Neglected or Abandoned Websites

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andy Asberry
  • Start date Start date
A

Andy Asberry

The subject is not very descriptive. I maintain a web for an
association. Members send their contact info to me and I publish it in
a directory. I check the email and URL before publishing.

My problem is later when they abandon their home page and someone uses
it as a less than family oriented site.

Is anyone else doing something similar? How do you prevent this? Do
you check the URL periodically? Do they have to confirm their site
regularly?

I know you can check for dead links. I doubt there is a way to check
for content.

TIA
 
If you are Publishing for them, how are they getting the password to publish?
How are you managing these webs? Are they webs or just pages?
 
Most of this could all be solved using a web application developed to
capture the e-mail and URL and apply tests to them for validity and other
criteria based on your business rules. There may be a need for someone to
make a judgment call from time to time. Using a TTL (time-to-live) as you
surmise is also a method used to disable accounts or perform some other
automated process when some 'thing' is not make itself comply with a rule
that is checked every so often.

Its all a matter of how much your time is worth to the association. Think
about it. If those who pay you let you sit like a monkey doing all the
needless labor they obviously think you are worth less than spending the
money to automate your job so you can do more important tasks for the
association. Something to think about these days.

<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee (sm) "A Regional Information Service"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://metromilwaukee.com/
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
 
A person would have to actual check the site content on a regular basis.

--
==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WebMaster Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, WebCircle, MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================
If you feel your current issue is a results of installing
a Service Pack or security update, please contact
Microsoft Product Support Services:
http://support.microsoft.com
If the problem can be shown to have been caused by a
security update, then there is usually no charge for the call.
==============================================
 
Hi Andy,

By "Home Page" are you referring to the Domain Name? Domain Names are
registered with InterNic, and "rented" in a sense. When someone gives up
their domain name by not renewing it's registration, that domain name
becomes available to whomever wants to use it.

As to what you can do about it - nothing. Unless you want to either
encourage them to re-register, or you want to register the domain name
yourself.

A Domain Name is a convenience for humans. It is mapped to an IP address,
which is what computers use to identify each other.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
What You Seek Is What You Get.
 
Hi Andy,

By "Home Page" are you referring to the Domain Name? Domain Names are
registered with InterNic, and "rented" in a sense. When someone gives up
their domain name by not renewing it's registration, that domain name
becomes available to whomever wants to use it.

As to what you can do about it - nothing. Unless you want to either
encourage them to re-register, or you want to register the domain name
yourself.

A Domain Name is a convenience for humans. It is mapped to an IP address,
which is what computers use to identify each other.
Click to expand...

I understand that. I should have expanded on the situation a little.
The two most recent ones were the freebie web pages where it is your
last name + one through a million. You lose interest, drop out and
tomorrow someone else has your name and number.
 
Hi Andy,
I understand that. I should have expanded on the situation a little.
The two most recent ones were the freebie web pages where it is your
last name + one through a million. You lose interest, drop out and
tomorrow someone else has your name and number.
Click to expand...

Okay, now you've lost me completely. I think you'll have to expand on the
situation a LOT!

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
What You Seek Is What You Get.
 
Hi Andy,


Okay, now you've lost me completely. I think you'll have to expand on the
situation a LOT!
Click to expand...

OK. I maintain a web site for a livestock association. On that site is
a member directory. Members email their name, address, phone, email
and personal web page info to me. (I have nothing to do with their web
page. Typically, they have photos of animals for sale) I confirm the
email and URL. Then I publish it to the directory. The latest problem
was with lastname.cjb.net.

When I contacted the member, she said she didn't have time to keep it
current and had forgotten to renew it.

So someone, supposedly with the same last name, had requested that
URL. It was used as a redirect to a porn site.

Unless I'm not using the correct terminology, that is about as simple
as I can state the problem.
 
Andy,

There is not way to test for appropriate content, you have to review the link manually. You can use
FP's Broken Hyperlink report to get an idea of broken hyperlinks, however any that appear broken and
are external, you need to manually check.

Maybe consider email the people that list on your site monthly to check to see if the link or email
is still valid.

--
==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WebMaster Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, WebCircle, MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================
If you feel your current issue is a results of installing
a Service Pack or security update, please contact
Microsoft Product Support Services:
http://support.microsoft.com
If the problem can be shown to have been caused by a
security update, then there is usually no charge for the call.
==============================================
 
There is a way to do what you want Andy and I tried to explain it already
but not clearly enough for you to get it. That was my fault.

A web developer can develop a web application that will send an e-mail to
each member on a scheduled basis. The member has to open the e-mail and
click a link in the e-mail message which automatically renews or
unsubscribes the membership. Whatever; set it up to renew or set it up to
unsubscribe.

If the member does not respond within a certain period of time (Time To
Live) the web application makes the name + one through a million directory
and file name available for reuse with some other member --- otherwise ---
the member's resources as configured continue to live. After all, the member
may just might decide he or she did not lose interest after all and wants to
keep the member name and resources that were assigned to them.

The web application places the onus of responsibility on the member and
automates the entire process making it possible for you to have a life
again.

That's it ainna?

<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee (sm) "A Regional Information Service"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://metromilwaukee.com/
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
 
Clinton,

That would validate the email address, not the linked web site, which is what Andy was asking.
However it is step in the right direction of contacting the person that placed the listing.

--
==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WebMaster Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, WebCircle, MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================
If you feel your current issue is a results of installing
a Service Pack or security update, please contact
Microsoft Product Support Services:
http://support.microsoft.com
If the problem can be shown to have been caused by a
security update, then there is usually no charge for the call.
==============================================
 
The latest problem
was with lastname.cjb.net.
Click to expand...
Interesting last name! lol
I guess she is related to abx.com or fgb.org :)

You see... most of the time WE understand ourselves and our problem but
putting it in a fashion that others can understand it takes careful tought
and writing.
Be patient with us! :)

Best to you.....
Tom Gahagan
 
Well, Andy, it sounds like you have some sort of custom application running,
which you will have to ask the author about.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
What You Seek Is What You Get.
 
The use of e-mail is only a transport mechanism for a member to acknowledge
their interest in keeping the content alive.

<%= Clinton Gallagher
 
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