Web Hosting Forum Opinions and Their Consequences
Everyones Internet announced on its forum on February 13, 2004 that it has won a lawsuit filed against it by C I Host for allegedly derogatory comments posted on an EV1 forum last year. C I Host claimed that since Everyones Internet owned the forum it was responsible for the posts on it.
According to Robert Marsh, CEO of Everyones Internet, the case signifies a victory of the free speech on the Internet. Since the thread about C I Host was removed from the forum, it is unclear which statements C I Host considered derogatory. Internet forums, however, are often used to express criticism about companies and their services or business practices.
A user on WebHosting Talk comments that if web hosting customers do not want to end up complaining about their web host, they should make sufficient research before purchasing hosting services. The user advises web hosting customers to check when their prospective host has bought its domain, how long has the web host been in business, and to find out whether there are any complaints against the web host with the Better Business Bureau. This user also recommends web hosting customers to avoid the cheapest web hosting offers and web hosting services that demand upfront payment.
Other users made comments against involvement with businesses owned by young people, stating that student business owners are the ones that most often fail to meet promises, refuse refunds and use bad business practices. Yet other forum users defend students, stating that some of them have the same computer knowledge as adults.
Some forum users agree that web hosting services run by students may be suitable for personal sites, but students lack the adequate basis to run critical business web hosting services. Forum users note that students often fail to provide the adequate uptime and round-the-clock support essential for business web sites.
One forum user began a thread commending the advantages of smaller web hosting companies. This user had switched from the large hosting provider iPowerWeb to the smaller HostingPlex.com and recommended the personalized service of the latter. The user notes that the president of HostingPlex had personally answered to his support questions and commends the web host for it online support chat.
Other forum users share the opinion that larger web hosting companies offer less personalized support. Forum users argue that the bigger the web hosting company, the smaller its personalized support for each customer. One forum user cites his experience with a hosting company, which took many hours or even days to answer to his support tickets. The user has moved his website to a smaller web hosting company and is happy with the response of its support personnel.
