Clean up the hosting forum

[Hoot]

Hello!

So currently the Hosting section is pretty messy with various duplicate requesting threads from people looking for the same 2gb mc server as everyone else, as well as offering threads from both summer hosts (hosts that only last a few months) and the real hosts trying to actually make something.

I think it would be best to split the section into a few sub forums.

Requesting - Users can post and request hosting that fits their needs.

Hosts - A section where anyone can offer hosting services.

Verified Hosts - A section that has requirements to post in. Skme requirements maybe include:
- Legal company registration such as an LLC or sole proprietorship.
- Be in business for more than 6 months.
- Business reputation (possibly no less than X positive rep on the user offering services).

Maybe 2 of 3 requirements must be met.

General Discussion - Users can post review threads, ask for help, etc.

Also just a side note Mick, this can make you more money on sticky threads as you’d have 2 hosting sub forums to buy a sticky from, hosts and verified hosts.

Please let me know your thoughts as I’d like to hear what others think could be done to organize this better.

 

[Mick]

Along with this idea, I would also like to look into combining this with Lotus' suggestion here: https://www.mc-market.org/threads/467207/. As Lotus has said on that suggestion, at the moment the hosting section is a "labyrinth of confusion" and although making a verified and unverified hosting category would help, merging the ideas together would work best to resolve the clutter of the hosting forum right now.

What I think would work well is the forums being as follows:

Verified Game Hosting (for Minecraft/other videogames)
Verified Other Hosting (for web/vps/dedi hosting and would need a better name hopefully)
Other Hosting

In this layout, users would not be able to create a thread in the verified sections until they apply with proof and are approved. Right now I'm thinking that proof of company registration should definitely be necessary but I'm not sure how we can get hosts to prove they've existed for over 6 months. How could we make them prove that?

All threads in our Hosting forum at the moment would be moved to Other Hosting until the companies apply and get accepted to be allowed to move their threads into the other sections. Doing this would ensure that it is easy for users to find verified and reliable hosts, while also still providing a place for people who don't yet meet our verification requirements. The 'Other Hosting' forum would still be a mess, but at least the verified hosts would not be involved in that mess I suppose.

Also worth noting that I'm really hesitant to introduce a discussion forum into the hosts forums. I'd like to keep all of our discussions within a single category rather than having an individual discussion place for every product/service forum.

I'd love to know everyones input on this, because it would be great to get the idea finalised for our next announcement.

 

[BOOP]

Along with this idea, I would also like to look into combining this with Lotus' suggestion here: https://www.mc-market.org/threads/467207/. As Lotus has said on that suggestion, at the moment the hosting section is a "labyrinth of confusion" and although making a verified and unverified hosting category would help, merging the ideas together would work best to resolve the clutter of the hosting forum right now.

What I think would work well is the forums being as follows:

Verified Game Hosting (for Minecraft/other videogames)
Verified Other Hosting (for web/vps/dedi hosting and would need a better name hopefully)
Other Hosting

In this layout, users would not be able to create a thread in the verified sections until they apply with proof and are approved. Right now I'm thinking that proof of company registration should definitely be necessary but I'm not sure how we can get hosts to prove they've existed for over 6 months. How could we make them prove that?

All threads in our Hosting forum at the moment would be moved to Other Hosting until the companies apply and get accepted to be allowed to move their threads into the other sections. Doing this would ensure that it is easy for users to find verified and reliable hosts, while also still providing a place for people who don't yet meet our verification requirements. The 'Other Hosting' forum would still be a mess, but at least the verified hosts would not be involved in that mess I suppose.

Also worth noting that I'm really hesitant to introduce a discussion forum into the hosts forums. I'd like to keep all of our discussions within a single category rather than having an individual discussion place for every product/service forum.

I'd love to know everyones input on this, because it would be great to get the idea finalised for our next announcement.

Get their business #, or however that works, and check the date they registered? Or check the day that claimed the domain?

 

[Mick]

Get their business #, or however that works, and check the date they registered? Or check the day that claimed the domain?

I know that with the Australian registration for companies everything is online and easy to show with the date of company registration, but I don't know whether that is also the case with every other country where you can register companies.

 

[BOOP]

I know that with the Australian registration for companies everything is online and easy to show with the date of company registration, but I don't know whether that is also the case with every other country where you can register companies.

Then ask them to provide the documents, I'd assume it would be dated?

 

[Mick]

The main issue I can think of when it comes to the Australian government in particular is the slow slow slooooowwww response times

https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/ Through this website you can do a simple lookup on any company at any time to see the information. If there were a system like this for other countries that'd be great but otherwise we'd need to see other proof like a document of company registration or something like that I suppose.

What's everyone's feedback on the rest of the suggestion though?

 

[BOOP]

https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/ Through this website you can do a simple lookup on any company at any time to see the information. If there were a system like this for other countries that'd be great but otherwise we'd need to see other proof like a document of company registration or something like that I suppose.

