RenaissanceFestival.com Forums

I have the Microsoft Sql database backup file from the forum but I can't restore it on the server. Several things on the server are not working since the last hack.  I've tried my best but I'm not going to get the forums converted to vBulletin.

I'm not able to release the backup because of the previously published terms of service.

I'm ordering the server be dismantled. At that point www.renaissancefestival.com will no longer redirect to http://forums.renfaires.com. I'll check with Lady Serena and Tom if they want to host the redirect before pulling the plug.

I'm sorry it's come to this.

John, there is no need for any apology. We appreciate all you and DB have done, indeed, all the moderators and members of this extended "family". It was a heroic try against the forces of this modern, no-life evil called "hacker", and we must simply endeavor.

I offer this to the forum, that this rising phoenix that is renaissancefestival.com is, in and of itself, a literal "rebirth", or "renaissance", of all that we hold dear. We have the chance of being an actual, letter of the definitiion of the word renaissance, and I, for one, welcome the opportunity. Those of us that were here during this heroic struggle shall become as Henry V's warriors at Agincourt, and those not here will think them selves accursed that they do not have the scars that we earned here, at R/F's RENAISSANCE!

Can I get a HUZZAH!

Come with me, and let us all rededicate ourselves to the SPIRIT that keeps us here, The Spirit of Ren, and we shall, together, endeavor to make this site better than ever.

Pass me an ale, would ye?

Love to all!!

I'd like to say thank you to John and DB for keeping our old forum on life-support.
There comes a time when you have to know when to pull the plug and let it go.

Huzzah for the time they have put into this and for the fortitude to tell us the Phoenix will rise from the ashes.

Huzzah!

I'd like to say one thing to us all---and it is kind of a hard lesson--
But if there is ANYTHING you want to save, do it now!
Pictures, stories, any postings!

We were fortunate to save what we could but alot of faire pictures and pictures of the day were lost.
It is sad that the hackers were able to take this away from us, but there is one thing--
we still have each other.

And it will take more than hackers to destroy that.

Now...may I raise a flask in respect and the spirit of REN to each and every one of you.
May we all lift up our voices in this song--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hB_cv6s8fA&feature=related

Huzzah, Amras!!

Never thought I could get stirred up over a speech about a message board, but ya did it!!
While I'm newer than a lot of you, I'm glad to have this chance to help re-build what you all started!!
You fought the good fight, John, but technology can truly be the Devil Himself!!

I'm sorry to hear that so much will be lost! :'(

Amras, is there any chance of saving our stories before the plug is pulled?

Trill, I trust John, and by his description, the data is unrecoverable, excepting a miracle by NSA...and they don't come cheap.

Chin up...new adventures await us.

Maelstrom, I am priveleged to be at your side during this war against ignorance.
We shall prevail!

And, with Welsh Wench as our figurehead, how can we fail?  ;)

John,DB, and all R/F people,

You are all welcome to stay if you wish this to be your new home, Thomas and I are willing to host it as long as you all would like us too. We are here to help and serve.  :)

I think this would make a nice new home for R/F!
And thanks to all on the "tech side of things" John, DB, Tom, Serena!

Do not feel bad John, you've fought a long and hard battle to try to save the unsaveable ( Is that even a word? Nope just check the dictionary, oh well. ;D ) .

Mayhap we need to come up with an award or medal for all your hard work! Because you truly deserve one!!!

Now we just have to start anew!

All of those threads that have been gone over and over, become new and fresh!

Just think how it will revitalize our brains to have to come up with all those great ideas that were in the old forums!

So shake off those cobwebs and roll up your sleeves, it's time to get to work making this our new Home!

RIP our dear old forums...... :'(

And hello to our new beginnings........HUZZAH! ;D

For whom the bell tolls...

Sigh.  Such is life in the internet age.  Thanks for trying John. 

Aye, all be alright because no matter what happens, the connections we have will still reach from coast to coast.

I say this with a big hug you, (one in person, actually, as soon as I see you next John)

when one door closes, one opens.
We survived. We will rise up.
And we will conquer.

Huzzah for our family!

A friend gave us a wall plaque when we moved into our new house 5 years ago.  It says
"A house is built of bricks and stone.  A home is made of love alone."

Well, the old site may have been our house, but the forum (and all it's members) is our home.

No matter what the outer packaging looks like, the Ren spirit is alive and well wherever we are.  Love conquers all.

It's about the people, not the posts. May the old forums RIP....but at least we're still here! Thanks to our wonderful admins for all the hard work, and let's raise our tankards to new beginnings!

That last night I kept reading old posts about movie recommendations and how characters came to be.  I remember reading posts of members I've had the pleasure to meet over the past year and how their characters developed and I kept thinking to myself, "why do I keep reading these?, they are 4 years old and I need to get some sleep".  I'm glad I read as long as I did that night and yes I do wish I would have kept reading.  Hopefully I will have the pleasure of enjoying adult refreshment and listening to their tales in person and/or re-reading them again in this, our new home.

