Provide your feedback on the main site (besides the patterns).
#57222
I think Ryan should post something similar on his Facebook....

As we come down to the final moments before H-DAY the most hideous and horrifying ghouls come out of the wood work to try to spoil your Halloween fun...I speak of HACKERS. Like clockwork, these vile creatures try to crash all pumpkin pattern site servers right before the big day. Make sure to print off all of your patterns you plan to do now (even ones you are thinking about doing) before to make sure that you're not upset that you can't get access to the site if it goes down.

Crossing my fingers it doesn't happen but I've been around long enough to know that they are too irresistible of a target for these scum.
By Ajax
#57224
Yes, seems to happen every year. Prepare for the worst.
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By MooBoo
#57225
Why do some people feel the need to ruin things for others. Mean people :x Anyway i'm all prepared! :D
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By Tkaraoke
#57226
The Facebook people seem to be the most "pissy" of all ZP users so I thought if Ryan posted something like that on Facebook he could avoid the landslide of hate comments.
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By CorpseBride
#57278
Yes! Great idea TK, thanks for posting this! It is a very good idea to attach a little warning this time of year. Sheesh, especially after last year. Poor Ryan :cry: People are mean.
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By matspud
#57285
Tkaraoke wrote:The Facebook people seem to be the most "pissy" of all ZP users so I thought if Ryan posted something like that on Facebook he could avoid the landslide of hate comments.
I am NOT pissy!!!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted: Moany,short-tempered, impatient, grumpy - yes but not pissy :lol: :lol:

I know what you mean though Tony. Some people who have failed to prepare and left EVERYTHING to the last minute get really angry at others who(m?) they expect to pick up the slack for their failings. Sure its not just on FB though , Twitter is probably as bad and I would HATE to see Ryan's PM and email boxes.
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By keifferone
#57353
Hackers are pathetic lonely losers that have nothing better to do but make everday people miserable. Sorry I had to rant. These are people that have true computer talent and they have nothing better to do with there minds but this.
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By purple1worm
#57362
I agree with all the above! Thankfully I've already printed the ones I'm doing.
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By matspud
#57802
Good grief. It is obvious from the facebook page that we are truly in an age that expects - nay demands- instant gratification :x

I can't believe the number of people who go to join and print as they are starting to carve and then complain bitterly and demand recompense when poop happens and they can't. What happened to personal resposibility and the art of planning ahead :x The site doesn't just exist for 2/3days at the end of October. Its bad enough when newbies do it but when I see "I have been a customer for several years blah blah blah complain complain complain" it makes my blood boil. :x If you have been here before you know how crazy it gets the closer to the big day we get so surely you would know to get in early.
:x

Sorry rant over :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
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By MooBoo
#57808
matspud wrote:Good grief. It is obvious from the facebook page that we are truly in an age that expects - nay demands- instant gratification :x

I can't believe the number of people who go to join and print as they are starting to carve and then complain bitterly and demand recompense when poop happens and they can't. What happened to personal resposibility and the art of planning ahead :x The site doesn't just exist for 2/3days at the end of October. Its bad enough when newbies do it but when I see "I have been a customer for several years blah blah blah complain complain complain" it makes my blood boil. :x If you have been here before you know how crazy it gets the closer to the big day we get so surely you would know to get in early.
:x

Sorry rant over :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
I know exactly what you mean! I was getting annoyed reading through all the posts, i don't know how Ryan puts up with it. Do people really expect to join the site the day before Halloween and expect everything to be perfect for them? Hell its like doing all your xmas shopping on xmas eve! It just aint gonna happen!! Always be prepared thats what i say. :P
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By nosferatu
#57826
Perfectly summed up Moo Boo and I echo everyone else's sentiments. The good thing is that Ryan knows that there are those who appreciate all his efforts, not just the rage hards.
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By SuperSonic
#57922
Well put MooBoo, I can say I share the same looks on things as you do.
By Liderc
#58518
Has nothing to do with hackers, it's just the server can't handle the load the final days of halloween.
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By Zombie Pumpkins!
#58911
Hackers can be a threat to any computer-based service, I guess. I don't think Halloween sites are necessarily a greater target. Thankfully, we had no issues like that, during this most recent season.

Additional strain on the server due to high levels of traffic is something that is to be expected with a website like this. There's a massive spike in the amount of visitors, on the weekend afternoons/evenings right before Halloween. But even that wasn't the main issue this year.

I won't bore anyone with too much technical talk, but the most significant problem the site experienced this season was some server settings that were apparently not configured correctly to allow for smooth database interaction. This is something that wasn't under my control, and didn't have to be this way, so it's frustrating that it happened at all.

It got a dicey at times, but eventually we pushed through and ultimately there were many more satisfied members than not. I'd like to thank all of you that stuck up for me or shared your comments of support (on Facebook, for example). That really kept my spirits up, at a time when quite a few people were sending messages that were less than polite.

That's just the nature of a service based around a holiday. People need the product for a specific date and time. That creates a sense of urgency, making people more demanding for instant gratification. It can turn an otherwise civil human into a Mr. Hyde.

It's funny when you think about it.... the worry of potentially losing $2 can make some people call me names that would make even a sailor blush. I've had to develop a thick skin, and try to not take it personal when people say that I'm a scammer who ruined Halloween and made their kids cry.

After the urgency of October 31, most of these people calm down, turning back to their Dr. Jekyll forms. I was able to amicably work things out with just about everyone eventually.

In a way, I guess it's a compliment to what I offer on this site, that people want it so badly, and count on it as part of their Halloween traditions. This just makes me want to strive harder to make sure I can deliver what the people expect.

While I sort of feel like I just survived a war, I don't feel burnt out. I actually feel strangely motivated to start working on the 2012 website. Revamping and overhauling some of the technology. I take a lot of pride in Zombie Pumpkins, and technical issues are not something I wish to repeat.

It's hard to predict exactly how a website will behave when a massive surge of traffic arrives. There's always a chance that something can break. If you've ever tried to do an online order for something popular like an iPhone on its pre-sale date, you know that even the websites of mega-corporations can buckle under pressure.

But these brief technical issues can be forgiven if the product is of good quality, and the customer service is polite and accommodating. So hopefully that's the image that people will keep in mind when they think of Zombie Pumpkins.

Thanks again for the support during the dark times, minions. Now, onward to 2012!
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By SuperSonic
#58918
Your very welcome Ryan! You can always talk to me about the technicalities and technical issues. I have always been interested in how websites work.

We will always "stick it to the MAN" - Jack Black

Ohh I just can't WAIT until next Hall-o-ween!

The fact that 2012 has already begun makes me feel devilishly happy! :twisted: