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Usertools IRC closure

LinnPlusnet
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,686
Registered: ‎03-02-2014

Usertools IRC closure

Hi all,
Just a quick heads up that in a week or two we're going to be switching off the Usertools IRC server and it's web-based equivalent which can be found here - http://usertools.plus.net/irc/
Those who've logged in over the last day or so will probably already be aware of this. If anyone's any questions though then feel free to shout up!
21 REPLIES 21
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Usertools IRC closure

May I enquire as to the reasoning behind the closure ?Huh
AndyH
Grafter
Posts: 6,824
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Usertools IRC closure

Does anyone use it?
dvorak
Moderator
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Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Usertools IRC closure

Yes there are few hardcore users Smiley
Customer / Moderator
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If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
LinnPlusnet
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,686
Registered: ‎03-02-2014

Re: Usertools IRC closure

The Usertools website is moving to a new network location where IRC access is unfortunately against our security policies.
The Usertools IRC server is used by a very small number of customers (less than 20) and whilst we're sorry it has to be closed, it doesn't make much sense for us to continue maintaining it.
Other aspects of the Usertools website such as Gateway and MSO Checker will remain unaffected.
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Usertools IRC closure

Cheers Linn
When you put it like that then, yes albeit  Sad that it has to come to an end, it does seem a viable move forward
avatastic
Grafter
Posts: 1,136
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Usertools IRC closure

Aka, we've found another server to power off and save a few quid.
F9 member since 4 Sep 1999
F9 ADSL customer since 27 Aug 2004
DLM manages your line the same way DRM manages your rights.
Look at all the pretty graphs! (now with uptime logging!)
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Usertools IRC closure

The human resources that were required to keeping it maintained,
can now concentrate on the area(s) that are causing concern,,
& hopefully have the expertise to fix them
GeordieMark
Grafter
Posts: 335
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎10-11-2013

Re: Usertools IRC closure

I suppose one of the members could run one themselves if they wanted?
dvorak
Moderator
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Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Usertools IRC closure

Already up and running, see sig for details Wink
Customer / Moderator
If it helped click the thumb
If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
GeordieMark
Grafter
Posts: 335
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Registered: ‎10-11-2013

Re: Usertools IRC closure

That was quick Cheesy
Anotherone
Champion
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Usertools IRC closure

Quote from: Linn
The Usertools website is moving to a new network location where IRC access is unfortunately against our security policies.
The Usertools IRC server is used by a very small number of customers (less than 20) and whilst we're sorry it has to be closed, it doesn't make much sense for us to continue maintaining it.

What security policies and what pray is supposedly insecure about it?
If I'd discovered it's benefits a while ago, there would certainly be much more use made of it and I would certainly have been encouraging some of the others to use it.
I think this yet again a case of things not being provided or taken away which make life more difficult for people like some of the bright sparks, mods and a few other users. It's a sad shame no one bothered to ask us before making a decision Angry
And what maintenance - very little needed I would imagine.  What maintenance has it had in the last x years?
What little it might need, or may have had would certainly have not impacted on anything else.
GeordieMark
Grafter
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Registered: ‎10-11-2013

Re: Usertools IRC closure

I think if we had a web applet somewhere then a lot more users would use it (for ease of accessing it)
dvorak
Moderator
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Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Usertools IRC closure

thre was / is (for a day or two more) on the usertools website and it was in my sig for *years*
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bobpullen
Community Gaffer
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Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Usertools IRC closure

Quote from: avatastic
Aka, we've found another server to power off and save a few quid.

The server it's hosted on is staying powered up Tongue
It's used to run myriad other things such as the Usertools/Usergroup sites and the Service Status subscription service and RSS feed.
Quote from: Anotherone
Quote from: Linn
The Usertools website is moving to a new network location where IRC access is unfortunately against our security policies.
The Usertools IRC server is used by a very small number of customers (less than 20) and whilst we're sorry it has to be closed, it doesn't make much sense for us to continue maintaining it.

What security policies and what pray is supposedly insecure about it?

Nothing is insecure at present, however we have legitimate concerns about continuing to run an IRC daemon from the location we're moving the Usertools server to.
Quote from: Anotherone
If I'd discovered it's benefits a while ago, there would certainly be much more use made of it and I would certainly have been encouraging some of the others to use it.

The public IRC server/channel in dvorak's sig will probably work just as well, although admittedly there's no web-based front end.
Quote from: Anotherone
I think this yet again a case of things not being provided or taken away which make life more difficult for people like some of the bright sparks, mods and a few other users. It's a sad shame no one bothered to ask us before making a decision Angry

I did ask the mods, and the Usergroup. No, we didn't ask people publicly but to be brutally honest, I didn't see there being any possible justification to keep a server running for ~0.003% of our customer base. It has never been an official avenue of support, has never been an advertised service and has had plenty of time in the wild to have gained traction if its use was ever going to increase significantly.
Quote from: Anotherone
And what maintenance - very little needed I would imagine.  What maintenance has it had in the last x years?
What little it might need, or may have had would certainly have not impacted on anything else.

There has been plenty of maintenance affecting the Usertools server over the years. The more services you have accessible to the Internet, the wider the safety net you have to draw around it all from a security perspective.
As mentioned, there are alternatives.
Quote from: Mark_
I think if we had a web applet somewhere then a lot more users would use it (for ease of accessing it)

There has always been a web applet.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
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