Although we find ourselves sad that the old forum must leave, this is a wonderful opportunity.  Starting new will be exciting.  Yes, a lot of written wisdom will be lost...but the real wisdom is in the members of R/F.com.  This is the opportunity to start anew.  All the old, negative things will no longer be read.  In the spirit of REN we can rebuild a newer, better, REN community!  Yes, it will take time and hard work, but I'm more than willing to help however i can and I'm sure those who are more wise than I are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience! 

*Raises Tankard*

"A true Renaissance of a wonderful community tool.  Huzzah to John, DB, and all the moderators that have brought us so far.  Huzzah to a new beginning for R/F.com!"

Love you guys!

John, I can understand and feel for you to see the old forum go :'( I remember when I first stumbled upon it and there were just a few...and how it just took off but now no more tears...Keep your head high as you provided a fantastik unique place to gather us all and truly give a place to all of us who love the ren to gather and share with love and respect. It is a testament to your spirit and to what you built that now this place exists and that all or us are migrating here. Thanks to you we came together and thanks to yours, DB, Lady Serena and Tom's efforts we are rising as one and I think it is safe to say no one will keep us down!

The only thing to do now is to look forward to our future, and not dwell on the troubles of our past.  The road may be long and difficult, but I'm willing to do whatever I can to make this new home as good, if not better, than the old site. 

I'd like to see that we get to keep the renaissancefestival.com URL, as that is part of who we are, a trademark if you will. 

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. ~ Seneca.  We look forward to this new chapter of the R/F saga.

A truly lovely and moving speech, Amras.  HUZZAH to those who tried so hard to preserve the past, and HUZZAH to the future!!

I'm almost in tears over the loss of the old site, but I know that like a phoenix we will rise from the ashes.

Huzzah to John for all his efforts, thanks for all you do!

It is difficult to let go of something familiar and lovely, but spring is the time of rebirth, and I celebrate this opportunity to grow into something new and even more wonderful!

Many thanks to DB, John, and the moderators who are helping to make our transition as comfortable as it can be.

HUZZAH!!! LONG LIVE R/F!!!!!

;D

I tell people all the time, "It's not where you are but whom you're with." 

I've come to have a great affection for this group and whether we call this or another place "home" makes me no difference.  I shall follow where you lead for you are worth the effort.

I have friends here in San Diego who have lost homes in wildfires.  Now I think I know how they felt, just a little.  We've lost something old and familiar and comfortable, but we've lost just the house, not the home.  As long as we're together, we can rebuild.  It may take a while to get comfy, but we'll get there.  Together.

What!?  I'm having trouble finding the words to express what I'm feeling. I'm thinking it's probably for the better.  I've never been one to easily acclimate to change. I guess this is where I make lemonade.....




Neophyte
Hacker Inquisitor Extrordinaire

Well, thanks to some fantastic work, this place is starting to feel like home.

I like to look at it this way.  The only time that changes stop happening is when you're dead.  Huzzah to the very alive place that this is and to the spirited way that we've all rallied and come to this new world together!

As everyone else before me has said all that I wanted to say, I'll just say thank you to everyone who made this forum change possible, as I would have been very sad to not have a "Renaissance Festival" home! It'll be nice to start things anew :)

The way I look at it I'm glad we have a home. It will feel comfortable to us all soon enough.

I can keep having something to distract me while I'm at school and keep me busy all those lonely hours

Quote from: John on May 12, 2008, 04:47:54 PM
I have the Microsoft Sql database backup file from the forum but I can't restore it on the server. Several things on the server are not working since the last hack.  I've tried my best but I'm not going to get the forums converted to vBulletin.

I'm not able to release the backup because of the previously published terms of service.

I'm ordering the server be dismantled. At that point www.renaissancefestival.com will no longer redirect to http://forums.renfaires.com. I'll check with Lady Serena and Tom if they want to host the redirect before pulling the plug.

I'm sorry it's come to this.

John,

Is the server a hosted server? If so they should have been making back ups and they should have the ability to fix the problems on the server. If its not and its your personal box then I don't get the terms of service that you mentioned.

If this is your personal box then there are probably several people on the forum or companies that can help you with this. I personally am not educated with servers (hardware, software, & operating systems are my thing) but I have many friends who are and a friend that may be willing to hack proof the server for you. I can talk to him for you, he teach these skills to the us military. I have no idea if a cost is involved.

Please know that if the attacks where driven through a zombie box (a personal computer infected with a Trojan turning it into a zombie computer that a hacker can use to attack sites) then it could be someone from the forums computer. This is a possible situation that both you & DB should consider. My suggestion would be to help educate our members to the steps that should be taken to help prevent their machines from being infected. Anti-virus, spyware sweepers and the use of firewalls.

I am not saying that this was how the attack occurred just that it was a possibility. If it was a directed attack then the hacker has the link to this forum. Many forums are suffering the same problems and most of them are being attacked by zombie (bot) armies.

