.

It's free and you don't need a Twitter account or to be logged in to view it:

http://twitter.com/heartlandforum

I repeat: Twitter will always be the best place to check if HL ever goes down :)

Thanks fort your patience, sorry for the unfortunate interruption, and a happy new year (finally!)

Cheers
QB :von:

Heartland on Twitter: http://twitter.com/heartlandforum
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
Top
User avatar
Izzy HaveMercy
The Worlds Greatest Living Belgian
Posts: 8844
Joined: 29 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Long Dark Forties
Contact:
Contact Izzy HaveMercy

My previous hosting for FGG did the very same. He claimed there was a problem with his computer database and we had a free year hosting because the program did not send an automatic invoice to customers, after an update.

Simple as that, he billed us double the next year, withou saying anything. We had to call him for that and the he told us the reason for the double bill. I told him that this was his fault and we were not responsible for that, on which he said "well you HAD hosting for that year, so you still have to pay for it". We threatened to leave and he jovially said "no problem, but I won't free your domain name until all open bills are paid".

We had to pay the double bill first before he freed our domain name, the we got the feck out there.

UNIX SOLUTIONS. Never ever take them in.

IZ.
.
.
For Greater Good - Ambient Music for the Masses...
.
.
Top
User avatar
Debaser
Overbomber
Posts: 4660
Joined: 30 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Lincoln. UK

Quiff Boy wrote:As some of you may have noticed Heartland was unavailable from new years' eve until earlier today (2nd Jan).
Here's me thinking it was just the age-old - 'hide in the toilet to avoid being hugged and kissed at midnight' scenario :lol: :lol:
Five cups of coffee just to be myself...when I'd rather be somebody else
Top
User avatar
Being645
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 15271
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 12:54
Location: reconstruction status: whatever the f**k

Debaser wrote:
Quiff Boy wrote:As some of you may have noticed Heartland was unavailable from new years' eve until earlier today (2nd Jan).
Here's me thinking it was just the age-old - 'hide in the toilet to avoid being hugged and kissed at midnight' scenario :lol: :lol:
:lol: ... well, I thought the "automated spamming" had eventually flooded the whole land ... :lol: ...
Top
User avatar
MadameButterfly
HL's mystical safekeeper
Posts: 6940
Joined: 12 Jul 2005, 09:29
Location: in my own galaxy

i do not do twitter and it was a bit of a bummer that we were lost for a few days...

but happy new year HL! may 2012 bring good things to everyone & loads of love & peace.
it's all about circles and spirals
that ongoing eternity
Top
User avatar
Pista
Cureboi
Posts: 17627
Joined: 25 Jun 2006, 15:03
Location: Lost In A Forest
Contact:
Contact Pista

MadameButterfly wrote:i do not do twitter and it was a bit of a bummer that we were lost for a few days...

but happy new year HL! may 2012 bring good things to everyone & loads of love & peace.
What the "bat" said (but I do do twitter)

Happy, jolly and just plain brilliant 2012 everyone.

Give 'em hell Quiffy.

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
Cheers.
Steve
Just like the old days
TheCureCommunity
Top
User avatar
Ozpat
From the Lowlands
Posts: 6758
Joined: 16 Aug 2005, 13:14
Location: In the place through which we wander.

MadameButterfly wrote:i do not do twitter and it was a bit of a bummer that we were lost for a few days...
2nded! :)
"as we walk on the floodland"
Top
User avatar
Quiff Boy
Herr Administrator
Posts: 16795
Joined: 25 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Lurking and fixing
Contact:
Contact Quiff Boy

Tbh, I'd forget the fact that "it's a twitter page and you don't do twitter" just bookmark it anyway because if HL does ever go down, that's the only I'm going to be able to let you all know what's happening ;)

http://twitter.com/heartlandforum

You don't need to sign up to view the HL tweets, so if the forum does ever go down, forget your prejudice or mistrust over social networking and JUST LOOK AT IT :lol:

If HL does ever go down for an extended period, chances are that the problem is with the whole webserver, and thus it will probably have taken out all my other sites as well (:urff:) so I need to use a separate, independent, 3rd party website to let everyone know what's going on. Twitter is a perfet too for that :)

You don't have to tweet back. You don't have to follow @heartlandforum. You just need to see what is being written on that page.

