rejuvinet

Farika,

Several times in the first few days of the DDoS attacks, Peter was able to revive DesignLoad on its original URL. When the DDoS attacks became larger, making it harder for people to access the site (they were being pinged at more than 2 Gigabytes per second, causing every visitor's attempt to time-out!!!) they put the entire site onto a secondary machine and issued an alternate URL. They would not have done this if the initial intent was to just close up shop and run.

That alternate URL was posted on another forum, giving the people who caused the first attack another target. Now the alternate suffers the same fate as the first - Peter has TWO machines to try and protect now. It's not an easy task trying to keep one machine protected from major DDoS attacks, but two - I'm surprised he hasn't thrown up his hands in defeat by now.

Peter has been working as hard as he can to restore DesignLoad, despite comments like yours. I can't help but feel bad for the poor guy - he's being attacked from one side with DDoS attempts, and attacked from the other by people like you who seem to think the worst without knowing the full story, and making threats accordingly, like you did.

Peter didn't have to offer an alternate URL, but he did. That should count for something. I don't have to publish updates and deal with posts like this on their behalf (remember, I too am a member who is suffering from their downtime as much as anyone else), but I do. That too should prove something.

If the original intent was to pack up and run, the alternate URL would never have been made public and open to DDoS targeting (it just wouldn't have been made available), and we would not be posting everything that being posted here.

Please think about that before posting another threatening and defamatory remark without knowing the full story.

__________________
Dave Daoust, Owner
RejuviNET Marketing Network
http://www.rejuvinet.com
Official Art Director for Mambo Open Source v5.0
(see site for details)

Gregolin

Hi.
I'm customer fo DeisgnLoad (from Brazil), and I understand the problem, but cause me some upheavals.
Do you tried the ServerMatrix? HostForWeb? They are good servers.

Thanks.

Chris

Well, I see their problems, but
I signed up and paid $99 at June 08, 2004, got their confirmation emails and ... nothing ... still nothing.
No email that would tell me to be patient, no phone call, nothing.

I'm having my own thoughts about this.

phate1000

I have been a member of designload.com for months - I use it an boxedart often. I understand that websites have problems, and sometimes it takes a little bit to work them out, but we are talking about weeks and weeks here - and I personally have not received any kind of communication from them whatsoever regarding any kind of alternate URL or explanation regarding what is going on. Either let me know what is happening, let me know where to access my subscription, or let me have my money back.

webarnes

I just wanted to say thanks for this thread. I hope they get designload back up and running. At least I know what is going on now.
William

phate1000

"Peter didn't have to offer an alternate URL"? UUUUmmmmmmm YES HE DID. Unfortunately, some of us never even heard about that! But yes, my friend, he did need to publish SOME kind of way to access the subscriptions that he sold people, or its felony fraud and theft.

If I buy a subscription to a newspaper, and I pay for the entire year up front, and all of a sudden the printing presses break, they either find another way to print the newspaper immediately (and let all of their paying customers know how to access said newspaper) or they refund all of the subscription costs to all of the indiduals who paid for said subscription. This is not an overly difficult concept to understand, and I cannot imagine why on earth you would think it would be acceptable for this site to just go away, not a word to their PAYING customer base about refunds or subscription access, and that they would NOT be obligated to publish some form of alternative access method.

ricktu

Hello all, like a few others here I've just stumbled accross this thread after doing a google search for what happened to Designload and I have a few comments to add about all this.

First off Phate is right. They do have an obligation to make attempts to provide the service we are paying for. I have sympathies for their plight and as I do not want actions like those by their attackers to succeed I will not abandon them.

That being said I am dissapointed in the length of time all this is taking. Especially as regards to letting the membership know what is happening. Two weeks is more than enough for them to restore the backup database and get the list of members off it. Not to mention it's enough time to investigate and carry out any options available to protect themselves from this attack. I run my own web development business and I'd be moving heaven and earth to get in touch with them if something like this happened to me. For one thing I sure as hell wouldn't have only one copy of their contact details.

Sorry if I'm sounding a bit miffed here folks but I've paid good money for this subscription and the first time I sit down with the client to choose a template for his site the site is down. And it's down the next day, and the next, and the next ... and boy is the client getting antsy at this point. To keep him happy I bought one from elsewhere but all this has made me look a little bad, especially when I could not explain what happened to my template source.

By the way, that email that you mentioned being sent out to members I assume you mean to those who had managed to give you their details ? As I also did not recieve anything from them. I have tried to contact them via the email address that came in my membership email, but I've as yet had no reply. And it never bounced back either so it went somewhere.

Another question is why has no one from Designload posted here seeing as they know that a number of their customers have stumbled onto this place ? Here is a perfect place to contact at least some of their subscribers. After all, we can't wait forever, I have a business to run and I'm not about to make the next client who wan't a site based on a template to wait.....

Richard.

Gregolin

This message is perfect.

We need a contact of DesignLoad... anybody...

What is e-mail?

Thanks.

bruno

How much longer will this be down it has been down for atleast a month... I understand the problems but I hope we get reimbursed for the lost time...

Sandy

I am sure this thread is getting old for some considering the amount of time it has gone on, and I too am a new member lead here by a google search to figure out what has happened to designload.

While I understand that dl is having problems, I agree with the people who feel that they have handled the problem in a very unprofessional manner. I have recieved one email response to a letter I sent threatening a chargeback as I had just joined and have not gotten any other communications. Nada. As far as I can see, I am out the cash and will wait for 30 days to pass and begin making reports to the appropriate authorities, which I would encourage everyone to do when they have a problem like this.

So.. not really a big deal but what designload has done, is errode consumer confidence in the 'little guy." I will probably not ever do business with a site like this on the web unless they have a BIG name, are tied to a brick and mortar outfit, or have extensive credentials. This has reminded me how easy it is for anyone on the internet to look like a big company, take your money, and poof disappear.

