Reason for web site "re-directions" resolved

[Wolfie]

This is for the many people who have tried to get to my web site and been re-directed to either web1000 home page, a pay-for-surveys site or more disturbingly, lately it's been a porn site (to the persons who have taken the time to write to me with your abusive e-mail (you know who you are), I only ask you to do me the courtesy to also take the time to read this entire message). Well at last I finally have an answer to why this occurs (only taken 2 1/2 years of nagging and a change of company ownership!!)

From Web1000: "We actually do make money directly. We do this on things like 404 error traffic and some non-United States traffic that many advertisers would not purchase anyhow (like Korean and Chinese traffic), which we turn into 404 traffic. You will notice that 404 traffic is directed to advertisers. Since our bandwidth is already paid for, even this small amount of traffic makes us a profit. (You would be surprised at how many people type in site names like "something.web1000.com" It's just like type in traffic to a primary domain name . . . and the quality of this type-in 404 traffic is quite good)."

Whilst I still don't see how this makes much sense (surely this restricts their customers to being from and for the US only, a rather limited view considering the Internet is a global network). The key words in their statement are "non-US traffic" and "[re]directed to advertisers". Guess they're not too fussed who the "advertiser" is or what they're selling (too bad if I'd created a children's web site when they changed their policy!)

The main thing is at least now I know why some ppl are getting re-directly, and can only offer my appologies to anyone who found where they got re-directed to offensive, it was not my doing and out of my control to change.

Kind regards all,
- Wolfie
(wizardry8 AT mail.com)

[Nightowl2]

Wolfie, these are not people I'd want to do business with. In your place, I'd be looking for a better and more professional web-hosting service. Have you considered that?

Nightowl2

[Wolfie]

Yes agree, however the problem I foresee is that I don't own the URL (wiz8.web1000.com), so couldn't re-direct it to where-ever the new link would be. I've been using the current address for about 3 years (after having to already re-located once before), many documents and other fan sites are referring to this link, without being able to (auto)redirect ppl, many wouldn't know to look for an alternative (just conclude site was dead).

[babar]

well you could just take down the site and put a simple page up that says "site has moved/is moving to new address at www.newsiteaddress.com" and leave it like that for awhile. People will eventually update their links.

[Wolfie]

Originally posted by babar: well you could just take down the site and put a simple page up that says "site has moved/is moving to new address at "www.newsiteaddress.com" and leave it like that for awhile. People will eventually update their links.

It's a good idea, unfortunately the web service provide deletes those kind of web pages within hours (ie, they must have some sort of process which scans all the web sites being hosted in their servers and if it finds one that mets some set conditions, it deletes the site).



[ 03-23-2005, 07:25 PM: Message edited by: Wolfie ]

[shamrock_uk]

Are you sure you don't own the domain? In the UK no matter who you get the space from, the domain name is something you get separately and is legally yours.. I've got a nice shiny certificate somewhere for mine.

How about leaving the whole site up, simply putting a notice on the front page about the move. That way they might not notice...

[ 03-23-2005, 07:56 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

[babar]

It's been a while but I think the domain name is actually web1000.com. they can add any number of computers or aliases to that domain, e.g. wiz8.web1000.com, wiz9.web1000.com, freespam.web1000.com, etc.

wolfie: too bad you can't sneak a moving notice in there somehow. At any rate, if you can't do it straight, you could always just put a new site, register it yahoo or something and eventually (hopefully) people will get their links updated.

[Wolfie]

Originally posted by babar: It's been a while but I think the domain name is actually web1000.com. they can add any number of computers or aliases to that domain, e.g. wiz8.web1000.com, wiz9.web1000.com, freespam.web1000.com, etc.

shamrock_uk, what babar says here is correct, hense the inability to "own" my specific sub-domain name.

Originally posted by babar: you could always just put a new site, register it yahoo or something and eventually (hopefully) people will get their links updated.

Already done, that's basically what the http://www.foerster.cc/wolfie site is, I just now upload updates to both sites while I decide what to do next with the site.

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