Seems like this should have its own thread in case anyone particularly cares.

Jeremy is pretty sure we can recover the data manually, or at least most of it. Unfortunately we cannot get a straight answer (or any answer) from our host as to whether there are any server backups whatsoever, whether they can recover the data for us (we don't have full access to the mySQL database; some things have to be done on their end because we don't have permission), etc. All we get is "we're looking into that."

Jeremy didn't want to start fucking with things until we knew for sure that West Host couldn't help us, but this is ridiculous. We've set an arbitrary deadline -- 3 p.m. tomorrow, which is close of business for them -- and if they haven't given us an actual definitive answer (and "we're looking into that" doesn't cut it), we're just going to do it. And hopefully it will work.

Thanks for your patience.

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2002

Answers

Yay Jeremy!

(And yay Beth too)

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2002

You're being fairly patient with them! I'd be screaming, especially for the amount of money you're paying, and the amount of fuckall they appear to be doing to earn that.

Lots of luck for you both with the reconstruct! Tech fingers crossed.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Oh, no, there's been screaming. There has been cancellation of non- crucial accounts, and there will be cancellation of all accounts, period, very soon.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Okey-doke: a real update. Apparently there WAS a backup. The co- location service had one. They're restoring it now. We're going to want to do some testing afterwards to make sure everything works, so it won't be until tonight at the earliest, but cross your fingers: this should be your last TUS-free day.

And then I'll happily start taking your money to get the hell away from these people who take three days to discover that there is a backup of my data.

One caveat: we probably won't have posts from the last day once they finish the restore. Jeremy backed those up manually, but he said he'd rather not restore them unless you are missing something specific and crucial.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

wow......

now all THAT is some really good news. You guys are the best.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

You can't tell, but right now I'm doing a little happy dance in my chair. YAY! The red numbers will return....

And Beth, I ain't got much, but I will happily contribute to the cause of no more crashes and three day waits for answers...

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Definitely the best news I've heard all day. Hurray! (You and Jeremy deserve not only all our money, but also cookies. And tiaras. How do you think Jeremy'd look in a tiara?)

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Way prettier than me, which is why he can't have one.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

That's really good news!! I'm way more addicted to TUS than I thought I was. And I'll gladly contribute to keep things going too.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Oh, yea. I've been doing *waaaaaaaaay* too much work for the last two days - I need my TUS. I need my TUS now. And soon my TUS will be returned to me. You guys are my only link with the outside world, I swear. I mean, how else will I know where to go pre-order my Buffy CD?

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

WOOHOO!

(low on substance, but high on feeling)

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Just wanted to pipe in and say Yay! (the internet is so boring without TUS) and thank you very much both Beth and Jeremy, for working on this even though you had a million other things to be doing! You're awesome!

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

What awesome news, Beth. I had pretty much accepted the board was gone by now. Thanks for being more tenacious than me. (Still, damn the man!)

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Yay - that's rockin' good news! Although I'm happy that we had this place to keep the TUS love going, I miss the little red numbers and all of the user pictures.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all will go well in the restoration process and we'll be back in our old home soon.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Excellent, excellent, excellent. Fine news. I totally heart you and Jeremy. Mushily, in a pinkstinky-infuriating, let's-get-married, string-loving, too-much-faith-putting-in kind of way. But you knew that, didn't you?

And as it happens, someone just handed me my latest pay stub, so say the word and I'll write you a check for . . . hmm, let's see . . . add that, carry the two, yes, leaves . . . plus . . . well, I'll write you a check, in any case. Or, you know, use PayPal.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

And for non Paypal/Amazon donater's, an address to mail cash.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Faaaabulous! I am thrilled that we will be back to normal soon, even though my productivity will once again suffer. I was worried I'd have to send everyone e-mail saying, "Now what was that sandwich, again?"

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I feel like using the word "Super!". And I loathe using the word super, in general. Beth, I don't know how you and Jeremy do it--dealing with our need for online interaction when you have bigger (and, I'll be the first to admit, better) things going on. If either of you ever need Micro$quish software (server, client, development, whatever) I'll gladly bootleg stuff off my select and msdn cds--err, I mean get you whatever you need. The past two days (has it only been that long?!) I wish I lived close so I could offer my services and my husband's to configure/recover whatever is needed to get the board going.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Not to be a downer, but I thought I should let you know that it is many hours later and I'm still seeing seven users. And they haven't contacted us again, and they will be closing for the day in half an hour.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Can we start the fund drive anyway? I tell you, in my dream you were like "enough, people. No more money! I have bought the best server I can possibly find. Stop sending me money!" (except with many more !!! s) (and a very loud voice)

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Does that mean you're giving up? Or trusting their progress?

