Folks visiting the Cloudy Nights website ( www.cloudynights.com ) will observe that the new system launched March 7 has been taken down. Unanticipated costs as well as unanticipated user resistance have forced a change of direction. The traffic from the new site is currently being rolled into the old database and the original CN will be back online in a day or two but will include the activities that took place on the new site. A change is still required and everything will be ported over into yet another revision in the next few weeks. This version should feel much more like the original website so less user resistance is expected.
When Mike stepped in and rescued the site’s overwhelmed owners there didn’t appear to be many others willing to step up and make the financial commitment. Folks don’t realize the cost of maintaining a site with millions of posts and 70,000 members.
Dunno what your conflicting source is, but I’ve seen the numbers and I haven’t been dishonest about them (I’m not a moderator; I’m a site admin). I was just looking at the current test platform and it looks pretty good; see you there soon!
Somehow the latest development isn’t passing the smell test…can’t help but notice that the main business has been out of stock of darned near everything for months. Perhaps it is time for Astronomics to find a new owner for the site. I was quite pleased with the new site overall. The miscalculation on the number of hits does not ring true. Of course, my opinion only….I’ll be happy if and when the site returns.
Thanks for moderating on CN and hope to see you there.
“herrointment”