Did you get a lame email like this too?
Dreamhost, this is your problem, not mine. It’s a bug in your system and you’re going to penalize me?!?
Are you crazy-stupid? The amount of money that you’re asking back is ridiculous. So here’s what I’m going to do:
I am going to close my account so that you can’t milk me of my earnings.
Goodbye Dreamhost.
check out hostgator.com
been using them for years. beautiful service.
Is that who you host everything through?
no. i host smaller sites and tests on dreamhost. i also helped smaller businesses get started there.
not any more i guess.
I’m torn. This is a horrible PR move on their part and a generally douchey thing to do…
But I’ve like them so much better than what I had before…
Is an act of solidarity what is required here?
it’s true. their setup was good and it was great to get started. but for people who have been there for a long time and have significant rewards through them……. it’s a kick in the groin.
new bloggers and businesses could still find value i suppose.
Wow. Lame Dreahost. Very lame.
I just switched my hosting to Media Temple because I love that grid service feature.
Glad I did.
yup. media temple for the big blogs.
WOW…that’s truly unbelievable!!
I had a bad experience with another hosting company…so I feel your pain man!! I’m with you on your decision on leaving! Wish you the best!
I wish you could do this with bills and loans.
Wow. Dreamhost’s loss. I can only imagine how many people you personally referred.
nearly 300.
I was one of them several times. Guess your discount code is gone huh?
John, I will be more than glad to set you up on my web servers over at BigHypeMedia.com ..
Brad
That sucks!
If an error with *their* system caused them to pay out too much, it’s *their* problem, not the ones that got them new customers. Write it off as a loss and go on. They obviously aren’t going to go bankrupt if they don’t get the money back, it’s been 2 years.
I used to heavily refer people to another host (who I won’t mention), but after their server got hacked not once, but twice, and said that the problem was my fault and a script I had installed, on a different account, allowed someone to change several files and database entries (which had nothing to do with the script), I moved everyone to Media Temple. Big sites get a (dv) or above account, everyone else shares (gs) accounts. I was also able to lower what I charged for hosting, and the sites got noticeably faster. I loved it after the first 5 minutes
I like how you automatically make Media Temple a link. That built into the theme (that I still need to get one of these days)?
Sounds like the name of the host you’re talking about begins with ‘S’ and ends with ‘e’. I was bitten too, and that’s when I switched to DH. I’m honestly kind of annoyed at having to switch hosts every 2 years because everything’s good at first and then something wrong happens.
Actually it begins with “L” and ends with “s”. I had been with them for over 6 years with no problems. Customer service wasn’t too great, but the service was good for the price, which they kept raising. I had been looking to change hosts for about a year because of the price (most of my clients are small businesses with small budgets), and that ‘issue’ was the final push.
That sucks, for sure. I just signed up for hosting with Dreamhost at your referral. I have a grace period to cancel. Should I consider looking elsewhere?
honestly, they are a good service and great for small bloggers and businesses. i would stay. they just made a really stupid move here and totally kicked long-time customers in the nuts.
bummer i use dreamhost…maybe a followup blog on tent blogger about upgrading to a bigger host and the process of that???
i’d stick with it to be honest. it’s just a kick in the pants to long-term subscribers.
i am staying with them…hope you enjoyed my commission
just thought a hosting/upgrading hosting blog would be interesting…
WOW! Like a few other readers, I’m on DreamHost at your recommendations. I’m really sorry this happened. I’m shocked. I’ll probably tweet at them and display my disapproval. Wow, I haven’t seen something like this in awhile. Let us know where you go from here.
But as you said, I’ll probably stick around.
Man, what a bummer. As you point out here in the comments, their services are pretty stinkin’ awesome, especially for those of us with pet projects, that aren’t making any money on our blogs/sites/toys/etc.
I currently use Dreamhost for several sites, but don’t use the referral feature so this isn’t something that effects me.
Man! That stinks. I feel for you, dude.
Hi John,
I simply don’t understand. According to my understanding of your blog post (Let it be a big or small amount) they made a payment to you which was a mistake. They obviously have the right to reclaim. Besides they have provided you with an easy payment scheme. Then why do you resist?
We are Christians. I don’t think that your attitude is in line with your faith. I am sure there are many other clients (especially non-believers) who feel the same way. Is this how we set an example to them?
A blogger in your position commands a great authority in the blogsphere. People respect you and they respect your word. Therefore I urge you to think twice about what you post in this blog. You can inspire your readers to do what is right as well as what is wrong.
True, It’s questionable when hosting giants like Dreamhost make such lame excuses. It’s not fair. But we are different, right???
Think about it. Talk to your wife about this problem. Ask for her opinion. We are men and we tend to act out of our impulse. But women specially wives, they are fast to think slow to act – that keeps them away from trouble.
May be I am wrong… May be I am right. But I don’t want to sugarcoat this situation just for the sake of agreeing with you. If I am wrong I loose nothing. But if I am right and didn’t tell you what to do then I am not a true friend of yours.
Yes, but as Christians we aren’t called to just bend over. I think he is rightfully upset and he hasn’t responded very harshly at all actually.