As far as I'm aware, MOST countries do have this, so you wouldn't have to review too much real documents.

What's everyone's feedback on the rest of the suggestion though?

Pretty good, would make looking for a decent host waaay easier

 

[Ajdin]

Right now I'm thinking that proof of company registration should definitely be necessary but I'm not sure how we can get hosts to prove they've existed for over 6 months. How could we make them prove that?

Most companies have a legal start date you can look up. In addition to that, their threads should be up for some time in 'Other hosts' before becoming approved.

Verified Game Hosting (for Minecraft/other videogames)
Verified Other Hosting (for web/vps/dedi hosting and would need a better name hopefully)
Other Hosting

I think this would definitely work and be beneficial.

You just need to ensure that the approval of these hosts happens by someone educated that checks the forum frequently and I'd actually prevent moderators from doing it. I think Justis or someone else that's not entirely clueless and can have a neutral view of something.

It's somewhat a quality check on a company within a specific industry so it should also be someone that has at least some knowledge of the industry.

 

[Mick]

Most companies have a legal start date you can look up. In addition to that, their threads should be up for some time in 'Other hosts' before becoming approved.

Why should a thread need to be up in other hosts before being approved into the verified section? If a company like reliablesite didn't have a thread on MCM (just for example, they definitely do), and they wanted to advertise here why should they have to wait 6 months before they can become verified with us? As long as you can prove that you've been registered as a company for a year you should be eligible.

It's somewhat a quality check on a company within a specific industry so it should also be someone that has at least some knowledge of the industry.

Absolutely. I don't particularly have anyone in mind to handle it just yet, but we should have someone lined up before releasing it.

Does anyone have any ideas for what better name we could have rather than 'Verified Other Hosting' for the web/dedi/vps hosting?

 

[Cal]

Though I do support adding more barriers to entry, I do believe proving a certain reputation for a hosting company is more valuable than if how they are structured.

Hosting Sections
My Proposed Verified Host Requirements

• Business Account with Supreme.
• Have a thread that has been for the same host for 6 months.
• Have over 2,000 thread views.

Requesting
Hosts input a few hosting features before submitting their thread. Specifically for Minecraft:

• Cost per Gigabyte
• Dedicated IP Available? Y/N
• Public Node Stats? Y/N
• Panel? Multicraft, Pterodactyl, other?

Users would be able to filter their results based on those factors as well as reputation, age and thread views.

Hosting Discussion
Totally necessary. I'm a little surprised this doesn't already exist.

 

[BOOP]

• Business Account with Supreme.

No. Businesses shouldn't be required to spend money just to be considered verified, and if so it should be Premium imo

• Have a thread that has been for the same host for 6 months.

Mick covered this,

Why should a thread need to be up in other hosts before being approved into the verified section? If a company like reliablesite didn't have a thread on MCM (just for example, they definitely do), and they wanted to advertise here why should they have to wait 6 months before they can become verified with us? As long as you can prove that you've been registered as a company for a year you should be eligible.

• Have over 2,000 thread views.

But why? If a hosts gets buried in the unverified section, then they won't get many fews. Maybe only 500, or 1000?

 

[Ajdin]

Why should a thread need to be up in other hosts before being approved into the verified section? If a company like reliablesite didn't have a thread on MCM (just for example, they definitely do), and they wanted to advertise here why should they have to wait 6 months before they can become verified with us? As long as you can prove that you've been registered as a company for a year you should be eligible.

6 months isn't long for a business. And there's many businesses (even registered ones) that disappear after a month or 2-3. Just another precaution to prevent customers being stranded without their files or any support. I don't think this is an absolute must but I do think it's something that would do more bad than good.

 

[BOOP]

6 months isn't long for a business. And there's many businesses (even registered ones) that disappear after a month or 2-3. Just another precaution to prevent customers being stranded without their files or any support. I don't think this is an absolute must but I do think it's something that would do more bad than good.

Maybe the thread should be up for 1-3 months, and the business itself should be have to be registered for 6 months?

 

[Ajdin]

Maybe the thread should be up for 1-3 months, and the business itself should be have to be registered for 6 months?

3 months is also good enough. 6 months might be a bit too much indeed.

By that time, any feedback given by customers will also be in the thread replies too most likely.

 

[Lyfe]

3 months is also good enough. 6 months might be a bit too much indeed.

By that time, any feedback given by customers will also be in the thread replies too most likely.

Congrats on 2500 and shit, didn't know you still existed my man

 

[Mick]

So right now we're thinking:

• Thread existing for 3+ months
• Company registration for at least 12+ months

Thanks for your help with this everyone. Hosting really isn't my area of expertise so I appreciate the assistance with deciding how we should do this

 

[Ajdin]

So right now we're thinking:

• Thread existing for 3+ months
• Company registration for at least 12+ months

Thanks for your help with this everyone. Hosting really isn't my area of expertise so I appreciate the assistance with deciding how we should do this

- Be in business for more than 6 months.

12 Seems a bit excessive. 6 seems far more like it.