When does one actually seem to go bad?
Is it when they slow down in replying to your emails asking for help with an issue? Is it when they suspend your site for using too many resources? Even when the plan you subscribe to allows unlimited bandwidth and an overabundance of space? How about when they add their own custom 404 error pages in place of the default ones that are customary? Without the customers knowledge?
Well, not all of these issues could be signs that a web host may be going bad or down the proverbial tubes. But that last one? Let’s look a bit deeper.
A web host I used to use has done the last thing I mentioned and without it’s customer’s consent. All in the name of supposedly providing increased income for a free website for K through 12 schools(their public explanation). This charity program had been ongoing for the time I had been hosted with them however, it was the company’s decision to do so. I’m all for helping out education. My wife is a teacher so I know full well what barriers they run into. Non-US residents however, may see this differently.
The issue? Their custom error pages are full of 3rd party links to other sites that might even be a competitor’s site. That and they have your domain name at the bottom of these pages saying something to the effect that you recommend the links! Calls them your favorites. Check out the screen-shot to the right —>
Well, you know what? They got one hell of an uprising going on over there over this. Seems that many of their customers are raising some hell about Lunarpages infringing on their domains and rights. Don’t blame them one bit. I’d raise hell too if I were still hosted there.
The cheeky part of all this is that now that they’ve been caught with their bare-butts in the breeze, their “advice” is to instruct the customer in how to create their own custom error pages and how to upload them to overwrite the hosting company’s pages!
See now, that actually works out to Lunarpages thumbing their nose at their customers. They have no intentions of altering these new error pages at all themselves. They want the customer to alter them. They even altered their TOS to reflect the new changes as implemented immediately. How’s that for thinking of the customer?
Scenario
How would this sound to you? You pay for the hosting service…they sneak in behind your back while you’re happily coding away on your next page…and slip their own custom link-laden error pages in place of your default ones. Then tell you that you can create your own to overwrite theirs? That’s a load if I ever heard one.
Yes, Lunarpages can do as they wish. It’s their business. Not a very good way to instill ongoing confidence in their customers though. Leading visitors away from the customer’s site with 3rd party links is not what I would’ve called keeping the customer’s best interests at heart.
Updates
#1 It seems that there’s been mass censorship going on over at Lunarpages’ Forums due to all the customers complaining. That and deletions and outright banning’s from the forums. Sounds like an excellent way to handle this issue to me. Doesn’t it to you? Hide the gory details from onlookers by telling the customer that the only way to get “heard” is by emailing a feedback email address or face continued censorship.
That’s gonna keep the natives happy, isn’t it? What do you think?
#2 Seems the standard now over at Lunarpages’ forums is to censor anything that is perceived to be even close to off topic. More pointedly, if you mention the company in even the slightest bad light…your post/reply gets deleted.
I invite any of the company’s reps to post their comments here. I won’t censor you, edit you, delete your comment nor even ban you. That’s a better deal than anyone is getting over there. What do you say? Care to defend any of the accusations made against you? Care to try to polish the bad business practices you’re practicing now? The mike is open…..and we have a reply from a company representative that truly does indicate Lunarpages attitude towards this issue: an attempt to discredit the ones who’ve brought them into the light over it!
#3 Seems someone has begun a thread over at Webhosting Talk about this fiasco. Guess the cat’s out of the bag for real now. It’s a shame too. Lunarpages won’t be able to censor, delete nor ban anyone over there. Thread is here.
#4 Just heard from a “friend” of mine who works at LP (and no, I won’t give up this person’s name) who confirms that this 404 issue is now over.
The customer’s have won! 
According to my source, the public explanation about this is that it was a test that would have been put into play this Friday including announcements. Yeah, right. OK LP…sure. Anyway, according to my source, the custom error pages are being replaced with the default apache ones from before.
For those of you that already moved your sites, congratulations. You now no longer need to worry about this ever happening again. For those who are still hosted there, I wish you the best of luck for the remainder of your stay with LP.
As for if any of you will ever be un-banned? Who the heck knows. I’m not going to say that you would be welcomed back with open arms but seeing as we know the truth here…it’s not likely that LP would want a chance at letting any of us back in to spread the word to other, less familiar customers.
So, who says that the power of a few can’t make a change for the greater good? 
Comments are closed due to the foul language and personal attacks by self-professed LP employees.
