As we work through bugs associated with CTH 2.0 launch, consider this a thread to provide information, report user issues, ideas and concerns. Please read the information provided below as it might answer many questions in advance.
Today, December 2nd, was our official eviction date as established by WordPress/Automattic two weeks ago. Considering the scale of moving 11 years worth of data (56,000 articles, massive media file, 7.2 million comment library), the tech team did a great job.
That said, we anticipated some issues, are encountering others, and we are carefully working through a checklist.
First, we wanted to migrate the data and site in the least disruptive way to the CTH community that provided continuity and familiarity.
Despite the tech issues with the disconnect from WP/Automattic servers to our own proprietary server system, that overarching goal was achieved. Now we are getting into the weeds.
First, some background so everyone can understand the big picture issues. Obviously WordPress/Automattic wanted us gone; however, in hindsight the unspoken purpose and motive behind our eviction is now making a lot more sense.
Based on insider information, there were two distinct issues that merged; sunlight upon them is against the interests of massive multi-billion dollar organizations, but at CTH the truth has no agenda, so here’s the inside explanation as it appears.
♦ Ideology – As they said in their notification to deplatform, the “content” of CTH was against the terms of WordPress/Automattic. This is not really a surprise as Big Tech looks for any obtuse or obscure reason to silence voices that are not in political alignment with their goals. The decision by WP/Automattic is not surprising even if they would never publicly admit it. Quite simply, this battle has been going on for years and now it is at an inflection point. Alternates to the grip of Big Tech are starting to emerge, slowly.
♦ Business – In addition to the ideological nature of the motive, there is another element which has gained significant clarity in the past few weeks. Our CTH community did something WP/Automattic never expected… we were too successful.
The scale of the CTH reader and commenting community literally was/is a rebel alliance reeking havoc inside a host network that didn’t like our voice. Simultaneously, we were chewing up massive amounts of their server space and capacity. This is very interesting.
According to insiders who have reached out and shared their opinion, what CTH evolved into is far more than a simple blogging community. Essentially the metaphor provided is this: “you took a blog platform and built a mini FaceBook social media enterprise within it.” The CTH community, our extended global family of ragtag misfits, was/is using CTH as a network of like-minded friends to share and discuss information.
You might say well, isn’t that what a blogging community is all about… and the answer eleven years ago was a simple: yes. However, our assembly became much, much, much larger than a simple community.
The scale of having up to 25,000 simultaneous users is way beyond a simple blogging platform. CTH became a social media enterprise. Discussions, information sharing, networking and contact with each-other is what social media was all about.
The FaceBook social media model is essentially operating in our site. That’s an awesome outcome, but one WP/Automattic did not expect. In essence CTH hijacked the platform to create a social network.
All of that engagement costs the host (WP/Automattic) server space and massive amounts of bandwidth. Despite my paying for their hosting services (business plan), we were essentially living cheap, almost rent free, inside their platform. Once we realized this was also an element of concern, some prior work by WP/Automattic to control CTH made sense.
There is an interesting conversation happening in the coffee shops of Big Tech about this issue… WordPress/Automattic can never admit the unique financial problem that CTH created for them.
The business model for WP/Automattic is to sell the potential outcome of exactly what we achieved. WP/Automattic pitches their business plan by saying you can build a blogging community and share your voice.
Well, we took them up on that offer ten years ago and we built the biggest community within their system; a massive community. We did exactly what the marketing people at WP/Automattic say is possible… except we did it bigger than they ever imagined. Our success at achieving the scale of community created a problem they can never admit.
If WordPress/Automattic were to be honest now about the financial impact of users -like CTH- achieving success, they would be undercutting the entire marketing/advertising plan of their hosting platform.
The honest sales approach from WP/Automattic would be to say: we can provide you a platform, up until you achieve significant success; and then, it is in our financial interests, for you to leave. Obviously WP/Automattic would never sell their product if they were honest… so they look for reasons, any reasons, to control or eliminate the community. THAT appears to have been a big part of what drove their decision.
