The Science Forum.com might be dead

[macgyver1968]

If you try to access TSF, you will only get a database error. The owner of the site is incognito and gives zero fucks. The domain name is up for renewal in a couple of months. But who knows what the owner will do.

I've been a member there for over a decade and I don't want to lose contact with all my friends. I have been trying to move members to this site...so we can still talk.

Fuck the owner of TSF.

[scheherazade]

I was quite concerned when the domain changed hands a couple of years ago and we ended up with numerous new members who did no posting.
There was one suggestion that the forum may have been being utilized as a message medium for non-science purposes.
Truly unfortunate in any case but the virtual highway has many side roads and I think you will find many of those with whom you have conversed over the years here
and on a couple of other venues.

[babe]

I am here *S*...but sad about The Science Forum

[stryder]

It looks like it was hacked rather than just a database glitch. Doing a lookup revealed the first header in the cache the server had for the lookup had the main forums having a H1 tag of "mobil pornopornoporn watchporn izle"

I think the main problem is over there is the server apparently isn't a dedicated (it's a shared-host) which means all the hosts on that IP likely use the same root structure which in-turn means if any one of them is exploited it can effect all other domains on that server. (in fact looking at gimpforums.com revealed that too had a SQL error, which means it's probably more than a coincidence.)

About twelve years back it was the rage for script-kiddies to target such shared-host setup's as it allow them to deface multiple sites with one attack which they would then brag about on certain websites (that I won't name) that ransite defacement leader-boards.

Incidentally this forum doesn't run on such a shared-host, luckily it's sand-boxed in it's own virtual structure (which is what was developed to combat that exact problem.)

[cosmictraveler]

To bad that it went down the drain but it was getting rather degraded by some of its inhabitants chasing away people. Good that this forum stepped in to take up the slack. This forum seems better implemented and runs smoothly unlike that other forum. It is also good to see more people that I knew from that forum posting here and to all of them I say a fond hello.

[Dywyddyr]

There was one suggestion that the forum may have been being utilized as a message medium for non-science purposes.

In a period of about two weeks before it went down I banned at least 3 new registrants who, upon joining immediately went to PMing and were listed as doing so for over an hour (either multiple PMs or extremely slow writers).
In such cases they were banned with the message "This is a discussion forum not a messaging centre" - not one of them attempted to "file a complaint".

[Zinjanthropos]

What a shame. This is like buying a new pair of shoes.

[Secular Sanity]

What a shame. This is like buying a new pair of shoes.

It’s comfy casual attire, though.  If the shoe fits…

Besides, we know the owner.  He’s tolerant and easy to reach.

Happy to have you!  

[scheherazade]

There was one suggestion that the forum may have been being utilized as a message medium for non-science purposes.

In a period of about two weeks before it went down I banned at least 3 new registrants who, upon joining immediately went to PMing and were listed as doing so for over an hour (either multiple PMs or extremely slow writers).
In such cases they were banned with the message "This is a discussion forum not a messaging centre" - not one of them attempted to "file a complaint".

That is most enlightening.

For the record, you were the most active and diligent moderator and stayed with the ship until the end in spite of the unprofessional conduct of certain others.

Just thought that needed saying...

This seems to be a most hospitable domain with friendly members and an excellent Administrator who keeps us in the loop of proposed forum changes etc. Thank you for extending a welcome to those of us from the former Science Forum.

[Dywyddyr]

Thanks Scheherezade.