Hi Travis,
This is not about bending over. This is about doing what is right in the eyes of God. I am just looking at the problem from God’s point of view.
Simply my point is the author has something that doesn’t belong to him. Therefore he must return it to it’s rightful owner.
You are not God therefore you cannot see from Gods point of view.
Thanks for the reminder Alex. I am not God. That’s why God has given us His word and something called conscience.
If you turn your Bible you will see, that God’s point of view can be found in it…
“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.” Matthew 18:15
You shouldve emailed him privately if you felt this strongly about it.
His Word & a conscience, which He has also given John. John felt it was ok to write this post. And as you see through the comments he’s encouraged other to STICK with the company who wronged him.
It is COMPLETELY ok to be transparent with our communities about our feelings and our actions. If we cant be transparent with our community who can we be transparent with?
I think you jumped the gun and “acted out of your impulse” when you posted your initial comment.
BUT this is from MY point of view.
Hi Alex,
This is a public post. When you publish a public blog post readers do express their views, appreciate, confront or correct the author in public. Not in private.
I didn’t say the author has sinned. He has not sinned against me neither against God. I pointed out his “attitude” which needs correction.
There’s nothing wrong with being transparent with our communities. But we must remember that our transparency affects the community in some way depending on our attitude.
Ex: The spies who spied on the promise land had 2 different views. Both views caused unique affects on the community (Numbers 13:1-33; 14:1-38).
I didn’t jumped the gun and “acted out of my impulse” when I posted my initial comment as you think. (I am not doing that with you either, in this conversation).
Frankly speaking I agreed with the author the first time I read this post. I commented supporting the author (which was my point of view).
Then suddenly I realized something is not right here (which is God’s point of view). I removed the comment I was typing and typed what you read in my initial comment.
Remember, God and his word is our measuring rod of right and wrong. Not your point of view. Not my point of view. Not the author’s point of view.
I still disagree with your point of view.
I’m sure you don’t have nail prints in your hands and a hole in your side.
And sorry to John for mudding up the comments with religious nonsense.
Love God, Love People.
You don’t have to agree with me. I don’t have any problem with that. I wouldn’t have comment here in the first place – if I wanted everyone else to agree with me.
Please read the comments again if necessary – because still you think that I am talking from my own point of view.
(I didn’t understand the idiom, …nail prints…)
Any one can pickup the truth and give it the label “religious nonsense.” People can call it “crap” “Garbage/rubbish” or whatever they like – But still, truth remains to be the truth. I am sorry but the truth hurts…
Nail prints hole in your side… the signs of a risen savior. Jesus. The Truth. The Word.
What you say is your view. In the same way everything I’ve said is my point of view. I’m not using Gods name in vain.
State Farm did this with me a while ago. Gave me a big check and then a few months later said it was in error and started charging me extra to pay for it…
Yeowch…
I also got the same email.
This is really annoying but there is no doubt that DreamHost offers very good service at cheap rate.
Luckily, I knew of this bug from a long time and I didn’t have much of the rewards which needs corrections. So I don’t have much to lose here.
I wonder how much commission DreamHost has taken back from their affiliates. The figure must be around a million dollar!! What do you say?
That’s bogus man. I’m also one of your referrals, and I’ve not had any problems with them. But that’s definitely cheap. If we did something like that at my company (at which I work in customer service) we don’t make them pay us back. If we mess up, we do what it takes to make it right, and if the customer gets a bit extra, then that’s ok. Also, you don’t upset your best customers. That’s always a bad idea.
Alex,
I agree, you are speaking from you own view. But I am not. Please read the comments again…
I didn’t use God’s name in vain – but you are interpreting scripture out of context – when you say that I am using God’s name in vain … Study to find out yourself what it means to use God’s name in vain.
By the way you are presenting useless arguments and drifting away from the original subject mentioned in this post, Please stay on the course…
Im done w. wasting time on these comments. If youd like to continue this conversation via email you can message me at: quinonez@gmail.com
Thanks for the invitation – but I am not interested…
Thank you.
Ugh. This sucks.
I closed my Dreamhost hosting account about a week ago, but I can still log in to manage referrals and such.
They usually seem like a great service, but this is rather lame.
That sucks big time. But I have to imagine the collateral damage to Dreamhost is larger than the money they’re going to reclaim.
Evidently not in their estimation.
John, I know you said that you use media temple for large blogs, but I hope to run a wordpress site (or two) that wouldn’t have much media and such. Do you have another small provider you would recommend? Thanks.
yes. i’ll be listing those out on http://tentblogger.com very soon!
still advertising for them though I see…
I love the line at the end of the email: “Thankyou for your understanding and working with us…” What a condescending remark. I hate when people require me to do something in a “thankyou” comment. In fact, I’m usually inclined to do the complete opposite of their snide remark.
Bummer. Put’s a sour taste in my mouth.
For what it’s worth Dreamhost offers a free non-profit hosting solution too for those who qualify. I think they can’t take back money if you don’t pay them.
http://wiki.dreamhost.com/Non-profit_Discount