The Downside of Uptime

[Please see 'note' at the end of this post.]

Technical folks often think that "just fixing it" is enough.

My webserver was hosed for the third morning in a row today. No response was made to the email I sent to support, and again, after a while, the service was restored. In the past I've been very pleased with my provider, VizaWeb - even recommended them to others.

Fixing it without further explanation works the first or second time. But if the problem is recurring, people tend to want answers, even if they are obscure and technical. If the "check engine" light appears randomly for a few seconds on my dashboard I will become paranoid. Eventually the mind invents it's own explanations, or attaches itself to random correlations.

So an internal monologue springs into existence: "Why does the light only seem to appear when I go around corners? Is that a shuddering? I feel certain I will die with my family in a fiery ball of wreckage because my engine desperately needs checking."

But the technical expert can offer explanations that are calming, even if they are implausible. "I ran a full diagnostic. It's just faulty wiring," the mechanic tells me at the dealership - even though he really has no clue. Or my hosting provider could have likewise informed me that Larry the server tech spilled his Wendy's Frosty all over a router while swapping out a RAID controller, and they've temporarily switched to a backup with less capacity.

Or whatever. Technical blather is permitted - but the narrative must include the key detail of real human beings making a reasonable effort. It helps take the chill out of the faceless void of late capitalism. And your customers will thank you.

NOTE: My web hosting company, Vizaweb, did finally respond. The explanation is technical, but it looks like some very intense SQL scripts were being run on the same box where my site is hosted - and I have been the last in line for an upgrade to a faster processor (a Xeon instead of a P4). Again, they have been a very impressive company until this incident, and I appreciate the response. By no means should anyone evaluate their service solely on the basis of the original web post ...