Friday, 5. October 2007
So you moved your website? I am thinking of doing the same, very strongly in fact. I can’t believe they did this and now they are censoring posts.\
Unbelievable.
Friday, 5. October 2007
Yes, moved to Midphase VPS and so far, it is top notch. They have fast response times too which I’m sure many at the “other” host aren’t accustomed to.
I figured they’d begin to censor posts sooner or later. That’s sad and a sure sign of them losing it.
Wish you the best DSB. Keep in touch.
Friday, 5. October 2007
I’ve been banned, lol.
Friday, 5. October 2007
It must be getting bad over there now then. Sorry to hear it DSB.
Friday, 5. October 2007
I wish I could say how bad. However, I cannot see it.
Perhaps others will post in my stead and help spread the word to fellow customers, about what exactly is going on there.
Friday, 5. October 2007
I just laugh. Seriously… they have insane people running the show who have no clue what they are doing. Not that I’m an expert but I can recognize poor decisions when I see them and they run rampant there. The owner has never learned to stop putting the power in the wrong people. And it’s going to be their downfall if he doesn’t figure it out.
Friday, 5. October 2007
I’m tempted on filling for a trademark on the business site I’m running then going after them for trademark infringement.
Only bummer is it would cost more to get the trademark than I’ve made off that site
Friday, 5. October 2007
Re DSB.
I’ve been trying to save the thread (print view) every one in a while, also sent a complaint (like that will do anything) to there “Feedback” page
Friday, 5. October 2007
Best of luck Jarhead. I feel it won’t be too long and they’ll ban me as well. Truth hurts I guess.
Friday, 5. October 2007
Yeah, someone just deleted yet another reply I made. Well, I sincerely hope that the customers they have are beginning to see the light now. This hosting company does not have their best interests at heart.
Wednesday, 10. October 2007
Ouch, thats not good at all! Hope you get this resolved! Lunarpages used to have a great reputation, I guess things changed a bit since then
Tuesday, 16. October 2007
well, I’m an employee of LP currently and for the past 2 years. frankly the only flack comming from this incident is from x-employee’s, fired or other wise that wish they could stir up a bunch of trouble. It isn’t really working.
I mean, think about it, a program was tested for 4 or 5 days, and then removed…big deal. End of story. the company has been around going on 10 years and thats because they DO the right thing. Part of that right thing may have been getting rid of some employee’s that we’re nothing but shit stirrer’s. No company needs or wants that within their ranks. So meybe your right tracie, the owner empowered the wrong person. Meybe thats why you are gone? They probably should have done that along time ago, some of the crap I overheard from you in IRC, and you were supposed to be a boss representing the company? Quit playing the victim honey, you will never keep a job with that type of loyalty.
scott, you we’re a moderator on LP forum’s. You know that forum is provided as a courtesy to the customer’s, not for people to go into and repeatedly try to creat problem’s. You knew you we’re going to get banned, seems like you kept trying to cause trouble so that you would get banned so you could go around flying that banner. Get a life. And it seem’s really lame that you keep trying to pose as an innocent customer that is up in arms cause such an injustice was layed upon you? Meybe you have some personal agenda that really has nothing to do with a 5 day test, it also has little to do with the truth apparantly. If your that mad at someone why not man up and go see them in person?
Im smiling at how excited you must be to see someone actually read this blog and post on it. yay for you!!!!!!
Wednesday, 17. October 2007
@LP Fan:
First, please get your facts straight. Your flagrant attempt at covering your employer’s butt is ridiculous at best. We all know this was no freakin’ test. You got caught with your pants down trying to sneak 3rd party link-laden error pages past your customers at their expense all in the name of supposedly funding K-12 schools. Instead of I might also add, getting your customers on board with it first.
Where were any emails letting them know about it? You know, like the ones that customers get when an important update or change is about to take place? Oh, that might be because you DIDN’T WANT THEM TO KNOW? Right, an afterthought.
So, if I’m wrong, then why all the bannings,censorship and deletions from your forums? Then creating an addition to the company’s TOS reflecting this new change? Also stating that the customer may use your custom error pages at no cost?
Then after all the ruckus didn’t go away, LP changes back to the default Apache error pages and re-alters the TOS once again while coming up with this so called Test.
ROTFLMAO This is absolute crap and you know it.
