Starshipmodeler hacked!

I just hope the FSM forum is secure. I'd be bummed if I didn't have any forum to turn to!

Dave

OOOHHHH! Good news at last!

Starship Modeler is temporarily back up.

http://www.starshipmodeler.net/cgi-bin/phpBB2/index.php

Good to hear from you Linda, I will be glad to visit the SSM forum again, even though I'm mostly in to the traction boards I still like the Sci- Fi stuff....trolleys and spaceships woha...that's a strange combo, oh well...it works for me...later. Karl

QUOTE: The SSM boards will be back soon. None of the data has been lost.

Hi Linda, Welcome to FSM. Thanks for the heads up on the forum. I'm really missing my SM fix.

QUOTE: Originally posted by LindaSmile Hey, there you are! I've been looking for the rest of the refugees. :)

Yeah...we kinda all over the map.

heck, I'm running on three different forums just to keep me happy. Tried to remember what Cap'n Bob's site was, so I could visit it too.

Hi Linda. That's great to hear! It was like a punch in the chest the other morning when I went to the SSM site.

Keep up the great work.!

Hey, there you are! I've been looking for the rest of the refugees. :)

The SSM boards will be back soon. None of the data has been lost. It will be converted to the new board if at all possible. In the meantime, we plan to bring the old board back (maybe today but probably another day or two) in read-only mode so that you can get your private messages and any thread info that you can't live without (like maybe where to buy that ugly shirt for the WF party).

After that, the old board will be converted to the new board (looks like vBulletin at this point) and life will go back to normal.

Thanks for the donations, BTW. It helped to know that the money was there for whatever option we chose. We're going with an ISP that has unlimited bandwidth. We've used speakeasy.net for other sites and have been quite happy with them and their support. So moving the boards there makes sense.

See you soon,

Linda

Heh, yeah we do tend to get stuck in the "SciFI is it" rut over at SSM. Somebody ran a poll asking what else they did (maybe that was you), and it was interesting how few folks at SSM do just SciFi models. Not all of them are like me (I'll build almost anythign that catches my eye), but most of people build stuff outside of SciFI.

Heck, there was even an thread started over at ARC about SSM being hacked. It amazes me the breadth of folk who are at SSM.

I'm not saying' all other forums are inferior, it just happens to be my perfered. I also show up here now & again, MascrossWorld, HobbyTalk, and occasionally ARC.

Thanks balta1, I'm making a check out right now for $ 10.00, the great ideas that one finds here is a great asset to our modeling and I'd hate to see it end. Karl

I have been here less than a year myself, and have loved every minute of it!.. All subjects covered on the one site is just great for me, as I model, or have modeled in every subject covered at one time or another.. I mainly hang out at the Aircraft, Helicopter and Sci Fi sections. But as I am stop starting on a Japanese war ship, I sometimes check in on the ships page!.. Believe me when I say that everyone here is respectfull, generous, and most importantly polite.. You will be made to feel at home..

Chris in Japan

QUOTE: ... its better late than never! Welcome...

Thanks for the welcome Chris.
Having only gotten back into modeling again in the last year, I find these online communities very helpful. Starshipmodeler was the first site that I found due to the fact I was building the Star Wars AT-AT as my first venture back into the hobby. Since then I have also done a few armor builds as well, which lead me to the armoramma site. Once I came upon this site though I was thrilled to find one as all encompassing for all genres. I'm glad to finally have landed here.

QUOTE: [i]Originally posted by Captain_Mills I have the same kind of forum. I wonder if mine is as hackable as his is...

In a word...Yes.

There was an explotation that showed up a coupla weeks ago. All you need to do was spoof the proper URL and you had admin privledges.

Here you go starman.
http://www.starshipmodeler.com/store/donate.htm
I'm with you! 10 bucks is nothing compared to all the resources that are available on SSM

QUOTE: Originally posted by fructose I hope they can recover at least some of the data. There was a lot of information there, and it would be a shame if it was totally unrecoverable.

Over at the Hobby Talk forum Linda posted that none of the old forum was lost. They lost control after the hacker locked them and their moderators out of the forum. They pulled the plug but she suggested that the old forum might be put up breifly for us to download anything we needed to save. She also said the forum would be restored with newer, more secure software. I hate to wait but it's nice to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I agree that there just seems to be more of a "family" atmosphere here. There are a few egos over at SSM, but as in life you just learn to steer clear of those people. I will miss going there too every day, but I'll live. Maybe we should all contribute to John and Linda. Remember the old saying, "you don't know what you have 'till its gone".

Man, I had a real bad at work I came home to relax and see what the guys are up to on SSM and damm no site... this just wants me to spit nails, how many are registered ? if each of us were to donate $ 10.00 maby this would help John and Linda get this site up and running sooner...Im in who's with me ? Is there an address available ? Karl

Well I was unaware of any of that business thankfully, as I didnt have anything to sell! ...As for every day participation, I enjoyed the boards, and like anywhere in life, I had the odd dissagreement with one or two. But it was never malicious in any way... I probably pretend I am an expert. But talk to me long enough, and you will soon learn that I am indeed an idiot!

