(09-24-2020, 11:40 AM)Mathilda Wrote: I'm stepping down from looking after the technical and financial side of things on this forum for various life reasons so we're moving the server to a managed hosting service based in Canada. At the moment the site is hosted with a rather expensive hosting service in the UK which leaves the user to do all the technical work. On the plus side, the site should finally get SSL.

Aliza has kindly stepped up to take over this side of things.

There may be disruptions after the move as we don't know what the new hosting service is like in practice. I'll be transferring the domain name, paypal and patreon accounts as well. I've added US and Canadian dollars to the paypal account if you want to help out with the new running costs.

We'll have to fire up the lifeboat forum and wake up the hamsters before the move, although I can't find the URL for it at the moment so if anyone remembers what it is then please say.

There are loads of things I need to do in the right order to make the transition as smooth as possible.

(09-24-2020, 11:40 AM)Mathilda Wrote: I'm stepping down from looking after the technical and financial side of things on this forum for various life reasons so we're moving the server to a managed hosting service based in Canada. At the moment the site is hosted with a rather expensive hosting service in the UK which leaves the user to do all the technical work. On the plus side, the site should finally get SSL.

Aliza has kindly stepped up to take over this side of things.

There may be disruptions after the move as we don't know what the new hosting service is like in practice. I'll be transferring the domain name, paypal and patreon accounts as well. I've added US and Canadian dollars to the paypal account if you want to help out with the new running costs.

We'll have to fire up the lifeboat forum and wake up the hamsters before the move, although I can't find the URL for it at the moment so if anyone remembers what it is then please say.

There are loads of things I need to do in the right order to make the transition as smooth as possible.

(09-24-2020, 11:40 AM)Mathilda Wrote: I'm stepping down from looking after the technical and financial side of things on this forum for various life reasons so we're moving the server to a managed hosting service based in Canada. At the moment the site is hosted with a rather expensive hosting service in the UK which leaves the user to do all the technical work. On the plus side, the site should finally get SSL.

(09-24-2020, 11:40 AM)Mathilda Wrote: We'll have to fire up the lifeboat forum and wake up the hamsters before the move, although I can't find the URL for it at the moment so if anyone remembers what it is then please say.

(09-24-2020, 12:31 PM)Aractus Wrote: Who's the host may I ask?

Managed hosting will be perfect, so long as the host is reputable. It will mean the calamities that could occur should not, without the user (forum administrator) needing an abundance of technical knowledge. Like what control panel is actually safe to use, and worse still how to set it up ("control panel" is actually a misnomer as it implies it's a user front-end, whereas it's actually more correct to think of it as an operating platform that manages the server).

(09-24-2020, 12:59 PM)Mathilda Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 12:31 PM)Aractus Wrote: Who's the host may I ask?

Managed hosting will be perfect, so long as the host is reputable. It will mean the calamities that could occur should not, without the user (forum administrator) needing an abundance of technical knowledge. Like what control panel is actually safe to use, and worse still how to set it up ("control panel" is actually a misnomer as it implies it's a user front-end, whereas it's actually more correct to think of it as an operating platform that manages the server).

Don't worry I'll of course make sure that the back-end is locked down tight. I make it a hard-rule to never give away any information in public about how the back-end is set up otherwise I might be inadvertently giving away information that a potential hacker may find useful to more effectively direct their efforts and all they have to do is search the forum. This rule has served the forum well in the past when it has been under direct attack by hackers.

That's not to say I don't appreciate potentially useful information that may or may not be relevant.

(09-24-2020, 01:10 PM)Dom Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 12:59 PM)Mathilda Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 12:31 PM)Aractus Wrote: Who's the host may I ask?

Managed hosting will be perfect, so long as the host is reputable. It will mean the calamities that could occur should not, without the user (forum administrator) needing an abundance of technical knowledge. Like what control panel is actually safe to use, and worse still how to set it up ("control panel" is actually a misnomer as it implies it's a user front-end, whereas it's actually more correct to think of it as an operating platform that manages the server).

Don't worry I'll of course make sure that the back-end is locked down tight. I make it a hard-rule to never give away any information in public about how the back-end is set up otherwise I might be inadvertently giving away information that a potential hacker may find useful to more effectively direct their efforts and all they have to do is search the forum. This rule has served the forum well in the past when it has been under direct attack by hackers.

That's not to say I don't appreciate potentially useful information that may or may not be relevant.

