Site questions / Requests

[Melancholyman]

I almost missed the sarcasm...thank you scrollbutton!

 

draeke:

I've just got nothing to contribute with. Lately, I have totally lost interest in psytrance and therefore can I neither be bothered to discuss about the music genre.

Offtopic kept me visiting this site.

 

Man you're so close to 3000posts! and customization really gonna walk out on that?!

[U.F.Orb]

good to see psynews back online again!

my surfing days were realy boring without psynews.

i realy hope banned members will leave this forum alone,go take out your rage some other place.

 

clap clap :clapping:

[Muerto]

Man you're so close to 3000posts! and customization really gonna walk out on that?!

Yes. Even if I was being really eager about passing the 3000 limit

[Anoebis]

Yes. Even if I was being really eager about passing the 3000 limit

well, but you do see the problem I guess? Psynews was hacked twice in 1 month, clearly both times connected with off topic and banned members... They tried to erase ALL... I mean, that's not worth it anymore... Maybe next time they succeed and there is no psynews, no reviews no nothing anymore...

 

if you are lucky a part about culture and Science will stay alive tho... In case that interests you...?

[Malevol3nt]

Yeah, the site was hacked, and they wanted to remove ALL content of:

 

psynews

suntrip.com

filteria.com

Psysurfeur

As far as I know the content wasnt removed but the harddrives were unmounted, so lucky enough the content of the sites are untouched. That's what I got in my email anyways.

[Anoebis]

As far as I know the content wasnt removed but the harddrives were unmounted, so lucky enough the content of the sites are untouched. That's what I got in my email anyways.

yes, they tried to remove, but they didn't manage... luckely

[Malevol3nt]

yes, they tried to remove, but they didn't manage... luckely

That's what backups are for!

[p(sy)ayam]

I fully agree with Mars decision here, people, after all this forum is/should be about psychedelic trance culture, we want to read reviews, hear news, share music mixes, comment and confront all that is/was about psychedeic music and colture. There are gazillion places to speak of other things and if that section (that i barely ever venued into) creates so many troubles, better gone forever.

 

...

...but i want to discuss other things with people in psy scene

 

but ofc i can live without off topic section

[traveller]

So, uh.. what's the deal with no offtopic? Has some decision been made? No more offtopic??

[mars]

I have read your coments.

 

Yes the server was hacked. Actually someone managed somehow to get root access and started some bruteforce attacks towards other servers from there. I thought the server was secured, seems it wasn't...

The server is in a server farm in Paris. The admins noticed something was wrong and turned it down...abruptly.

There was actually no real aim at removing the content, but I thought it was the case at first, as the data drive was unmounted, which made it like some directories had been erased.

 

We're talking here about psynews.org, psysurfeur.com, suntriprecords.com, filteria.com, and a couple of other non-psy sites. Since we decided to reinstall, that's shitloads of data (~45GB) to backup and restore later. I had recent backups of the sites, and the databases, but not psysrfeur's DVDs and videos.

So, I have been trying and restoring the sites and the databases in the past days. And I managed to have more or less all back online today only.

 

 

Who did that? I don't care but we've been thinking about it. Maybe this is absolutely not related to psynews at all. Maybe it is. I don't know yet, I have 1,5GB of logs to analyze with no guarantee of finding out anything.

What if there is a relation? Suntrip, Psysurfeur, filteria have no "ennemies". Psynews has always been a place aimed at talking about music in a peaceful manner. The only reason why some people could have a grudge against us is they were banned. Bans happened because of trolling or bullshitting, and 99% of them were in the OffTopic.

 

Just look back at the situation from my point of view: we got hacked in september. The whole forum system itself would deliver tojans to visitors. There had been recent tensions and angers on the OffTopic forum and it was agreed to shut it down for one month to put the pressure down.

...The next day the OffTopic is reopened, BANG, the server gets hacked and much more badly. Once, it can be a coincidence. Twice, I don't think so.

 

I am sure some of you think this happened because the moderators, of what was left from them, were very harsh. I don't agree. The Offtopc could have been a cool place to speak about trends, politics, technology, philosophy, etc...But it had actually turned into a complete spam forum, which needed more control. Thus I trusted the moderators decisions completely. Some also think I had a heavy weight in the decisions. Wrong. I am no longer Psynews admin or even moderator. Since november 2005, I just happend to participate in some decisions, and remained the webmaster. I was the guy owning the name, the software licenses, and taking care of the server and sites and critical situations like this one.

 

But you have to understand my priorities are elsewhere now. Back in 2000, I was a student and I had hours to spend fixing a server. Now I am 31, I have a wife, I have a life, I have a very demanding job, and I am enjoying very much running Suntrip as a second job with Anoebis. All these take a LOT of time aleady.

I had planned something else for this week end. And I spent 30 hours fixing a danm server instead. This generates tensions...in REAL LIFE this time. There is something else I won't forgive: We are on the verge of releasing a new CD at Suntrip. We have lost a lot of visitors who were likely to listen/buy the release. That's a shame.