All I can do is tell you where I'll be posting service & status updates. If you choose not to look, then I can't help it if you don't know what's happening :?

It's your choice.

http://twitter.com/heartlandforum
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
Top
User avatar
MadameButterfly
HL's mystical safekeeper
Posts: 6940
Joined: 12 Jul 2005, 09:29
Location: in my own galaxy

oh cheers boss! thanks for the heads up for future reference. will definately just look at it! :lol:

if you say that's where updates will be if HL is down, we all believe you.

of course it's our choice, just saying that some of us don't twitter, but now know where to look, now we all know. :wink:

thanks for that.
it's all about circles and spirals
that ongoing eternity
Top
User avatar
stufarq
Popweazle Piddlepoop
Posts: 3209
Joined: 19 Jan 2008, 17:09
Location: my own imagination

Quiff Boy wrote:Tbh, I'd forget the fact that "it's a twitter page and you don't do twitter" just bookmark it anyway because if HL does ever go down, that's the only I'm going to be able to let you all know what's happening ;)

http://twitter.com/heartlandforum

You don't need to sign up to view the HL tweets, so if the forum does ever go down, forget your prejudice or mistrust over social networking and JUST LOOK AT IT :lol:

If HL does ever go down for an extended period, chances are that the problem is with the whole webserver, and thus it will probably have taken out all my other sites as well (:urff:) so I need to use a separate, independent, 3rd party website to let everyone know what's going on. Twitter is a perfet too for that :)

You don't have to tweet back. You don't have to follow @heartlandforum. You just need to see what is being written on that page.

All I can do is tell you where I'll be posting service & status updates. If you choose not to look, then I can't help it if you don't know what's happening :?

It's your choice.

http://twitter.com/heartlandforum
All the other stuff's fair enough but perhaps you could replace "prejudice" and "mistrust" with "dislike". It's a valid choice made by people who can think for themselves.
Top
User avatar
Izzy HaveMercy
The Worlds Greatest Living Belgian
Posts: 8844
Joined: 29 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Long Dark Forties
Contact:
Contact Izzy HaveMercy

stufarq wrote:All the other stuff's fair enough but perhaps you could replace "prejudice" and "mistrust" with "dislike". It's a valid choice made by people who can think for themselves.
Of course, you have the choice to sit down and start singing about gold, until the site is up and running again.

IZ.
.
.
For Greater Good - Ambient Music for the Masses...
.
.
Top
User avatar
Quiff Boy
Herr Administrator
Posts: 16795
Joined: 25 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Lurking and fixing
Contact:
Contact Quiff Boy

just trying to make sure you all understand where announcements will be made, and that everyone realises there's nothing to stop you just looking at the goddamned thing, regardless of your own personal preference regarding whether to 'tweet' or not...

as iz says, if you'd rather not know, you can always "sit down and start singing about gold until the site is up and running again", if that's your preferred approach 8)
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
Top
User avatar
Silver_Owl
The Don
Posts: 7498
Joined: 27 Sep 2003, 18:52

There's no helping some people.... :roll:
We forgive as we forget
As the day is long.
Top
User avatar
Quiff Boy
Herr Administrator
Posts: 16795
Joined: 25 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Lurking and fixing
Contact:
Contact Quiff Boy

Hom_Corleone wrote:There's no helping some people.... :roll:
doomed to sit in eternal ignorance, innit :lol: ;)
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
Top
User avatar
Pista
Cureboi
Posts: 17627
Joined: 25 Jun 2006, 15:03
Location: Lost In A Forest
Contact:
Contact Pista

Quiff Boy wrote:
Hom_Corleone wrote:There's no helping some people.... :roll:
doomed to sit in eternal ignorance, innit :lol: ;)
Singing about gold it seems

:lol:
Cheers.
Steve
Just like the old days
TheCureCommunity
Top
User avatar
Being645
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 15271
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 12:54
Location: reconstruction status: whatever the f**k

