A Word About The "FREE HOSTING" System

[miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG 0]

Hi guys,

????[/tab]Certain recent discussions about the "perfect free-host" really infuriated me - and I made, what I thought to be a fitting reply to one of them, which can be found here. I'm creating a new topic out of it, since I want all of you to sit straight and take notice of certain "bare" facts - which I believe should be known by everyone alike just to KNOW hows it's like behind the scenes for any given FREE HOSTING Service. I'm QUOTING my post here again. Note that, these are explicitly my own views and doesn't necessarily reflect the views or attitude of Xisto Corporation. Just that some of these inanely stupid posts regarding FREE HOSTING managed to piss me off to the umpteenth degree.

 

????Guys - what all of you fail to realize is that there is nothing that you can really call a "FREE" web-host. Admit it, things like server maintainance, bandwidth etc. (of these bandwidth and connection speed cost the most) - all cost HELL LOT OF $$$. Who in the right frame of mind would throw that much away for free ?? If anyone could that would have been Microsoft and even they dont dare to offer you free webhosting with those kind of storage and bandwidth figures.

 

????Every so-called free host employs some way or the other to get back at least part of the $$ they're spending to maintain such a free service. Some use Ad-Banners to get partial returns, other use the so-hated and ugly popups and services like us (Xisto and Xisto), work in a roundabout approach. We ask you to maintain a steady flow of posts on our forums - which are very subjective in nature and thus draw a BIG crowd from the Search Engines. We display Advertisements to this crowd and recover part of our expenses.. but never entirely. The advertisement returns comprise only a minute part of our expenses.

 

????If you want to know what goes on behind the scene is that OpaQue funnels 90% of the funds he earns from his paid web-hosting service, Xisto - Web Hosting.Com to make up for the deficit incurred by these free services. This always was his dream project and he has no intention of letting his dreams die a premature death - THAT'S THE SOLE REASON WHY HE DOES IT. He started it coz he was pissed at the poor quality of the free web-hosts and wanted one which would provide you with no less flexibility and featues than any paid host. Let me ask you - who in the right frame of mind would throw away USD 2-3000 every month after a free service - when all that money could go to his own pockets to help him live a thoroughly lavish life !! Is he doing that ?? NO - instead he decides to "waste" most of that money into maintaining these feature-rich, AD-free hosting services.. The $$ he makes from the ADs don't even contribute to 2% of the cost he incurs in running these.

 

????My point is that, instead of grumbling for more space and bandwidth and your so-called "dream host" you should give due credits to where its required and respect this person's efforts at providing you with such a beautiful webhosting service.

 

????Don't for a moment think that this outburst is because I'm an admin here. I don't get even an inch of extra leverage because of that. My hosting facilities are exactly the same as any given member here. This job is entirely voluntary and because of my long standing membership here. I came as a commoner and still as a commoner. I don't enjoy any special privileges because of my position - but still, what really pique me off most are comments like this. Over the past few years I've seen this guy at work - seen him through ups & downs and really low phases where he's lost out nearly 6 figure amounts on this free-hosting service. But he's never lost heart and carried on with far more courage that any of us could sum up during such massive financial losses. He didn't let us suffer in any way for all these upheavals or let us feel it in the slightest - even for once.

 

[tab]So give all due respect & admiration to such a selfless act and STOP SPEAKING SUCH BLOODY USELESS CRAP FOR GOD'S SAKE

 

[pyost 0]

Yes, I have just read the post and was about to tell you that you are exaggerating. All that you said is true - I respect Xisto the way it is and thank OpaQue for the wonderful service. And I am sure that's what all other members think.

 

yeah ... that`s true ... i like that site ... i found a lot of free web hosting under http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ but i`m stiil looking for a perfect hosting to include: 500 MB space, 10 GB bandwith, ftp, ssh, cpanel, fantastico, no file size limit,etc etc ...(this is my dream) ... ) hope to fine that one ... becouse i can`t buy a paid hosting .... i don`t have a CC ... whatever .. keep going guis .... see ya

I don't see why this post has made you so angry. He just said what was his dream and explained his situation. Nevertheless, I agree with everything that you, maybe unnecessarilly, said.

[miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG 0]

Yes, I have just read the post and was about to tell you that you are exaggerating. All that you said is true - I respect Xisto the way it is and thank OpaQue for the wonderful service. And I am sure that's what all other members think.I don't see why this post has made you so angry. He just said what was his dream and explained his situation. Nevertheless, I agree with everything that you, maybe unnecessarilly, said.

hmmm.. maybe that was too much of an outburst.. but it's not just that one post.. I've been seeing them by cartloads over the past few years.. just that my irritation decided to give out at this point. Maybe all the horrible hosting applications that have been pouring in last few weeks had to add to that. Since I've to sit back and go through each of them several times - I do have a valid reason to be so pissed at the way a lot of people just take such services as granted - like these are their blody democratic right. But I hold true to every bit of what I said.