 

As a webmaster and as the Suntrip CEO, I want to be freed from hack risks and downtimes like these. So I requested the definitive shutdown of the OffTopic forums. Yes, it is unfair for the 99.99% of the visitors that actually didn't hack this server. Let me be really clear: contrary to what you may think, I am not "against" the OffTopic. I created it myself years ago! Now I'm having it closed, and it's even kinda sad. There was indeed a project of recruiting moderators specifically for the OffTopic. This is no longer the case. And I might add that non-psytrance stuff, bullshit, or trolls on any forum as strongly discouraged.

 

For more infos/comments, you can always write me here or at mars at psynews dot org

 

Regards,

fabien mars

[Go-Goa Trancer]

This is so goddamn unfortunate. I understand to 100% your reasons mars. This really is a shame.

 

Well I'll try to be optimistic and think that things will eventually change positively.

[traveller]

Well that kind of sucks..

 

Now what am I going to do when there's nothing to do?

 

William blake said;

Nothing is lost. Nothing is lost.

And I, I really believe that.

That we all move on..

 

Baaah, now I'll cry my eyes out :drama:

[Muerto]

I now see how you have reasoned, Mars. It's totally understandable. Goddamn hacker(s).

[Ov3rdos3]

I now see how you have reasoned, Mars. It's totally understandable. Goddamn hacker(s).

 

I'ts really unfortunate.

 

 

 

So...

 

 

Where are you guys spamming these days? Send me a link. Lets blow this popcicle stand.

[Rotwang]

I notice that my post count hasn't dropped since Off Topic disappeared, and threads in the Spiritual and Tech subforums can still be accessed via my profile. If the Off Topic threads haven't been deleted completely, is there any chance of setting them visible (as the Freestyle subforum used to be)?

[needle ninja]

Mars, I thought you should know about THIS PAGE I discovered while trying to get onto psynews yesterday. Anonymous login is a sure sign of hacker activity. I seems someone definately doesn't like this site.

I guess I'll be around less now.

[Nurbs]

Good to see psynews back on line :posford: .

 

 

 

I'ts really unfortunate.

So...

Where are you guys spamming these days? Send me a link. Lets blow this popcicle stand.

Dunno... but i have an idea! Pavel is a mod in off topic/links section in isratrance .

[RAH]

First all, nice this place is back online, alright, it's like my day-surfing isn't complete without stopping here for a second even to read junk... and what in the world is up with all these god damn hackers? seriously? Who pissed them (him) off so bad? I mean, you got to have a real grudge (and a lot of free time) to go to those depths. How did it get to that point? I understand you will always find rowdy people and assholes, but learning to deal with these people is also part of the real world.

 

Second, I don't know what is the connection with off-topic and it is clear there was a connection, yet i wanted to shed light on a couple of things you all know, but it never hurts to mention it again.

 

Psynews is a music forum, but it is undeniable this is a community here that has evolved from the music aspect and has nested a little digital home. Some people stay for a while, get in to the music, share war stories, make acquaintances, fall out of the music and still remain here, or they simply leave. But it's still a community, it's more than place to come ask about music techniques and or latest albums. It's a place where you come and see what is up with 'what's his face' and 'that other crazy bastard' or just to see what is up in general with this place. Closing off topic -even though most of it's worthless in the traditional sense of the word- kills a lot of that group dynamic.

 

lastly, I understand for everyone's sake and peace of mind, closing off-topic is the safest route to follow, but i just hope you al understand that is exactly what the bastard(s) that hacked this place wanted to do and you are letting them win. I also understand, a lot more is at stake here with other websites, including the Suntrip one, so it's a difficult call. Either way, thanks for keeping the spirits and the place up, hope it remains peaceful down there...

[Late]

First of all, I entirely sympathize with Mars, people have indeed far better things to do than fix servers. However, how can a forum software, etc... be more susceptible to attacks if a certain part of a forum is enabled? I don't buy it, unless it is off Topic itself that somehow motivates the hacker.

 

Secondly, what RAH said is entirely true about successful forums transcending their subject matter, especially when a topic is slightly limited, like Goa trance. But in the end, it's a privately owned site, with which the owner can do as they please.

[FTP]

OK Mars, I see

 

but your evaluation of the Offtopic is wrong. There are fights but it's all just the reflection of the real world, I suspect that the problem is the Israel issue, but it is a nasty conflict where even the nukes are present and war are started, You don't like discussing these things with the concern parties? because of the flames... Come on.. this place should not have political corretness in agenda, right? I miss my fight with Acido aboput the economy...but the very same fights are present at the universities between neomarxist and monetarist all the time - Exactly the same. Or you don't like the fights betweeen atheists and spirituals??? in middle age people were burnt cause their opinions.