Pista wrote:
Quiff Boy wrote:
Hom_Corleone wrote:There's no helping some people.... :roll:
doomed to sit in eternal ignorance, innit :lol: ;)
Singing about gold it seems

:lol:
Oh well, the golden days ... always good for a short dream to be abandoned the other day ... :lol: ...
Top
User avatar
DocSommer
Slight Overbomber
Posts: 1828
Joined: 17 Apr 2006, 11:53
Location: Hamburg

I'm not a twitter fan, too but there's really no problem if you can check the twitter page (you can easily bookmark or even find via google) without the need to register there. Besides it's a very simple and reliable thing to to for that purpose since you can't really post status/updates messages within your own webspace if it's down so you have no choice but use some external service :lol:

I think it's really poor what strato did, especially if you pay quite some amount of cash every month for your (probably managed and dedicated) server that's running "average stable" with the need to reboot it manually every once and a while to keep your service up and running. It's most likely that you can get the same hosting and support quality for less money from some discount hoster.
Top
User avatar
stufarq
Popweazle Piddlepoop
Posts: 3209
Joined: 19 Jan 2008, 17:09
Location: my own imagination

Quiff Boy wrote:just trying to make sure you all understand where announcements will be made, and that everyone realises there's nothing to stop you just looking at the goddamned thing, regardless of your own personal preference regarding whether to 'tweet' or not...

as iz says, if you'd rather not know, you can always "sit down and start singing about gold until the site is up and running again", if that's your preferred approach 8)
That's absolutely fine and I have bookmarked the page. My issue was with your assumption that people who don't twitter etc do so out of prejudice and mistrust rather than because they just aren't interested. And iz's comment suggests that we're also being branded as luddites. All of which is rather offensive and elitist. And I know you're better than that.
Top
User avatar
Quiff Boy
Herr Administrator
Posts: 16795
Joined: 25 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Lurking and fixing
Contact:
Contact Quiff Boy

:lol:

sorry if i sounded a little prickly :oops:

you're all correct of course :lol: :D
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
Top
User avatar
Izzy HaveMercy
The Worlds Greatest Living Belgian
Posts: 8844
Joined: 29 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Long Dark Forties
Contact:
Contact Izzy HaveMercy

stufarq wrote:And iz's comment suggests that we're also being branded as luddites. All of which is rather offensive and elitist. And I know you're better than that.
I was merely suggesting we're all Tolkien fans here. :lol:

And seriously, calling things 'offensive' and 'elitist' when one merelysuggests to wait it out instead of going to a site you don't really know and trust says more about someone's offense threshold than anything else... :|

IZ.
.
.
For Greater Good - Ambient Music for the Masses...
.
.
Top
User avatar
markfiend
goriller of form 3b
Posts: 21181
Joined: 11 Nov 2003, 10:55
Location: st custards
Contact:
Contact markfiend

Everyone take a chill pill!
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
Top
User avatar
radiojamaica
Overbomber
Posts: 4875
Joined: 11 Apr 2005, 16:51
Location: Tower of Bass

I'm a neo luddite and proud of it too :lol:
But that didn't stop me checking the twitter page on new years day to see what was wrong ;D
in dub we trust
Top
User avatar
Quiff Boy
Herr Administrator
Posts: 16795
Joined: 25 Jan 2002, 00:00
Location: Lurking and fixing
Contact:
Contact Quiff Boy

radiojamaica wrote:I'm a neo luddite and proud of it too :lol:
But that didn't stop me checking the twitter page on new years day to see what was wrong ;D
:lol: :lol: :D
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
Top
User avatar
MadameButterfly
HL's mystical safekeeper
Posts: 6940
Joined: 12 Jul 2005, 09:29
Location: in my own galaxy

markfiend wrote:Everyone take a chill pill!
*takes the pill* *hides behind mark*

*whispers... sorry if this is my fault.
it's all about circles and spirals
that ongoing eternity
Top
User avatar
markfiend
goriller of form 3b
Posts: 21181
Joined: 11 Nov 2003, 10:55
Location: st custards
Contact:
Contact markfiend

I don't think it's anyone's fault, but tempers seem to be getting frayed on HL a lot recently. :|
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Announcements”