This post is off the money topic but it made me feel angry and helpless at the same time.
I had decided to move my WordPress blog to a different host, Blue Host, and was prepared to spend my first $100.00 on my blog but it was such a terrible experience that I have asked for a full refund.
In order to make the move I have to somehow transport this blog to the new host without everything disappearing in to a black hole. I had paid my money and was attempting the transfer using their online tech support chat to help me. Tech support dumped pages of instructions on me using terms that I did not understand. I floundered and flipped from online page to online page and really had no idea what I was trying to do. I typed an exasperated message to the tech support guy stating that it would be easier to just cancel my subscription than it would be to follow the complicated instructions. He promptly transferred me to billings so I cancelled my subscription.
The tech support guy probably knows everything there is to know about computer files but he doesn’t know how to teach or explain what he knows.
After the online typing chat and when I had calmed down I sent them a polite but blunt explanation of the problems. I explained that I work in health care and write in my spare time and I have no idea how my computer works. I use a computer the same way I use my car. I drive my car and I have no idea how that works either. When I have a problem with my car I take it to my mechanic and he fixes the problem. My mechanic does not hand me a book and a wrench and tell me to follow the directions.
At my work the tech support comes in from wherever in the universe they are and takes over the computer and installs, updates or fixes things. I told Blue Host that I would be willing to pay extra for this service. I also mentioned how nice the billing people were when I was setting up my account and when I cancelled my account.
Perhaps part of the problem is my lack of tech savvy but we all have things we are good at and the workings of the computer are not mine. I bake a great loaf of bread (from scratch -no bread machine here) and I bet the tech support guy would end up with a brick instead of a loaf when all you have to do is follow the recipe.
Oh bummer, I don’t know who you were with, but I’m with hostgator and more than happy with them- mostly because I find their technical support to be so good! if you have any questions let me know!
I tried Google Blogger at first then was thrilled with my move to WordPress but they have their limits. I will keep the WordPress format but it is time to expand.
Taking a break from shovelling. 10cm or 12cm already with more falling and very windy so the drifts are high. We won’t see a plow on my street until sometime tomorrow. The city is working very hard to keep the main roads open.
So are you externally hosted now, or did you give up with Blue Host? I got Blue Host hosting a few weeks ago. It definitely wasn’t easy. I had to search the internet for technical terms and instructions a number of times, but eventually it worked out. The experience reminded me of writing computer code back in engineering school. It’s super frustrating until it just works.
I only did it once, so I am clearly a novice, but if you have any questions let me know and I’ll try to help you out. I’ve also heard of services that will do it for you for a couple hundred dollars. It took me about 3 hrs to figure it all out so I’d say go that route, but I’m a little more tech-savvy than the average individual. Good luck if you do try again!
I am still with WordPress. I purchased my domain on January 3rd ($25.00) and it is not transferrable until March 3rd. Tech guy transferred me to cancellations so quickly and I was so angry that I cancelled.
I am not a techy. That does not make me a bad person. The nice man at http://retireby40.org/ suggested Nuts and Bolts Media and I have exchanged great emails with Andrea from their company and she is the one who told me about my domain name delay. In March I will pay her a little bit of extra money and the entire process will happen when I am asleep or at work or shovelling or engaged in some other activity that I can actually understand and do.
I will be hosted by http://www.nutsandboltsmedia.com/ and helped by Andrea who understands that by “help” I really mean just do it for me.
Andrea is super helpful and very fair with her prices. If you need any help with other stuff please do not hesitate to shoot me an email.
I can’t wait to start with the crew from Kentucky.