For Vilords media, they might consider that complaints to their credit card company may make it impossible for them to accept credit card payments in the future. The porn industry burned the ccs pretty badly and even though they are using an off-brand processor, my guess is they will have no more tolerance for charge backs than any of the more established firms.

The most disappointing part of this is that (as mentioned previously) Vilords has not even bothered to take a few minutes to address the concerns of their clients. Kind of pathetic really.

Finally, to all, better luck in future purchases, and if you do get ripped off - File Complaints!

eConsumer.gov
https://www.econsumer.gov/pls/econsumer/wimsnery2$com.main?p_lang_seq=1

Better Business Bureau - http://www.bbb.org/

Fraud.org
Fraud info page
http://www.fraud.org/

Sandy

phate1000

I truly do understand that DL is having real problems - I am also a member of boxedart.com, and I have seen the posts on their site about the DDoS attacks that boxedart.com has been suffering. But somehow, someway, boxedart.com has managed to suffer through these attacks without being out of commission for a MONTH!

I also truly appreciate anyone who has any information (though I gotta admit, this guy Dave stresses that he doesn't have any connection with DL just a little TOO often, which maybe leads me to believe that it might not be entirely the truth) posting it in some kind of forum so that people who feel like they are getting ripped off know what is really going on.

But, posting comments like "they didn't HAVE to provide an alternate URL" and "they are pretty busy with trying to fight off the DDoS attacks", imagine how busy they will be if not only they have to deal with DDoS attacks, but fraud complaints from the credit card companies of all of their customers. They could avoid this from a large percentage of their customers by simply doing the right thing and LETTING US KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON! If I got to McDonalds and pay for a happy meal, and then they all of a sudden usher everyone out and lock the doors, there is going to be hell to pay - yes, they are OBLIGATED to give me some kind of information about what is going on!

But DL hasn't done anything like that. This guy Dave has obviously been communicating to them that there are people in this thread who are highly dissatisfied, and growing more so. Has DL sent out a mass email to their entire customer base? No - I know this because I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE. Has someone from DL's Customer Relations dept. posted something on this board? No. All we have is the word of someone who swears he has nothing to do with the company that DL hasn't screwed us all.

Now, I entirely hope that this is not the case. I think DL was a great site, and I used them often. But exactly how long do you wait before someone says, "Hey, the emperor isn't wearing any clothes! He's naked!" You can tell me until you are blue in the face that DL has good intentions, and they are coming back, but until I go to www.designload.com, and the site pops up in my browser, I will believe that at best they have forgotten about us, and at worst they intentionally screwed every single one of the people who bought a subscription.

phate1000

Anyone who is having a problem finding high quality templates, www.boxedart.com is an awesome site. I use them all the time (I used to use them in conjuction with DL, and whichever site had the better template for what I needed I would use, but we all know what is up with DL), and while they are also suffering DDoS attacks, they have managed to both keep their website UP and to keep their customers INFORMED. Just a little tip.

jaqkar

Hi

I too was led to this forum from google..thx G for Google!

1 - Send a message to all customers explaining the problem.
2 - Get another server/host with DDoS protection or protect the existing server.
3 - Migrate the data/accounts etc. to the new server.
4 - Send a message to all customers that the service is running.

If all else fails sell customer base to someone and get out of the business!

Hey Peter Olexa if you are reading this give me a job to do PR/Customer Care for you. I think you really gonna need it after this

Yeah in-case you were wondering I am also one of those who did pay you for designload.net

Amazing how some people build a succesfull online business and then manage to fcuk it up so good also.

Patient.....

Frez

Hi again.
Im following this post and i do notice that many people didnt get eny email from designload.
Okey, here is what i did, after a search on the domain name i found out that they had a secured domain name so i emailed the company and asked for helt to get in contact with designload.
My first email to domainsbyproxy:

Hi.
For some week ago i bought design service from designload.net thats secured from your company. Now the site has been gone a long time and i really want to get some info.
I understand that your company have nothing to do woth the service that designload.net provide but as far that its no other way to in one or another way get a answer why they are gone i use the opetunity to make a request trough your supportsite.
Im sure its not only me that payed money and now dont get what im promissed.

Thanks in advance.

And the answer i got:

Thank you for writing customer support for Domains By Proxy. We recommend attempting to contact the domain owners and administrators by emailing the listed contact information for the domain.If you have a legal issue (regarding services purchased) with a domain name that Domains by Proxy provides services for, please visit our "Legal Issues" page at http://www.domainsbyproxy.com/legalAgreement.aspx for information on how to notify Domains by Proxy of your complaint

Okey, im a noob about those things and i couldnt see eny answer on my first question so i replyed:

Thanks for that quick reply on my request.
You recomand me to "attempting to contact the domain owners and administrators by emailing the listed contact information for the domain".
okey, in the whois its not listed, so it would be most helpful to get a hold on the owners in some other way.


And i got this back the next day:

Thank you for your response. Per the listed contact information you would want to write:

DESIGNLOAD.NET (AT) domainsbyproxy. com

This will be forwarded to the appropriate contact for the domain. Please let us know if we can provide any further assistance.


Woww! finally an adress to make a request to!
So, i sendt an email to that adress and the day after i got this in my emailbox from Vilords Media:

Hi,

Please access the site at mb .designload. net / mb .designgalaxy. net

We are under large ddos attacks and working to resolve it /we were
promised standard urls will work today/

regards,
Peter Olexa
Vilords media


Great!
It was up and running for some days and now, gone..
I will not speculate in why and where but now its a long time since eny sites from DL was up and running and it would be great to hear from "someone" in that company, they do have emailed me once, im sure they can do it one time moore.