At the risk of getting myself into trouble.. There was indeed alot advertising, on those boards, both directly, and in-directly.. I have no problem with a review system. But when you have members that are friendly with each other, giving reviews and testimonials in their posts, it becomes a little transparent.. If anything, if people wanted to sell their products, it should have been through the sites shop in order to help fund it!

I also understand that John and Linda had their work cut out for them, and understand that they did their best, but I think it kinda got out of hand for them to police every single thread?

The fact that there were members admiting that they had bought something from someone, and had either never seen it, or have waited years to see what they had already paid for, and no customer service. Should have prompted warnings on the boards, and or an immediate halt to any reference of their products!

People seemed blinded by the fantacy of owning a certain model, that they were prepared to be duped, or even left in the cold in the slim hope of having it!... That should never be the case for anyone, or any board allowing it!

To the friends I made there. Thank you, and we will definately keep in contact. To the people that didnt like me. Oh well.. You can come here now and yell at me!

Chris in Japan

QUOTE: [i]b p.s: cmtaylor.. In the time I was there. I never knew of anyone trashing any so called experts work..

I won't go into details but let's just say that a few individuals set themselves up as self-appointed experts on a particular subject (who in fact knew little that hadn't been 'acquired' from other members), and started offering items for sale at prices that seriously undercut a number of professionals. When confronted, the individuals became extremely offensive, to the extent of sending abusive PMs

Hey kylwell, dont get me wrong, I got on well with 99% over there.. I enjoyed the service provided from those boards, and yes I will miss having a look around aswell. .

As for communities. I just feel more comfortable here, as there are modelers with many different interests.. Just talking about Sci-fi modelling kind of gets boring and repedative.. (forgive spelling) .. And always having to watch what I say... Here it is much more relaxed and free flowing!

Its a shame that people have joined over here now, only because SSM has gone down.. But then again, its better late than never! Welcome...

p.s: cmtaylor.. In the time I was there. I never knew of anyone trashing any so called experts work..What ever that means?(anyones work for that matter).. I did however notice that not everyones tastes were the same. There was good advice, and bad advice. But I seriously dont believe that anyone was deliberately trying to be negative.. Like any board, there were good models and bad models.. As a whole, the boards offered great reference to the sci fi community!.. It is a shame that there were a few with an adgenda, as you pointed out!..

Chris in Japan

This really sucks, Starshipmodeler is what got me into Sci-fi modeling, most of all the forums.

I have a old teacher that has a company that worked with mircosoft and such, and he's a bit of an expert on hacker protection, maybe he can tell me which software is the best so I can relay that to John, and hopefully the forums can restart soon.

I, too, have contacted John, offering some suggestions (over there, I'm just known as Colin) I hope that the forums come back up soon - I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms already
I must admit, I never found the members to be cliquey, however there were one or two who had their own agendas, and caused a lot of bad feeling, particularly when thy rubbished the work of renowned experts whilst contributing little of value themselves.
I soon learned to identify those individuals and concentrated my efforts on my REAL friends in the Forums. May they soon return!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Obreaslan P.S. Hi MUD! I think I know you from Armorama's forum. Your name is familiar (no pun intended).

Yep... over there and on Macrossworld.com, I am "Less than Super Ostrich". I should really consider changing it to be consistent!

p.s., John and Linda really did a great job with SSM. I think it'll continue. I think onezero is just more than a little frustrated at this point. J&L put up alot of their own money and time, with no real compensation. I donated some money (not alot) to SSM last year. How many of you have done it? I think it is reasonable to suggest that a donation from the frequent board members should be considered.

Man, that really blows! I was all ready to go and check out what everyone was up to and BAM! I feel for J & L. I know it takes a lot of work to keep a website running, let alone the forum. I hope they can recover at least some of the data. There was a lot of information there, and it would be a shame if it was totally unrecoverable. I hope the punk that did that gets his. I'd be more than happy to bash in his precious computer, since I'm sure it's one of his most prized possesions.

That royally sucks... Poor John...

I have the same kind of forum. I wonder if mine is as hackable as his is...

Ummm, if you want a forum to go to, besides here or any of the other suggestions, I have a forum too. But if John's board was hacked, mine could be too... potentially.

Bring on the tar and feathers!

OOO! Better yet - let's dip the dude in CA glue and accelerator!

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What a yutz. To have so little of a life that you get your jollies by doing something so pointless and petty.
Some people obviously have too little to do.

I have been a member of SSM for maybe six years or more. I stumbled upon it soon after the first Internet Cafes opened in my town. It has been a wealth of information and friendship. Hope the Forum is back soon.

-Leelan

P.S. Hi MUD! I think I know you from Armorama's forum. Your name is familiar (no pun intended).

Hi All! I just wandered over here from the Starship modeler forums. I am seriously bummed about the forums over there. I was on those forums every day, I feel lost. I've lurked here before, but never joined, but i've always been able to find good information here, so I'm happy I have a place to turn to.

Hopefully they will have the forums over there up and running soon. Then
I will have two places to go.