Those who're already hosted here shouldn't be much bothered - coz all that was said taking into account the part they play in helping us keep this service alive. It was primarily meant for those #$#^%@#%^^%#^@#% .. never mind.. I'm not easily pissed, but when I am I've the foulest mouthed b@stard you can find in any block.

[iGuest 3]

Wow, I can see how pissed of you are. And you claim that you dont get pissed of easily, is it a joke? Anyway after I read your post, my heart melted, I really did not know that OpaQue funnels 90% of the funds he earns from Xisto - Web Hosting.Com. I think each and every member of this community should respect him and his service. May some day all of us should really give him a suprise and gift him something.

 

One thing for sure, After I complete my site, I am surely gonna put that Xisto - Web Hosting.Com banner on my site to drive a little more traffic to his site and he can make a little more $. I think everyone should do this, but by doing this we will be spoiling his dream project, keeping webhsoting service for free and ad-free. But we can argue upon this topic be telling him that we are doing this by will.

 

I dont know if anyone is going to support OpaQue and Xisto - Web Hosting.Com but I am surely going to.

Nice article miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG, touched my heart.

 

3 Cheers to OpaQue

Hip-ip hurray, Hip-ip hurray, Hip-ip hurray.

 

 

 

Support OpaQue and Xisto - Web Hosting.Com now!

[pyost 0]

Aww, that's cute I already have an Xisto banner, but I'll put one, too. And we're not destroying his dream - this host is ad-free, our web sites aren't And you must understand all those people that apply with pathetic or none posts. I would probably do that 2 years ago, because I wasn't that much interested in web sites. They also aren't, but one day they might realise (like I did) that a person needs to try hard in order to succed. In the case, the person should post to keep the service active.P.S. Have you been thinking about a "Donate" page? I'm sure someone would be happy to give you some money

[lonebyrd 0]

I realize it isn't free to run a free web hosting service. But, I didn't relize that OpaQue went through so much. I thank this place so much for all it offers, and though I have before found it hard to post here, I love this place. Now that I have my site in the works, I have found plenty of things to post about.When I first found out about this site, there was alot of negative critasizim. I don't remember now what site I was on, but about 6 people rated Xisto. Of the 6, only one said how good the services were. All the others complained about the posting system and how they would never keep posting on a site to be posted. Although most of them did say Xisto did offer alot.My point is, I believe it is fully worth every post I put in here to have the great services offered. And knowing the effort that is put into Xisto just makes me want to make my participation even better.Keep up the great job!

[iGuest 3]

I'm sure that running a 'free hosting service' is difficult enough, but add together the difficulties of running Xisto, Xisto.com, Xisto.net, Xisto, developing the network that supports the Advertising for these Forums, the relationship with the Company that provides the Servers, dealing with Daily PM's and emails... the list goes on.Difficult enough if all goes well. Truly difficult when there are problems.I for one am thankful for having the opportunty to be a teeny weenie part of it, and hope I am on the good side that is working to improve the service by virtue of being a Mod status at the Xisto.com.One way I think we could support OpaQue is by utilizing the services of Xisto - Web Hosting for sites we work on for others and registering our domains through Xisto - Web Hosting, too. The difference in price is negligible when compared to alternative registration services. A couple of bucks, only, so I suggest we all make this small contribution. Since we are going to have to pay for the domain anyway, why not pay OpaQue?

[Transcendum 0]

For some reason, I've never come across the thread which miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG mentioned... perhaps it's because I haven't been coming here all that often, due to many preoccupations -- which is a shame, really, since I'm simply in love with this forum and many of the people here.

 

And probably if I had seen it, I wouldn't have given it much thought. Talk about dream hosts, free offers, get rich quick, and things like that always annoys me so much that I find it safer to just leave the discussion rather than to start flaming. I could understand such thinking and mentality coming from the younger generation. And by younger, I mean people under 15 years of age. But when I find teenagers and grown-ups still thinking in this manner, I think it's too much!

 

You'd think that people'd understand - from their everyday lives - that nothing comes for free... if something could be free, we would've never seen hunger or limited resources anywhere in the world, would we?

 

But free is a tricky word. And on the Internet, people should really keep in mind that it means one thing, and one thing only: FREE = Doesn't Cost Actual Money! That's all. It doesn't mean that it's a gift... you still have to give something in return, even if it's not money. Like miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG said, what you give in return could be the toleration of Ads, the spending of time to examine an occasional offer, or it could be the participation in a community like this one right here. And that's not really all that bad, is it?