Now I’ll quote from you and reply:
Wrong. Ex-employees weren’t the only ones raising cain over this. Hell, they didn’t even know about it until all the crap hit the fan. News travels fast my friend, especially across the internet. Customers were upset but when you saw that this so called “test” was blowing up in your face, upper management went into damage control and began the censoring, deletions and banning of your CUSTOMERS who were complaining! Those who paid your bills! Great customer service there, my friend…really showing where your primary concerns are.
Yes, I used to work for LP. If you tried to dig far enough, you’d have discovered that I had quit due to a scheduling conflict with my regular job. No gripes, no ill will, just a plain old scheduling conflict. Kind of difficult to work 2 jobs when one has a different schedule each week. I then went back into the forums as a VOLUNTEER Mod.
Amy and Chad know all this so this tells me you’re what, a CSR maybe? Or maybe sales? No matter. You’re still off base with your accusations.
I’ve been around LP for 4 years give or take, long before you showed up so try doing some homework before you come back on this one.
See my first paragraph ^
Sounds like to me that you know very little of LP’s history and would rather go ahead and smear someone with hearsay. Don’t know anything about your “sh!t stirrers” (your words) but if Tracie would like to address your comments seeing as this one seems to be addressed to her, I’m fine with that.
Yup, I was a Mod on the LP forums…no problem there. As for me being banned? Try getting your facts straight again. I QUIT dumb ass! Emailed my resignation plus posted it in the Mods forum. Big difference. Also, I deleted my own account. So, how’s that being banned? Please, if you’re going to come at me with this crap…try doing so with intelligence. BTW, I just checked…I’m still not banned. Care to try again?
If you would like a copy of my resignation plus my feedback email, I’d be more than happy to provide them. Just send me your email addy via the contact form on this blog.
As for me causing trouble? I’d like to know how? Before I quit? I don’t think so. After I quit, I posted my opinions on several forums. I believe that’s my right. But to be honest, I posted into existing threads that were started by your own customers because LP was banning them from posting their complaints on your forums. Now, if you call that causing trouble…you’re in for a surprise. I call that free speech.
I have clients that are hosted at LP. Clients that I sent to LP because of what LP was back then. I’m in the process of moving them away as a result of this latest episode but, seeing as I do have clients hosted there, I believe this gives me a right to voice my opinions on what goes on with their sites. Sorry if you disagree but that’s your nut to crack now isn’t it?
BTW, I took screen-shots of each of my clients “so-called custom error pages” and emailed them to each of my clients. To say the least, they were upset that their hosting company would do that without telling them. Some of them have rather large businesses and didn’t appreciate links to dating, christian singles, ring-tones, etc. sites. The part of the page that makes one believe that the domain owner was suggesting these sites really got them.
OK, this last part seems really childish but seeing as you saw fit to post it…I’ll reply to it as well:
I do have a life and am enjoying every bit of it, thank you.
I in no way posed as an innocent customer as I moved my sites right before this error page fiasco. One reason why is due in part to the direction that LP was going. I didn’t like it so I pulled my account and left. Quietly too I might add.
I have no personal agendas against anyone. To me they’re childish and accomplish nothing. You might try anger management to see to your own issues. Or at least try doing some research before posting to this blog again. It really makes you look foolish.
Again, you speak of the truth but you spout lies and propaganda in your reply trying to make me look like some disgruntled, ex-employee who felt like going off on my old employer.
As for this being a test? Once more, read my first paragraph.
LOL If that gave you a smile, then you’re obviously in need of some type of psychiatric help. But to be fair and reply to this last part of your rant…please read the About page. This blog was created to share experiences, tips, tricks and all sorts of things relating to the internet, Linux and web design.
So, in closing…I will say just two more things:
One, thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts.
Two, I’ll leave your reply here, untouched and unedited for all to see that come by. I want them to see why this post was created in the first place and I think you’ve helped accomplish that for me.
Have a great day and please feel free to drop by again.
Wednesday, 17. October 2007
How can you ‘overhear’ stuff in IRC? Considering I never posted anything negative about LP in IRC, nor our chat room in Jabber, you’re full of shit.
Considering I would have gone to the ends of the earth for LP, you clearly have no idea.
Wednesday, 17. October 2007
P.S. it’s spelled “Maybe”.
Wednesday, 17. October 2007
LP Fan:
Are you really a fan or one of those fake fans? If you are seriously a fan, take a step back and review your attitude and writing. You make Lunarpages look horrible.
