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MG MGA - Looking to SAVE some MG web sites and tech info

I think this is important, so some of you may get more than one copy from different servers.

First the problem(s). -- AOL has shut down AOL Hometown, effective October 31. Done with only 30 days notice, lots of people didn't get the message, and several nice MG web sites have been lost. MSN is going to do something similar in February (fortunately with a little more advance notice). Some other servers occasionally vanish or change names with little or no notice. Some registered domain names may occasionally be allowed to expire, resulting in lost web sites. Free photo posting sites often purge photo accounts after a year or so, causing loss of more good MG tech information.

How I know. -- I notice this stuff because I manage the MG Site Ring on the UK server www.mgcars.org.uk/webring which has just lost several member web sites due to the AOL fiasco. My web site www.MGAguru.com has numerous off site links for tech information on other sites. If/when such sites may cease to function, my links are broken, and the tech information is inaccessible. I maintain a list of every known MGA specific web site in my Links section. I also maintain a list of every known MG and all British car club in North America on our local club web site www.ChicagolandMGclub.com. I review all of this periodically to maintain the links lists, so I am quick to notice when things may be lost.

So here's the plea. -- If you have some useful MG information on line, be sure you keep a copy on your local computer, just in case. If you have it posted on a volatile server, like a free photo site (or any free server for that matter), consider posting the stuff somewhere more stable. If your web address is piggybacked on another domain, like www.geocities.com/myMGA, or www.home.earthlink.net/~myacount, or www.myMGA.citymax.com, then consider registering a domain name so you can keep your web address if/when the hosting server might fail or change name (or if you just want to change servers). In general, keep in mind some plan to preserve your valuable information.

And here's an offer. -- I will also stick my neck out to make an offer. While I am not a hosting service, I will often accept MG tech articles or pages from others to post on my web site. On rare occasion I may post part or all of someone's small web site in the Guest section of my site (if it is mostly static information). If you know that some of your MG tech information is destined to disappear from the internet (or already has), and you have no place else to post it, please contact me so I may do whatever I can to help preserve it.

What's already gone. -- One of the more significant losses recently is the Fiberglass Hardtop Restoration by Ian Pearl in Ireland. This was originally posted at http://idpearl.myphotoalbum.com but was automatically purged some time ago. I have not been able to contact Ian for more than a year, so this might never be recovered.

Bottom line is, protect it or lose it. Keep it in mind, pass the word, ask questions, offer advice. What say you all?
Barney Gaylord

To add to Barney's comment:

A domain costs only a few $ a year - mine costs $15. Hosting costs $50 / year, or less.

Having my own domain means that I have a personal email address that everyone can remember easily, as do all my (large) family, and the provider has a fantastic spam filter so our spam levels are extremely low. I can also host pictures, documents etc with someone else doing all the backups etc. I am not at the mercy of a cheap or free but unreliable hosting provider either.

In other words, it's not expensive and it's not particularly complicated to do, particularly with a Mac and all the iLife software which makes it really really easy.

Fortunately, Barney seems to have it covered for his site, barring a catastrophe at his provider (which hopefully has a solid backup and restore strategy). I think I am covered too, but have no problem if anyone wants to offer to mirror my site somewhere else - all I need is the ftp details to upload it. I could also offer the same facility to Barney if he wants to be triple covered.....


dominic clancy

Barney,

that's a really important consideration.

Since I often use your fantastic website as a first source for getting exact informations about our MGAs and since I'm always overwhelmed about this cumulative MGA knowledge I had the bad thoughts several times, what will be if your site gets down or even you lost your interest in all MGA stuff (hopefully never!).

This huge data pool could never, never be reconstructed any time. So my thoughts were if you ever thought about a way to make your site available in CD or DVD form.

If you offer such a DVD, everybody in MGA stuff interested can put his own backup in his cupboard.

I would really appreciate this and of course I'm ready to pay an appropriate price for that service.

I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Robert

Robert Mueller

Robert , I fully support your thoughts.
Barney dont never ever go away.
David
D C GRAHAME

I hope I'm not going way any time soon, or my web site forever. But I have indeed been considering it for some time. My domain name registration is paid up through 2016 (and only $8/year anyway). My web site is currently piggybacked on the server with our local MG club web site. If I die tomorrow there is hope that the club as an ongoing collective would keep www.MGAguru.com on line indefinitely. If they ever cease to maintain it I would hope they would turn it over to someone else who would (but you never know).

I suppose the only way to be sure it might stay on line far into the future would be to create a well funded endowment trust with at least a few appointed trustees specifically to maintain the web site. Or maybe it could become a communal religion to be passed on through family relationships from one generation to the next (just not likely my family). But it does make a good discussion.
Barney Gaylord

Hi Barney, I think half the MGA community would give up if you did, do any of your family share your interest in MG's


regards Gordon
g c pugh

Generally no. Since I had an MGA before getting married, it was sort of a gimme in the relationship, good arrangement, even grease for the social wheels. Wife now passed away, two older daughters out of the nest. All three of the gals drove the MGA some, seemed to like it somewhat, but not like they would buy one for their own.

Younger son is now 19 and first semester college. Unfortunately he is not particularly enthused about cars in general, let alone a possible problematic antique. He apparently prefers not to be in the garage when I have a wrench in hand, so he is not a good nominee for follow up MGA guru.

Perhaps I could adopt another kid with the right interests to carry on in my foot steps, but it would likely be easier to fund the trust.
Barney Gaylord

Barney

I have my whole site backed up on my PC, but I am happy to go along with any good linking, additional hosting options etc. I bought a 100mb space with my host, still a lot of spare capacity for my Shelley jacks!

That reminds me, my domain name is due for renewal in 30 days.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Words of wisdom: Never, never, never (yes that's three nevers) reply on an online hosting service to keep your data safe and secure. Only post content online which is already stored locally on your own computer.

As for losing data when a provider shuts down, any web site which is more than just a few pages of random information should be stored locally. Do NOT rely on automated online web site creators. Your site code should be stored on your own computer and uploaded to you host. If your host shuts down, you can then upload the entire site to another host with a single click of the mouse.

And one more word of advise... stay away from AOL. In every industry there is a company that people "in the know" constantly make fun of other people for using. In home theater it's Bose. In personal computers it's Dell. In online hosting, it's AOL.
Steve S

Barney

Have you, or anyone else, tried to find these sites in the web archives such as http://www.archive.org/index.php? Plug in a date a week or so before the AOL shutdown and see what is available.

Just a thought.

Larry
Lawrence Hallanger

One more time. Free photo sites block indexing by automated search spiders, so the contents will not be archived.

Some of the AOL sites are archived, but the archives are not posted on the WayBack Machine until about six months after date of indexing. If the site was active six months ago (or earlier) there is a good chance you can find something in the archives. Very often pictures are not retained very long in the archives, so you may see a copy of the old web page with blanks in place of the pictures.
Barney Gaylord

Barney
I understand your situation regarding your childrens interest in MGs My 3 have not shown any real interest in my various MGs. However there is some hope -my young Grandson loves the MGA and every time he comes over he wants a ride. So I intend to start educating him on the maintenance side soon !!
Many thanks for your site- has enabled me to tackle jobs that would have been impossible without you descriptions (recently recalibrated the fuel guage succesfully !!)
Thanks Again
Paul


P D Camp

This thread was discussed between 26/11/2008 and 30/11/2008

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