How not to make friends(and do business) internet style

TFM sends out trackbacks to Open posts on a daily basis. One blog I've been doing this with(Probably longer than any other blog) is Basil's Blog. Thank you Basil for having these open posts.

Today I twice linked to Basil. I then used Haloscan to send my trackbacks. In each instance the trackback chunked. So I wrote Basil informing him of the problem.

Basil wrote back with a link to this post of his.

Is Dreamhost Trying To Piss Me Off?

I found this message in my inbox:

Hello,

In an effort to lower the load on your server I disabled mt-trackback (that's often abused). There's still a lot of processes running under your user for the blog index so I am going to also go ahead and move you to another server. It should be seamless but just in case here is my direct email address:

[address omitted]

john

I've responded:

Trackbacks were disabled on my blog … and I don't like that!

I do NOT like the idea of features (and, yes, TrackBacks are a feature of my blog) being disabled without prior notice.

If it is your policy to not allow me to accept TrackBacks, I'd appreciate your letting me know in sufficient time to move my blog to a host that is acceptable and not encounter any downtime.

I eagerly await your response.

What the heck were they thinking? Trackbacks can be abused? You're telling me they just now, in August 2006, discovered that TrackBacks can be abused? What's next? Cigarettes cause cancer?

LOL, Basil is sounding more sarcastic than TFM!

If Dreamhost took this move unilaterally(Basil is waiting for a reply from their customer service), this web hosting company shouldn't be the choice for any serious blogger for they obviously think they know what is best for their customers rather than ask first. If Basil doesn't get some resolution, he'll probably be moving his blog elsewhere.

Most companies take their customer's needs seriously. They don't want bad publicity, for one disgruntled customer bad mouthing them is worth ten customer's praise. Especially when word can be spread easily on the internet via google searches and technorati tags.

If Basil doesn't get satisfaction soon, Dreamhost will be a Knucklehead of the day award winner. How's that for publicity?

Linked to- Uncooperative Blogger, Jo's Cafe, Bright & Early, Right Wing Nation,

Cross posted to Bullwinkle Blog