Anybody surf the About.com Dog & Pet sites?

Mover over, Cinder ~ Dad's turn for a minute http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

Hi, All; Daddy Phred poundin' the keys this time...

For a long time I've followed the news and on-line BB posts on a huge family of sites called "About.com" that have been returning the error box "There was no response. The server could be down or is not responding." They have groups that cover every possible subject: Pets, Dogs, Cats, Cameras, Computers, Home, Family, etc etc... None of the different groups or sites that I follow have been responding yesterday or today.

1) Does or has anyone ekse ever visited or read any of these About.com sites?

2) Do you know what's going on with these sites? Server busted? Out of business? Taken over by somebody? Name changed?

Their pet/dog site was never run the same way Pet Talk is, but it was still an interesting and sometimes informative group of people posting about their Critters. And I was following some very interesting threads on the Cameras & Photography sites as well - which are likewise not responding. Anybody know what's happening or heard any good rumors?

Now I'll turn their 'puter back over to the Cinder & Smoke Kids http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

/s/ Dad / Phred

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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

Hey Phred! You sound so NORMAL!!!! Just thought I'd check out the about.com you posted. I had never heard about it before, but sounded interesting. I got through fine, registered, and even posted a message already on the dog forum. So at least you know that they are up and running. I just entered www.about.com and checked on pets and went from there. WOW! They have some really interesting and informative sites. Much prefer OUR "board" set up; being able to see all the posts on a page, etc. Still, try it again. It IS out there! Interested to try some of the other topics as well. Good Luck....What? Huh? Ut oh, Star, No! Gimme the mouse......................aaaaaasahhhhhhhh Bye! Sandra AND Star

You guys have just got to quit this!!!! I don't need any more distractions. Someone posted something about MSN's Pet page several months ago. Guess what ...they have a community for just about every kind of pet there is. I am currently a member of 5 of them, three dog and two cat. I only check one of them regularly, The Golden Retriever Community. Still always come here first though. Must say....its been a little hard for me today with that huge snake popping up everytime I go to Pet of the Day. May have to change my startup page to Dog of the Day instead. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

Logan, too funny! Being mother to furkids is sooooo overwhelming! The dog site Phred talked about had so much info. I got a headache trying to keep surf through it fast! Lots of good info. about specific breeds. Even posts exactly the standard used by Westminster for each breed! Pages long! Guess what? Star, your're an automatic disqualification! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif She lost all the black pigment on her nose! Poor baby. She's off sulking as we speak, muttering "Those dummies don't know nuffin bout us labs!" Can't wait to see the sporting group tonight! Keeping my fingers crossed for labs and goldens. Oh, they also post all the breed winners and groups with most wins for the past gazillion years. So many terriers!

Interesting site. I could access it fine. Of course the first think I looked for was...


can you guess it?

Rottweilers! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

While I was there I found another great site. http://www.dogomania.com

Cinder here !

I think Dad went over the deep end; he started pounding onna keyboard and whimperin. I got the Smoke sittin' inna corner and holden a hand-paw wiff him rite now.

He wuz pounding out e-mails to some nice sounding Chickie at About.com who was thinking maybe they had a real problem with their network. She said they had a few complaints about slow access to a couple of the sites, but no bad problems that they knew about. But she had the Tech Wizards checkin' the whole network...

Then all the PetTalkers started postin' and e-mailen to say "Thankx" and how they (you) could get on the site with no sweats. Dad was bashing out 'nother mail to the About.com Gurl, answering some of her teknikul questions, when I made the simple suggestion to try it again. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/redface.gif

Yeah, worked like a champ! That's when he started poundin and whimperin! I helped him rite a 'pology letter to the About Gurl. Haven't heard back from her yet. Can't hardly get this post done cause we're getting so many posts and mails saying that site works great. Hope Dad gets hisself pulled together so's we can get home tanite. I can't reach the peddels inna car, and the Smoke's too young to drive. Hope y'all enjoy that site, but don't anybody leave our PetTalk group http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif.

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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

Phred, I just this minute typed in http://www.about.com & up came the site...with all its great sections including pets & dogs. I wonder if there's some incompatibility with something you've already got on your computer. I have a similar problem that my computer always freezes when I go to my server's site. They THINK there's some incompatibility with something I've got on my computer...but we can't work out what that might be.

Cinder talkin' since Dad's still a little http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif *stressed* today http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif ~

Seems the About sites have no known problems that their Tech Wizards are aware of other than one server in San Jose. It's possible that our ISP, through PSINet, has an intermittant connection problem with About.com's servers. No one from PSINet has replied to our e-mail sent last night.

So far today, we've had a 50-50 connection rate with About sites. Sometimes we connect in 15 seconds, other times it takes a minute to get the ...no response... error. Dad is certain we haven't loaded in or changed anything in the 'puter since the last time we visited the About sites.

Smoke and I just wish that somebody - anybody - would post that they are having the same problem. Dad would be a much happier camper if he had some company on this one!

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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

Phred,
I am a PSI customer too (at least when I'm at work). I broke down and clicked on the about.com site today and I had no problem. Sorry!! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif
At least you might be able to rule out PSI, right?
Good luck.
Logan

Gee, thanks, Logan ~ That's just what Dear ol Dad needed to see - another vote for puttin him on the Looney http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif Farm!

Kinda funny that when Dad tries it usually doesn't work; put the Fuzzy Paws on the job and we hit every try. Go Puppy Power! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

I got Smoke sittin inna corner holdin paws with Dad, again. Hate ta see him whimperin like that... http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif.



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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

Daisy here. Hey, if fuzzy paws makes the pyooter work right for your Dad's site, you just just get him to wear fuzzy mittens. When our heat broke a month ago, Mom got used to wearing mittens while she typed. She was pretty bad at first but she says ya get better! Hope yer Dad cheers up Cinder and Smoke. Unhappy parents is no walk in the park!
Good Luck Kisses,
Daisy

Oh Phred! I hear ya!! All we want is a little validation!! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif Good luck with your search!