 

I mean, in the so-called "real life", you have to give something in order to take something. So why should it be any different on the Internet?

 

I know that what I said doesn't directly relate to what infuriated miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG on the other thread, but it IS related to it somehow. It's too bad I've been reading for 6 hours; I'm not making much sense .

 

So I'll go now before I start hallucinating, but I'll come back again when I'm a little more alert so that I can make a coherent sentence or two .

 

 

Cheers.

Edited May 5, 2006 by Transcendum (see edit history)

[miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG 0]

Yesterday, I forgot to add another prime reason for this outburst. A lot of disgruntled members who've been refused hosting keep sending "language-rich" mails to either me or the mod who rejected the application. Earlier on there used to be sporadic relatiations to hosting rejections - now it's becoming more of a regularity. It's like they take this whole hosting issue too much for granted...

[pyost 0]

Well that I don't understand! Sometimes people just need something and they want to get it at all costs. But they don't see sending threatening email won't help them! When I applied I was quite near to being rejected (I did get the account), but I surely wouldn't send such emails. It must be learnt not to give up - post again, this time better posts, and now or then you will get accepted.

[evought 0]

Hi guys,

[tab][/tab]Certain recent discussions about the "perfect free-host" really infuriated me - and I made, what I thought to be a fitting reply to one of them, which can be found here. I'm creating a new topic out of it, since I want all of you to sit straight and take notice of certain "bare" facts - which I believe should be known by everyone alike just to KNOW hows it's like behind the scenes for any given FREE HOSTING Service. I'm QUOTING my post here again. Note that, these are explicitly my own views and doesn't necessarily reflect the views or attitude of Xisto Corporation. Just that some of these inanely stupid posts regarding FREE HOSTING managed to piss me off to the umpteenth degree.

 

I recently worked with a guy who was offering inexpensive domains and sites for small businesses and non-profits, so I know exactly what the numbers look like. He folded. It's hard enough when charging money (within the budgets of your small customers). I cannot imagine trying to do it for free. I had thought the ad revenue was higher than 2-10% though, especially since the ads appear to be targetted on post content.

 

This kind of site lowers the bar for Internet participation and provides a type of content which would simply not be possible otherwise. That being said, I operated or helped operate free bulletin board systems when I was younger; I can understand the urge to provide it and try to make it work. Nothing insensed me more than seeing one of our boards taken down or defaced by punks who thought they were cool or people complaining about the quality of their free service (when it was operating roughly within specs). Other times, "Those %#^$%$% racoons," became a common phrase in the area. In the winter, racoons had a habit of trying to nest inside substations where they were warm. It would usually end with the substation blowing up and taking a chunk of the grid, fuses and breakers with it.

 

At that time, I usually traded programming and admin services to the boards in exchange for privileges, so the idea behind Xisto struck me as perfectly normal.

Edited May 5, 2006 by evought (see edit history)

[Mafamba Team 0]

Someone had a bit too much to drink...I don't particularly know how they make money, although the bootom line hosting, is free with ads, and maybe Xisto get a small commission if someone buys a product through their service, and I bet the ads on the homepage are helpful.Most other companies were scams, but I truly believe this is fraud safe.

[pyost 0]

It is safe, because it all ads up in some way. First of all, you have ads on the forums - by posting, we (the members) create more and more pages for ads to be displayed on. But this is just a small income. The main one is https://xisto.com/ - and it's not rare that someone from Xisto/Xisto switches to Xisto - Web Hosting after he realizes his site is getting bigger and bigger And so should you, if this ever happens!

[toby 0]

My point is that, instead of grumbling for more space and bandwidth and your so-called "dream host" you should give due credits to where its required and respect this person's efforts at providing you with such a beautiful webhosting service.

Yeah, in the game I play because updates are weekly people think they take a week. They've finally made a announcement saying they take months with many at a time.

And why don't I see your quote when I quote you?

[webintern 0]

I do not have a web hosting service and cannot imagine the intricacies involved, but I can understand the frustration when users demand the world in a hosting service.But can we blame them? Sure, it is unreasonable to complain and bicker for more bandwidth, hard drive space, less posting requirements, or whatever the case may be. On the other hand, we as a society have developed the mentality that everything Internet-related and computer software should be free. Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo compete for our attention by providing more and more features for less ... er, I mean, no money. The open source movements have pushed forward the concept that quality software can and should be available free to users. In a contrasting, but relevant, thought, computer-related piracy holds a firm grip on the social conscience about personal rights to software or services.By the way, I am not saying that the people who complain about free hosting are justified in their actions. I am just trying to share why I think it is not all surprising that people clamor for more and more. Hey, we all search for the best values out there.