Does Your Game Server Provider Know What He's Talking About?

[Sleepy_Sentry]

When looking for a game server or website host, it can often be hard to decide whether or not certain hosts can be trusted. eSports (http://www.esgameservers.com)Game Servers (http://www.esgameservers.com/) has written a guide (http://www.esgameservers.com/gameserverproviderknowledge.html) on how to figure out how good your game server or web host really is (http://www.esgameservers.com/gameserverproviderknowledge.html). It shows you how to use Google and a few other tools to determine if your host is top notch or bottom of the barrel. After all, would you trust your precious server and clan website with just anyone?

[Mike Nomad]

shill = A shill is an associate of a person selling goods or services or a political group, who pretends no association to the seller/group and assumes the air of an enthusiastic customer. The intention of the shill is, using crowd psychology, to encourage others unaware of the set-up to purchase said goods or services or support the political group's ideological claims.

[sUBLIMe]

Mike,

I think for once we agree on something.

I wouldn't trust anything coming from a obviously very biased site.

[Sleepy_Sentry]

I beg to differ with those who think my site is biased.

Yes, I know I display ads for Clan Servers. Hosting isn't cheap you know.

There are many resources on my site meant to help game server shoppers. For instance, look at this page:
http://www.esgameservers.com/serverhostlist.html

It's a list of many different game server providers so gamers can shop around and compare. These links were placed without incentive and they all have the "nofollow" attribute added to them to keep things fair.

The site also features links to many anti-cheat and admin resources, and answers many common questions prospective game server owners ask.

Do any of my articles actively promote a particular game server provider?

My advertising for Clan Servers is no different than what a site like FPS Admin does. Putting up these banners up also supports the site so that I don't have to use pop-ups or Adsense ads to cover my costs.

The next time you complain about something, look over the entire issue first. You two probably didn't look over my whole site.

[Mike Nomad]

I beg to differ with those who think my site is biased.

Yes, I know I display ads for Clan Servers. Hosting isn't cheap you know.

Very true. Hosting is NOT inexpensive. If you can't handle the heat.... get out of the kitchen. Or, just take care of business... professionally.

But being a shill is no way to support one's activities. I own and operate a completely independent and self supporting N.O.C. and have never foisted disguised ads on users. NEVER!! Not for any self serving rationalization or any justification at all. It is simply put, unethical.

.....<snip>Do any of my articles actively promote a particular game server provider?

My advertising for Clan Servers is no different than what a site like FPS Admin does. Putting up these banners up also supports the site so that I don't have to use pop-ups or Adsense ads to cover my costs.

The next time you complain about something, look over the entire issue first. You two probably didn't look over my whole site.

If you must shill to support a site, perhaps you might consider a bit of discretion in how you go about your business. What you did is/was insulting. It makes everyone who is an ISP, GSP, WebHost, etc., of any size, suffer a reputation hit.

I did "look your site over''!! Your site makes it perfectly and unabashedly clear of what you are all about.

What you submitted is NOT NEWS was not NEWS and does NOT belong in the NEWS Section. Nor does it belong in the submit news section or anywhere that offers unbiased information. Especially when its a disguised advertisement for anyone. The next time you decide to pull a "fast shuffle", think twice. Its a BIG world with many people still around who've been there before you.

I saw that and thought to myself.... Wow!! That dude is really taking advantage of Rudedog's generous hospitality! The least you could've done was post it in the proper forum.

[RaDioAcTivE]

I nearly fell out of my chair when I read the line about his recommended server host being one of the "cheapest". They charge nearly double what I pay for a dedicated box with the same exact specs in the same exact location.

When I say the same location I mean literally. The vast majority of game server hosts all share the same equipment. There's a reason that they all offer servers from the same cities.

I won't say that this site is without merit because for a noob there is some useful information and links but in this case the term shill seems to be quite appropriate.

[Sleepy_Sentry]

But being a shill is no way to support one's activities. I own and operate a completely independent and self supporting N.O.C. and have never foisted disguised ads on users. NEVER!! Not for any self serving rationalization or any justification at all. It is simply put, unethical.

If you must shill to support a site, perhaps you might consider a bit of discretion in how you go about your business. What you did is/was insulting. It makes everyone who is an ISP, GSP, WebHost, etc., of any size, suffer a reputation hit.

I did "look your site over''!! Your site makes it perfectly and unabashedly clear of what you are all about.

What you submitted is NOT NEWS was not NEWS and does NOT belong in the NEWS Section. Nor does it belong in the submit news section or anywhere that offers unbiased information. Especially when its a disguised advertisement for anyone. The next time you decide to pull a "fast shuffle", think twice. Its a BIG world with many people still around who've been there before you.

I saw that and thought to myself.... Wow!! That dude is really taking advantage of Rudedog's generous hospitality! The least you could've done was post it in the proper forum.

My article is there to help newbies find out how decent their host is. How does it make other hosts look bad? If a host is good, no matter what size it is, it should have nothing to worry about. I've heard so many horrors about newbie web hosts not know their stuff and hurting clients that I felt the guide was necessary.

Clan Servers may not be the cheapest host, but they are the biggest and offer the most selection. You can't beat their number of locations and I have seen providers with pricing much worse. Clan Servers is just one of many good game server hosts. I recommend them to newbies because so many people use them and they have some more unique features like 1-click server reinstalls. a clan-based payment system, instant setup, and free location switch.

Their dedicated servers are outrageously expensive, I agree. But do I ever recommend their dedicated boxes on my site?

Again, if I were exclusively pumping Clan Servers, why would I put a list of other hosts on my site?

I think Clan Servers does a good job, and I am a game server consumer. There's nothing wrong with me recommending them. MANY websites actively promote hosting providers.

If you truly think I am hurting the game server industry, shoot me a PM with the sections of my site you disagree with and I'll see what I can do to change them. Don't post messages publicly condemning me.

[sUBLIMe]

Websites like yours shouldn't have game server provider's ads.