I post this as my way of trying to help. I am willing to do anything I can to help prevent this from happening again.

man, that's a real bummer. i really liked the directory listing part; here's hoping we can get that up somewhere else.

Thanks anyhow Rage but I'm making a clean break from the windows server.

Quote from: John on May 13, 2008, 03:14:37 PM
Thanks anyhow Rage but I'm making a clean break from the windows server.

Don't blame you there, most of the people I know are running Mac or linux servers now.

I just want to take  a momment to thank all of the members on here for  the wonderful years  and  times we had in/on  our  old  site. :) :-*

Huzzah  to John  and DB  for their hard work  and efforts  in trying  to save  the old  site,  but life   does go on, and we can rebuild,  and we will make   it a even better home  then before.   

Thankyou Lady Serena  and Tom for providing us  with  a  new  home  ! :)

Quote from: Rage on May 13, 2008, 01:13:12 PM

I am not saying that this was how the attack occurred just that it was a possibility. If it was a directed attack then the hacker has the link to this forum. Many forums are suffering the same problems and most of them are being attacked by zombie (bot) armies.

I understand the Snitz forum software had some unplugged holes that let hackers grab ahold of the database and do nastiness (unplugged holes?  Can you say "Microsoft"?).  Most forum attacks tend to be bots posting spam and porn messages and such -- I think Snitz was unique in that it was open to database takeovers.  If the Snitz hacker visits this forum, his old techniques won't work (not to say there aren't new techniques -- but this guy seemed to focus on Snitz forums)

All things must come to end at some point; both the good and the bad.

A battle may have been lost, but the war continues on.

The King is dead!!!!!!!!!!


Long Live The King!!!!!!!!!!!

OK  so I just paint the new place, add some throw pillows and fresh flowers and re-arrange my old furniture.

Now, do I have to redecorate the dungeons again? I mean, I have some really good ideas.
I'm thinking tropical colours with some palm trees and Buffett being piped in.

And on Wednesdays we have a lobster bisque that will make any prisoner inmate    'guest of Glenlivet' never want to leave!

Quote from: Welsh Wench on May 14, 2008, 06:39:42 AM
OK  so I just paint the new place, add some throw pillows and fresh flowers and re-arrange my old furniture.

Now, do I have to redecorate the dungeons again? I mean, I have some really good ideas.
I'm thinking tropical colours with some palm trees and Buffett being piped in.

And on Wednesdays we have a lobster bisque that will make any prisoner inmate    'guest of Glenlivet' never want to leave!

Of course, the Lobster Bisque would only be served "in season", right?  After all...you don't want to break the law and end up a permanent resident yourself, do you? ;)

Quote from: lady amy of york on May 13, 2008, 05:10:07 PMThankyou Lady Serena  and Tom for providing us  with  a  new  home  ! :)

You are most welcome ;D.

Tom

"When one door closes, another opens, but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
-- Alexander Graham Bell

 ::)  Well I finally made it. I kept popping in but never registered. Was a little busy.
I was reading some of the other posts and what John was saying. Sorry to hear that things were lost and the old server will no longer be home. 

But as I can see we will prevail. HUZZAH!!!!!

John and DB, thank you for everything you two have done. My thoughts are i will miss the old site very much, there was so much GREAT info out there, but this site is starting to build already. So I'm just VERY,VERY happy to have some place to go. Once again THANK YOU very much for all you do! ;D

Quote from: Mischka on May 12, 2008, 08:23:50 PM
A truly lovely and moving speech, Amras.  HUZZAH to those who tried so hard to preserve the past, and HUZZAH to the future!!

You are too kind, lass...as one of my personal mottos goes, "I'm just happy to be here"...I learned that from an old friend, and it becomes a mantra from time to time.

It's not fun to think of all that was lost, but knowing the people of this community I know we will make it into something else once again. You can't keep a rennie down. Thanks to John and DB for all the hard work, no one deserves more praise for all you do. And huge thanks to those who are lending us the space to keep in contact. We shall over come as a family. For that is what we have always considered ourselves. Just like any family, they may have some hard times, but we shall all recover and be stronger for it.

And of course on the old board I start pushing for a recipe section so we can all find it easily, and what happens? SPLAT. I guess now I need to start rebuilding a recipe and cooking section, huh?




(P.S. I would still like to have a recipe and cooking section, if possible.)

John:
Do not under any and all conceivable circumstances take this as criticism, I merely ask out of ignorance.   I am a 40 year main frame programmer and cannot begin to understand the vagaries of the P.C. world.  So with all of that can you tell me and others in the same boat why we could not just move our existing forum to another server.  Was there something unique about our forum that only one server could host it?  Is there something weird about "snitz" that just will not fit elsewhere.  I think this is the first time I have ever heard of "snitz".     I am sure that you did everything possible and I only ask out of a sheer lack of knowledge about servers, pc's, etc. etc.

It could have been moved.  The vandal could have followed us too.