 

and Finally Spam - it was discussed here in one of your topic and according your evaluation even the South Park is full of spam, Each comment eliciting smile on my face is not spam in my opinion, but sometimes the Offtopic has its weak times...like there is not much going on, but even Jay leno and Conan O'Brein are not funny all the time.

 

I hope that securities issues can be solved and if not the old Offtopic, some kind of replacement would be very cool.

[buzzman]

First all, nice this place is back online, alright, it's like my day-surfing isn't complete without stopping here for a second even to read junk... and what in the world is up with all these god damn hackers? seriously? Who pissed them (him) off so bad? I mean, you got to have a real grudge (and a lot of free time) to go to those depths. How did it get to that point? I understand you will always find rowdy people and assholes, but learning to deal with these people is also part of the real world.

 

Second, I don't know what is the connection with off-topic and it is clear there was a connection, yet i wanted to shed light on a couple of things you all know, but it never hurts to mention it again.

 

Psynews is a music forum, but it is undeniable this is a community here that has evolved from the music aspect and has nested a little digital home. Some people stay for a while, get in to the music, share war stories, make acquaintances, fall out of the music and still remain here, or they simply leave. But it's still a community, it's more than place to come ask about music techniques and or latest albums. It's a place where you come and see what is up with 'what's his face' and 'that other crazy bastard' or just to see what is up in general with this place. Closing off topic -even though most of it's worthless in the traditional sense of the word- kills a lot of that group dynamic.

 

lastly, I understand for everyone's sake and peace of mind, closing off-topic is the safest route to follow, but i just hope you al understand that is exactly what the bastard(s) that hacked this place wanted to do and you are letting them win. I also understand, a lot more is at stake here with other websites, including the Suntrip one, so it's a difficult call. Either way, thanks for keeping the spirits and the place up, hope it remains peaceful down there...

100% agree

 

 

Another thing: If someone really want to hack psynews... Shoudn't it be just as easy doing it through the general or any other section? I just can't understand what off-topic has to do with this. It sounds like you wanted to get rid of off-topic section in the first place, and this is just a good excuse to do it. Hope i don't offent anyone, but a better explanation would be in it's place IMO.

[RTP]

Despite there's no OT forum anymore and even 48hrs has been shut down, I'm still glad this place is back the way it is. The only thing I meanwhile want is a nice place where people talk about the music I like and about new releases and such ... I'd be quite cut off from the development of the scene if this forum went down ... I know I could go elsewhere, but it wouldn't be the same...

 

So big thanks for bringing it back up

 

Mars, I thought you should know about THIS PAGE I discovered while trying to get onto psynews yesterday. Anonymous login is a sure sign of hacker activity. I seems someone definately doesn't like this site.

I guess I'll be around less now.

Yikes! I know that site, it's handy, I looked around it sometimes in the past ... but I never knew it had psynews logins! Damn, if a login can be found on THAT site (which is not so underground), then there's fire on the roof, because you can be quite sure much more leaked out...

 

Instant ban the member with that login plz.

 

On the other hand, maybe a bot entered it there? We had quite some bots here and people complaining they are getting more and more intelligent ... maybe some of them also post the login on sites? You never know.

[Stardust]

As you all no doubt are aware I am not a very active member at all, but would like to add my two cents.

 

When I first discovered this forum at the end of 2005 I stumbled on it by searching google for album reviews. The excellent reviews prompted me to spend some time browsing the other sections of the forum and I found quite a lot of interesting and deep discussions of various issues. I forgot about the forum for a little while but joined later on to try and participate a bit. For me there was a great time around then with many interesting members making a lot of amusing and intelligent posts, even in off topic. There were also a few irrelevant and silly posts but mostly they were in the minority and actually contributed to the humour and good feelings. Then a whole bunch of stuff happened for a while and some fights broke out and bannings and much resentment followed.

 

Personally I find forums boring and not a particularly constructive way to pass time so I started posting less and less and eventually stopped. I still used to stop by though because I wanted to read all the reviews of the latest albums so that I could know what to buy and also to browse news and label announcements. I also used to still visit the off topic now and then. I noticed that sadly the amusing and interesting threads of old starting dying out and more and more bulls*** started flooding the place and the regular members stopped posting as much as previously. So as far as I am concerned, this forum will lose absolutely nothing at all if off topic never gets revived. If I can still come back here to find out about new and interesting music then that's all that matters to me.

 

Unfortunately it seems that whoever is responsible for these attacks is hell bent on destroying this site. I don't know if killing off topic is going to stop them. But I hope that it will as I am sure that nemo and mars must be almost completely out of patience.

[Otto Matta]

It's a real shame about Off-topic. It's family and friends in one. So much history, and I've learned a great deal from people there over the years, even if it hasn't always been pleasant. Still, I understand that there's really no underestimating the lengths to which some will go to destroy good things. I'm glad the site in general has survived, and I hope at some point we can have the full community back where it belongs. Cheers to everybody.

[NEMO.BOFH]

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