Update on XT...
carlito..
Below, I copy pasted Jan's post as he is back. The domain will be renewed. Just a reminder to everyone that we have made an exception allowing members to advertise other boards since we thought the site would die completely, but since Jan is back and the site will be up and running, all the regulations are valid including no advertising. Also, please thank to Oldsocfan for everything he has done for the site as he has decided to step down. He is a great man. Thanks for your attention.
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Jan's post:
I am finally also here. I should have been the first to think of this back door I guess, but I only remembered the two names being tied when I got an email from one of you.
I am currently in dispute with Dotster over the name. As I said would I ask my dad to register it, but meanwhile I got a credit card and decided to do it myself instead.
I registrered the name again on the 21st and thus in good time before the running out and even got a email confirming it. Then I assumed everything was okay.
Wednesday evening (the 29th) I tried getting in and got the message that everyone else got about re-registring. I checked into the Dotster account just to see that the domain had not been renewed and had run out.
However I still had time to renew it as it is kept for another two weeks under my account before being deleted.
Now about the dispute. Dotster claims two things. That the credit card used was not a valid one (although it was approved in the payment process and payment was confirmed) and that there have been account irregularities concerning the password of the account or something of that nature. The exact nature of the claim is not clear to me. However have I received a number of change of password request mails myself which leads me to believe that someone actually have tried to access my domain account without my permission and without telling me about it. This could be what dotster finds irregular and another reason that they now are playing hardball about the domain name renewal.
The conclusion is that I will have to go to my bank and get them to cofirm my identity and that I am indeed the cardholder of this valid credit card. When I have done so should dotster give me back account access and enable me to renew the domain. They have promised that this will be possible before the domain runs out or they will prolong it so I believe we will be allright.
Hence should you not expect the site to work as before for another couple of days, but surely this coming week at some point. I can only apologize for not thinking about how to communicate with you guys sooner, but I had completely forgotten about the tied names.
When the site is back to normal will we have to talk straight about the sites future. It was never my intention to simply shut down and nor will it happen. However I will have to make some hard decisions within the coming month and I will do so.
Most likely will that mean a limited cooperation with Bigsoccer who have offered to take over the technical side of things (which is where the costs lie) in return for their store being promoted here. I think it is a decent proposal that deserves attention. I know some of you would be against it, but at some point the possibilities are limited.
The alternative would be moving away from the current host and setting up some sort of new founder group lead in order to assure that all the money goes into this forum site and nothing else and that all those contributing have a say in the future of the site, management of the site etc. I would also be open to this option as long as I can get out of bearing the costs alone.
Anyway you are free to comment on my suggestions or make new ones yourself, but we will be able to talk more when the site is back under its own domain name I am sure you agree.
Jan