AVSIM wiped out

[ryanbatc]

Avsim developed a lot of enemies over the years.

Yep.

However, I hope things work out for them

 

[Marlin]

How many billions of hours of work was there?

 

[CrisGer]

I am glad to see the overhwelming number of posts are well intentioned and sincere expressions of concern and support for AVSIM, a wonderful resource for files and a great forum for open and detailed discussion of the sim world. I continue to support them and all sincere and dedicated sites for this great community and hope that ppl will stay positive and supportive in this time of challenge for AVSIM.

 

[harleyman]

eighter dontca meen nider
LOL
H

LOL It no go fo me nether..........

 

[Kiwikat]

Avsim developed a lot of enemies over the years.

Certainly no more than flightsim.com...

I've had more problems there than at Avsim. I don't even post at flightsim.com anymore.

By the sound of one of Tom's last posts, they are going to work pretty hard to get it back up and running. It will take a LOT to get the file libraries back up, especially if it is a complete loss.

 

[foreigndevil]

This is a bigger loss than MS closing the Aces studio

Very true! Terrible news!:isadizzy:

 

[datter]

Avsim developed a lot of enemies over the years. After they banned me and blocked all my IP's for posting links to A2A's B377 preview video I've had nothing good to say about the place, their moderators, or their moderation practices. The file library was good though.

Why did you get banned for that?

 

[datter]

This story has actually made the BBC.

 

[n4gix]

I am glad to see the overhwelming number of posts are well intentioned and sincere expressions of concern and support for AVSIM, a wonderful resource for files and a great forum for open and detailed discussion of the sim world. I continue to support them and all sincere and dedicated sites for this great community and hope that ppl will stay positive and supportive in this time of challenge for AVSIM.

Most -if not all- of the "files" are still available "somewhere" and it's "merely" a matter of rebuilding the library one file at a time...

However, the loss of twelve years of accumulated wisdom that was archived in the >200,000 posts in the "Aircraft and Panel Design" forum simply cannot be replaced. Many of the contributors to the knowledge base are no longer with us to contribute anew, having finally earned their ...

Over the last ten years, hardly a day has gone by where I didn't spend some time researching something in that forum for either myself or someone else who asked for help with a thorny issue. Now it is gone:

 

[Chuck_Jodry-VJPL]

" Why did you get banned for that? "<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
advertising is prohibited in the Avsim Forums <o></o>
<o></o>
As to the Data and contents of the disks , at this stage its premature to say what is gone forever , they were not erased , the partitions were removed.<o></o>
Its going to take a data recovery service to do the job , with the hard drive in hand , once we have some information on the matter we will post the information , at the moment we don’t have anything but speculation.<o></o>
By the time everything has been investigated we hope to be in a position to deal with all the work to be done to rebuild the website properly and with the best backup systems available.<o></o>

 

[GT182]

It is a shame that Avsim was hacked. All the best Chuck to everyone over at Avsim working to get it back online again.

 

[tigisfat]

I never spent any time over there, and I know all the forums have their detractors, but it seems that many people REALLY had it out for Avsim and some of it's people. This is a community of computer people; I'm not surprised this happened.

There's gotta be better means of revenge than destroying an entire website though. It's nearly impossible to tell who you can trust via the internet.

 

[Bjoern]

... which is likely part of the reason it was targeted.

You mean out-of-date security systems?

Sounds resonable to me. Although even the best security measures couldn't stop you from getting to your goal if you're really out to set the world on fire.

http://linux.myalbemarle.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=41

They think it may have been an inside job....

I want the movie rights for that!

I'm still of the opinion that work on the server accidentially left a backdoor open somewhere which caused all the havoc.

Amigos, I hope you all understand this is an Evil World!!!!!!

Actually, it's so solid back and white that it's dull grey.

Its going to take a data recovery service to do the job , with the hard drive in hand , once we have some information on the matter we will post the information , at the moment we don’t have anything but speculation.<o></o>

The data recovery service plan, albeit definately expensive, sounds good to me.

I'm pretty confident you guys are gonna get the site up and running again. Good luck!

 

[fsafranek]

Most -if not all- of the "files" are still available "somewhere" and it's "merely" a matter of rebuilding the library one file at a time...

