Does this kinda **** not piss you off?

JEsports · Jan 14, 2005

My Webalizer stats have not been updating at all since January 10th for one of my hosting companies (Acenet, Inc.).

So I sent them a support ticket ... here is the correspondance:

1) Initial Email:

Subject: Webalizer not updating

Hi,

My webalizer stats have not been updated since January 10th. Can you please see what is going on with that. I try to monitor these stats daily for advertising purposes.

Thanks Date: 01-13-2005 11:34pm ES

1a) AceNet Response:

Subject: No subject Posted by ACENET INC (Staff)

We can run the fix for this in a few hours, however your stats will be removed. Is this ok with you?

Date: 01-14-2005 12:04am EST

2) My 2nd Reply:

Subject: Why

Will my stats be removed? I guess you are talking about previous months data being removed or just this month's?

Date: 01-14-2005 7:17am EST

2a) Subject: No subject Posted by ACENET INC (Staff)

You can wait additional time to see if webalizer start working again or we can reset your webalizer stats (yes, this will delete all previous stat data).

Date: 01-14-2005 9:10am EST

3) Third Response:

Subject: I guess

reset it then if that is the best you can do ... I can't wait for webalizer to just all the sudden decide to start working again, I have advertisers that require stats for monthly payments. I had a problem with a different website from a different hosting company where the webalizer stats weren't updating. They had no problem fixing it without reseting 2 years worth of important data.

Date: 01-14-2005 9:22am EST

Im still waiting on there next reply. I don't see any reason for having to loose all that data, other than the fact that they are lazy. Yes, I went ahead and made copies of most of it ... but still GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRr

eSology · Jan 14, 2005

Sounds like it is time to go dedicated, vps, or colocate.

JEsports · Jan 14, 2005

Yeah ... its getting there for sure

And there reply:

Subject: No subject Posted by ACENET INC (Staff)

We'll get your stats reset shortly.

Date: 01-14-2005 10:15am EST

What a bunch of jerk offs ... I DO NOT recommend them bye the way.

Moondancer · Jan 15, 2005

If it's done right, you don't really lose your previous stats, it should generate new pages for them from the database... if it's not done right... well.... then you lose them.

petertdavis · Jan 15, 2005

Why don't you just switch hosts, this is very unusual.

Moondancer · Jan 15, 2005

petertdavis said:
Why don't you just switch hosts, this is very unusual.

Being a hoster I didn't want to say that... it would have sounded like I was trying to take someone else's business away.

I also didn't ask because I'm not all that familiar with the different control panels... but... fixing webalizer should be fixable for you through your control panel. It shouldn't be a hosting company responsibility. Not that a good one wouldn't fix it for you but you would have been better off if they talked you through fixing it yourself, in case of a next, time instead of having to wait for them to do it. Webalizer goes weird sometimes and has a tendency to stop generating reports from time to time.

petertdavis · Jan 15, 2005

I would say that if a host is providing Webalizer as part of the service (and what host doesn't provide some sort of stats program?), then it's their responsibility to ensure that it's working. I doubt there'd be very many hosting customers that would either agree that it's their own responsibility or who had even the slightest clue how to fix it.

Moondancer · Jan 15, 2005

petertdavis said:
I would say that if a host is providing Webalizer as part of the service (and what host doesn't provide some sort of stats program?), then it's their responsibility to ensure that it's working. I doubt there'd be very many hosting customers that would either agree that it's their own responsibility or who had even the slightest clue how to fix it.

If a customer knew how to do it him/her self he/she wouldn't have to wait on support to do it is all I meant, which could mean a lot longer wait, espeically is support was contacted via email. Poor choice of words on my part to say it shouldn't be and I apologize for that. Sometimes my brain is going faster than I can type and multitasking at the same time. I'm a bad bad typist... no matter how much practice I get.

A hoster's responsibility, in all things, is to make the customer happy within the scope of services as a hosting provider. I don't know of a hosting company that doesn't provide some sort of stats, either, but I do know some who provide such bad ones they are unreadable.

petertdavis · Jan 15, 2005

The hosts I use generally resolve issues I bring to them in less than an hour. The wait thing never occurred to me.

I'd classify Webalizer as a bad one, but not unreadable.

Moondancer · Jan 15, 2005

I don't know if i'd classify Webalizer as totally bad but it does have some glitches I don't like and that stopping generating reports is one of them. They aren't all that reliable either if you are depending on accurate stats, although for the general run of the mill site to have a quick look at what's going on they're okay. I depend on Urchin for accuracy.

The stats I've seen on some sites make Webalizer look absolutely terrific.

petertdavis · Jan 15, 2005

Urchin is my favorite too. I wish more hosts would offer it.

Moondancer · Jan 15, 2005

Urchin can be expensive to offer as a freebie, although some hosters do. Some will offer it for an extra monthly fee. Others just don't think about offering something higher level.

Togoodhlth · Jan 16, 2005

Yeah I also use urchin V5.0
It is awesome for tracking a ton of sites and the stats are more accurate than I have seen.

Webalizer is a good free option though or you could always use addfreestats which is ok.

Vivvy · Jan 16, 2005

My experience with stats and most of the hosts I've used is that I have no control over changing settings or fixing problems. A good example is Ipowerweb and AWstats (which suck by the way)... If I could adjust them through my control panel, I'd be one happy camper, but not only can I not adjust them, there are service AWStats offers that Ipowerweb refuses to run (annual stats).

As for Moondancer not promoting her hosting ... I understand her reticence to do so here, but I have absolutely no reticence in recommending her hosting company highly. I've moved over 20 active websites to her servers over the last year and couldn't be more pleased with the service, the product and the professionalism. This isn't some 14 year old selling hosting from their mother's basement. This is a company with solid long term tech experience and best of all, grown-ups are in charge.

Vivvy

Moondancer said:
Being a hoster I didn't want to say that... it would have sounded like I was trying to take someone else's business away.

I also didn't ask because I'm not all that familiar with the different control panels... but... fixing webalizer should be fixable for you through your control panel. It shouldn't be a hosting company responsibility. Not that a good one wouldn't fix it for you but you would have been better off if they talked you through fixing it yourself, in case of a next, time instead of having to wait for them to do it. Webalizer goes weird sometimes and has a tendency to stop generating reports from time to time.

-JR- · Jan 17, 2005

i like awstats the best

JEsports · Jan 17, 2005

Moondancer ... If you will please pm your hosting information and website where I can view your offerings. I will definately be interested in changing hosts this year.

Thanks

John