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I think we'll be able to start the fund drive this week. My fear has been that I would take your money and then discover that none of the options would work, and then I'd have this money, and I'd have to buy a washing machine or something. (Kidding!) But we've been narrowing down possibilities since yesterday.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Oh, and the new server will happen either way at this point. The only question is whether we'll be able to reopen the board in the meantime. And Aristophanes, I don't trust their progress. But it still might be faster than trying to restore it on our own.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Woo-hoo! Fund-drive! Bring on Plin's stirrup-pants!

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Beth, thanks for facilitating your users crack-like addiction. I certainly appreciate it!

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Bad news, guys. They broke it worse than it was broken before. Still only 7 users, and now it's completely broken and I can't see any messages anymore.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Motherfucker just told me to be "patient."

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Please inform him that there are approximately 1100 people who are currently itching to rip his lungs out through his ears.

And unless he gets that damn user list back, he won't know who we are until it's too late.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Yeah, that was kind of my point. "Dude, you've got little old me sending you e-mails four times a day. I've got that times 1,100 of them. And mine are MEAN."

(Not really.)

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Oh but we are. We really, really are.

Plus, you've got God on your side, and it's gotta bug him that they've rendered him nonexistant!

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Tell him if he tells you to be patient one more time, you'll give all of us his e-mail address. That might be quite fun.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Fuck the e-mail, give me the guy's phone number. Be patient my ass.

How soon is the fund drive gonna start? Where can I send money? If there's anything else I can do -- including harrassing the tech guy -- just let me know.

And you and Jeremy are the coolest. God only knows (our god) how many hours you've put in to trying to solve this for the rest of us, and it's a free board! Y'all deserve lots of ice cream and sex. And vacation time to enjoy.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Fuck it, I want a server so we can just get the hell out of here. Donation information here.

I feel all creepy and stuff. But I also feel stupid leaving you all hanging.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

You shouldn't feel creepy *or* stupid. You've provided a fantastic service to a ton of people. I feel bad that you've done all this and now are having such a headache. And we *want* to help. So, yay, thanks for letting us!

I mean, I can't imagine a world without Stacey's spoiler thread or the back alley or a thread where everyone sings their favorite children's songs but replaces all the words with "fuck fuck fuck". That would be like the Land of Perpetual Wednesday or Crazy Melty Land or the World Without Shrimp.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Wow, you guys. The board is still broken as fuck, but Jeremy just cc'd me on an e-mail that kind of blew me away. You know how you mostly see your partner in non-work mode, so then when you see him or her suddenly turn into a lawyer or a pissed-off sysadmin or whatever, it's kind of jarring?

It was kind of hot, actually.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

Ha. I've always said that the hottest thing is to see the object of your affection in a professional setting. All the more steamy if it's one you know next to nothing about. I find.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

You know, I see G. in doctor mode. And it's all sort of sweet--but kinda creepy too.

Maybe because other people "play doctor" with their partners but oooo... squick.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

Watching Len in systems analyst mode at work doesn't really turn me on most of the time. Probably because I was so thrilled to walk away from the tech world two years ago and have never looked back.

That said, when he's explaining tech stuff to me outside of the work setting? That can be pretty hot. He's hotter talking about his recording studio setup, though. I'm not sure whether that's because he gets so passionate about it, or just because I have no idea what he's talking about so it all sounds vaguely exotic.

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2002

Stacey you escaped from technology two years ago? Wow, I bow before you and send all kinds of squicky love filled private messages your way. Please tell me how you did it? Inspire me!

In fact at this point in the tech industry you could probably start a really successful cult religion that taught people how to break free of this fucking nightmare.

Bah. Not sure if that's a bitch, or a something good, or just a rant. But I'm pretty sure it's not a board update.

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2002

Sorry, babe. Wish I had an inspiring tale, but the only way I escaped alive is by realizing I was in the wrong profession before I even got properly through the door. I was one semester away from graduating with a computer science degree when I realized I was setting myself up for a life that would not make me happy. I pulled off a last-minute transfer into a major more suited to my tastes for the final semester of my senior year and am now happily ensconced as a budding cognitive psychologist, but it was a close call.

If I'd actually managed to graduate with the degree and head out into the world, I don't know that I'd ever have escaped. I lack the fortitude.

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2002