On a superficial level, your writing and grammar is atrocious. I don’t generally criticize people on their writing since no one is perfect, but if you are trying to come across as a representative of a company, you need to be more professional about it or you make the company itself look unprofessional.
Next, is your attitude. The issue here isn’t only the spammy custom error pages that LP sneaked into paying customers’ sites. It’s been the decreased quality of support. Given that you work for them, I’m not surprised at how things have gone downhill. LP made a mistake; everybody makes mistakes. The issue a lot of us true former LP fans have is LP’s attitude in this whole fiasco. Why weren’t customers informed? If it were a test, why not say so in the first place when people started protesting? Why change the ToS for something that’s a test? They banned some very valuable members of the forum because they spoke up. There is no mention of the “test” or even an apology in the Lunarforums. People found out about it from a competitor’s blog that was offering refuge to Lunarpages customers.
If Lunarpages has any brains left, they would fire you for making them look so bad.
Wednesday, 17. October 2007
@ LP Fan:
Well, I’m glad you are a fan of the company you work for. Several employees were customers before they got jobs working for LP, and continued to be customers even after leaving voluntarily. So, sure some might have been “former employees”, but that misses the point.
I was never an employee and actually turned down a Mod position on the forums because I wanted to retain the right to call LP when they messed up on things. In this case, they definitely messed up big time. The majority of complaints I’ve seen are from customers who (as far as I know) were never employees of LP.
As for the so called “test”, this is something they put in place with NO announcement to any customer. I think it was a “test” in the sense that they wanted to see if anyone noticed and/or complained. And boy did they get an answer to that one. There has still never been an official posting regarding this “test”. The closest thing that I’ve seen were posts in the threads that have been removed from public viewing where they stated it was to help fund the free educational websites. This didn’t appear until all hell had already broken loose and word was spreading around the internet about it like crazy. LP’s solution? Move threads out of public view, ban users from the forum for discussing it, etc. Then, almost a week later, they apparently send out an INTERNAL memo saying that it was just a test and they wouldn’t be implementing it.
Well, why not post that to the forums? Oh that’s right, how can they announce that a “test” involving customer sites has ended when they never announced the test in the first place? All this would do is stir up more problems with people who never knew about the problem to begin with. My guess is that a lot of LP customers still don’t know that this happened, even though they were directly impacted by it.
And I still don’t think LP realizes the degree to which they have harmed their relationship with existing customers over this. I used to trust that LP had the best interest of its customers in mind when making decisions, but this shows that I was obviously wrong about that. I don’t fault LP for technical issues that come up beyond their control and always felt they provided a reasonably good service. In many ways, I still think they provide a good service. The problem is that I can’t trust them any more when it comes to policy and TOS changes that might not be in my best interest. I don’t want to wake up one day to discover they’ve changed their TOS in a manner that has an even greater negative impact on my site/domain than this did. And, if I can’t trust them in that area, I begin to loose trust in other areas as well.
To your credit though, at least you were honest in admitting you were an employee before posting the nonsense that you did…
Tuesday, 23. October 2007
Bodacious write up covering When a Web Host Goes Bad. I love your point of view!
Wednesday, 16. January 2008
Wow! Never figured I’d ever need to update this old post but it seems that LP is now acting out of spite due to an incident over at DreamHost. Something about them having a billing error that caused over-charges to their customers.
Way to go LP! Taking that High Road, eh? Right. Acting as expected is more what I’d call it albeit, not totally “unexpected” considering the type of class act that you have going over there.
Here are the pertinent links:
DreamHost’s Blog: http://blog.dreamhost.com/2008/01/15/um-whoops/
LP’s Blog (gag): http://blog.lunarpages.com/2008/01/15/dreamhost-robbing-their-customers/
You’ll notice that LP’s comment is close to the top of DreamHost’s post. This Tiara made darn sure she got her (LP’s) stab in early. Not to mention that the title of LP’s post concerning the sad error at DreamHost is somewhat “accusatory” in nature. I don’t know that I’d post publicly a statement like that. That might be grounds for DreamHost to consult legal council. But then they’d be faced with that fantastic legal team that LP has. Oooh!
There does seem to be one bright individual in all of this mess though: HostGator’s response to this on WebHostingTalk.com was admirable. They seem to know how to take the high road in all of this without beating DreamHost down any further nor tempting their customers away with offers of their own. Their post on this topic is here: http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showpost.php?p=4906999&postcount=20
Like I said: Class act.