However, the loss of twelve years of accumulated wisdom that was archived in the >200,000 posts in the "Aircraft and Panel Design" forum simply cannot be replaced. Many of the contributors to the knowledge base are no longer with us to contribute anew, having finally earned their ...

Over the last ten years, hardly a day has gone by where I didn't spend some time researching something in that forum for either myself or someone else who asked for help with a thorny issue. Now it is gone:

I agree. Files can be replaced by all the folks who downloaded them over the years and any that can't were probably obsolete anyway. But a forum is like a knowledge base and when those are lost it really hurts. Unfortunately over the past few of years forums have been going down much more often than file collections. For the reasons I mentioned I think the emphasis should always be on making the forum as strong as possible. And then worry about the file collection. We've been dealing without their library for a week now anyway -- you get used to that -- but the lack of interaction and lost information is the bigger loss. JMHO
:ernae:

 

[DennyA]

What is is about sim sites that attracts these kinds of attacks? I mean, why on EARTH would anyone attack a site like Sim-Outhouse, as has happened a few times? Fun, friendly folks, no flamewars, useful info and libraries.

I just don't get the emotion and conflict I see from some people in the sim community. How can you "hate" a website? It's a computer game, people, and a fun hobby. Reserve the hatred for people who are hurting other people.

 

[SolarEagle]

Why did you get banned for that?

Good question. There's nothing in their rules indicating readers can't post links to information on coming products, only that vendors or affiliates to vendors are not allowed to advertise. Banning people is pretty harsh, so banning me with no warning and blocking all my IP's for trying to make simmers aware of something I was excited about is quite the thing. I would call that forum moderation overkill at its worst, but that's Avsim, and the reason there are youtube video’s dedicated the subject, and perhaps why they brought this attack on their self.

 

[DennyA]

perhaps why they brought this attack on their self.

Did you really just type that?

So they're overzealous in thier moderation, and thus someone destroying their site is justified?

Once again, the Internet makes me weep for humanity.

 

[Bjoern]

I would call that forum moderation overkill at its worst

Heh, you've never been to Simviation obviously. I got banned from there for being myself. And this obviously didn't quite fit to the "lalalala, bees and flowers and sun and pink glasses" attitude wanted there.

I once in a while pop in there with a new account to say hello. Call that trolling or not, there are some mightily cool people on there who deserve a hail once in a while. Sadly only a small percentage of them are moderators.

I kind of like the degree of maturity and tolerance on SOH, which is why I made it my preferred hangout in terms of flightsim affairs.

I've only visited the Avsim forums if I had a problem with my hardware or FSX, mostly in read-only mode though, so I can't really tell if moderation around there was worse than on other places.


But enough off-topic talk for now.

 

[IanP]

If SE's comment was intended as that he can see why it happened to Avsim rather than other sites then he might have at least a partial point - Avsim's management is notorious for being "somewhat robust" in their attitude to those who disagree with them or are seen as a threat. Management attitude was probably my biggest reason for stopping writing for them.

A lot of the story we've seen so far regarding this doesn't add up for me. I don't claim any inside knowledge over anyone else, however, and I only hope that the site can be resurrected and rebuilt. A major part of the community, whether you like the management and their style or not, has been ripped out by the actions of whoever is responsible.

 

[warchild]

Actually, i'm not convinced it was an inside job.. Let me explain .

A LOT of people from around the world are right now and for a very long time past, getting spammed from the address urushira@nerdshack.com. Thats my address, and frankly, i dont know HOW to use a mail list, but someone that does, is able to ghost in and use my address for all kinds of crap. I dont know how to get rid of it..

Taking that into consideration, it's quite possible that Phil got hacked himself and someone grabbed his access codes and passwords and framed him for the job.

More about ghosting..

A couple years back when i was living up on the butte, I'm on my computer and this window pops up and some guy starts talking with me. Iran a trace and nothing showed up. Remote access is always disabled on my machine sotheoretically there is no way he could be talking with me. To reply, all i had to do was type a message in anything that would take text. He was reading my screen.. This could also have happened to anyone at avsim..

I'm not trying to say anyone is guilty or innocent, I'm just saying that we cant make such broad sweeping general statements about anyone till all the facts are in..

besides, i live in america, and last i looked a person is presumed innocent until proven otherwise..I even went and fought a damned war for that and other rights..
Lets not hang someone till the right neck is in the noose.

Pam