Agreed. We don't need any help with this, between the three of us we have decades of experience with servers. It's always nice to hear about the experiences of others, but the details of what we are actually doing are best not discussed in public. 

We can, and will, however, let you know the cost when the time comes.

(09-24-2020, 01:26 PM)Cavebear Wrote: I participate in 3 sites currently (one atheist and 2 "others"), and I've noticed that trying to get cost information for financial support is like pulling teeth without novacaine.  I want to support the sites I like, but I want to know to what degree I am helping.  1% feels too cheap, 20% feels too much like I want influence (I don't).

Why is it so much of a secret?

(09-24-2020, 01:26 PM)Cavebear Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 01:10 PM)Dom Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 12:59 PM)Mathilda Wrote: Don't worry I'll of course make sure that the back-end is locked down tight. I make it a hard-rule to never give away any information in public about how the back-end is set up otherwise I might be inadvertently giving away information that a potential hacker may find useful to more effectively direct their efforts and all they have to do is search the forum. This rule has served the forum well in the past when it has been under direct attack by hackers.

That's not to say I don't appreciate potentially useful information that may or may not be relevant.

Agreed. We don't need any help with this, between the three of us we have decades of experience with servers. It's always nice to hear about the experiences of others, but the details of what we are actually doing are best not discussed in public. 

We can, and will, however, let you know the cost when the time comes.

I participate in 3 sites currently (one atheist and 2 "others"), and I've noticed that trying to get cost information for financial support is like pulling teeth without novacaine.  I want to support the sites I like, but I want to know to what degree I am helping.  1% feels too cheap, 20% feels too much like I want influence (I don't).

Why is it so much of a secret?

(09-24-2020, 01:51 PM)Aliza Wrote: We'll need to find our footing and figure out which hosting package is the best for our needs. I don't see a problem with financial transparency when we get to the new host.  I feel good about the company we selected and after a few months if we like them, then we'll go ahead and do the SSL with them too.

(09-24-2020, 02:28 PM)brewerb Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 01:51 PM)Aliza Wrote: We'll need to find our footing and figure out which hosting package is the best for our needs. I don't see a problem with financial transparency when we get to the new host.  I feel good about the company we selected and after a few months if we like them, then we'll go ahead and do the SSL with them too.

Super Secret Labyrinth?

(09-24-2020, 12:59 PM)Mathilda Wrote: Don't worry I'll of course make sure that the back-end is locked down tight. I make it a hard-rule to never give away any information in public about how the back-end is set up otherwise I might be inadvertently giving away information that a potential hacker may find useful to more effectively direct their efforts and all they have to do is search the forum. This rule has served the forum well in the past when it has been under direct attack by hackers.

That's not to say I don't appreciate potentially useful information that may or may not be relevant.

(09-24-2020, 02:48 PM)Aractus Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 12:59 PM)Mathilda Wrote: Don't worry I'll of course make sure that the back-end is locked down tight. I make it a hard-rule to never give away any information in public about how the back-end is set up otherwise I might be inadvertently giving away information that a potential hacker may find useful to more effectively direct their efforts and all they have to do is search the forum. This rule has served the forum well in the past when it has been under direct attack by hackers.

That's not to say I don't appreciate potentially useful information that may or may not be relevant.

Well with all due respect I think you're mistaken about security by obfuscation. However, that was not at all what I was interested in - I've been around long enough to see a *lot* of managed hosts fail their customers. I mean I'd give examples but it's so difficult to find them once they happen. Invariably they have one server, or rack, and no off-site backup then declare it's al the DC's fault and they are innocent. There was one a year ago or so hosting A$30K+ per month I think (cumulative from all their clients), everything was lost and the host walked away. He claimed he wanted to litigate against the DC for loss of business. Even a tier 4 DC does not guarantee *your* equipment, LOL, and he definitely didn't have his server in a tier 4 in the first place. I digress.

(09-24-2020, 03:11 PM)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: Need any money?

(09-24-2020, 03:06 PM)Aliza Wrote: I really appreciate the feedback, and I'm happy to keep listening to people's stories with hosted servers so we can look out for potential pitfalls. I also know it's difficult for all to put trust in others to handle the forum in with the same care that they themselves would.

I do believe we'll be okay, though. We're not without experience between the three of us, and we've got plenty of trusted forum members who can guide us if we really need the help.

(09-24-2020, 03:16 PM)Dom Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 03:11 PM)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: Need any money?

We'll publish when that time comes.

(09-24-2020, 03:16 PM)Dom Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 03:11 PM)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: Need any money?

We'll publish when that time comes.