It was not a surprise that WP/Automattic kicked-us out immediately after they went into the market to get more money to expand operations. CTH was costing them money, perhaps a lot of money. As a consequence not only were they hosting a voice against their ideological interests, that voice was so big it was costing them money. Combine both factors and you get the insufferable excuse “your content” is against our interests.
Believe me, this financial ‘cost to host‘ issue is a big topic in the background of conversations in the tech industry. The hypocrisy of selling a product they do not really want to see succeed is a very interesting conversation. Sunlight upon this motive in the world of tech is kinda funny. The Automattic members can never allow this to be widely known; but the people within the machinery know exactly what the issues are.
♦ So, what does that mean to CTH 2.0? Well, we have a big server network hosting us right now – and it ain’t cheap (by a long shot). To give you an idea of how unique this situation is, they cannot even calculate the cost until they see the results over the next month or so.
This is uncharted territory. Our commenting community, specifically the number of simultaneous users, is essentially like a mini Facebook inside their server network. No-one has any idea how to manage this outside of pre-existing social media platforms that generate millions/billions in upfront revenue and construct proprietary and dedicated server farms.
It’s a good problem.. so everyone says.
It’s a good problem from the perspective of those who would love to monetize our network/community. However, that is not the purpose of our assembly.
To the extent our community will need money to securely exist and thrive safely, publicly and with privacy protections on an independent platform, that is ok. However, the true value in our community is our fellowship and the search for the truth.
♦ To the DETAILS:
The comment restoration function was a significant hurdle for a variety of reasons previously explained. One of the issues moving forward is the type of software that drives the comment function. We are trying to use the most private system possible that also provides security. The WordPress/Automattic system used a combination of proprietary creation and a system called JetPack.
Jetpack has some functional issues and is inherently connected to the comment function. When JetPack was uninstalled, it impacted the comment platform; that is why “likes” and the familiar embed Wavy avatars were lost. We are looking for alternate options that we can add to the site to restore those features and also add an edit button (if possible) to the comments. In the interim if you register a gravatar with your email address your custom avatar will follow you.
There is a comment system that most platforms are using called Disqus. If you let Disqus run ads in the comment space they provide the comment software free. However, Disqus does track users and I am not too happy with the privacy aspect. That would be a last resort, and only if they will set-up a custom privacy component.
If you are having issues with the comment feature or site access, feel free to provide feedback below and we will attempt to compile and/or assist as we move forward.
Love to all,
~ Sundance
Thank you, well done, & Godspeed !!!
Earlier in the day the most recent article I saw was the “December 2nd – 2020 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day #1413” one.
I also don’t see your twitter link on the side bar. I don’t know if it’s suppossed to be there or not anymore. I looked at your twitter earlier in the day and saw the 2 links to the following articles:
“Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany Press Conference – 1:00pm ET Livestream”
and
“Attorneys Sidney Powell and Lin Wood Hold Press a Conference in Georgia – 2:00pm ET Livestream…”
I could get to them from your twitter link but couldn’t see them on the main page when coming to the site. I do see them now.
I had seen on a previous day someone write something about changing dns servers and had switched them to that and it seemed to work for awhile, then it wasn’t working. Currently I’m set to my ISP default.
I see that your article, “UPDATE: CTH 2.0 Site Challenges on Launch – Apologies to Readers and Users…” no longer say’s “comments off” and shows multiple comments which is currently 10.
I’m on PC, Windows 10 and use Firefox.
I was literally at the checkout on WordPress to create a blog when all this went down. So now I will mark all the WordPress communiques regarding it as SPAM and cast them to the wind.
They could have approached you with a modification to the terms we could have all lived with, but to give you a 2 week termination notice is just not good business, regardless of the content.
Just be sure to differentiate WordPress.com (where CTH used to be) from WordPress.org which provides open source blogging software (that CTH is currently using).
Tech conversions are not for the faint of heart. Kudos to the founder and all whom he has assembled for the this exodus and reestablishment in a new land. Great Work!!!!
Is it bad I snickered through about half this article? xD
I’d donate if I could. But unfortunately, today my husband’s “guaranteed six month apprenticeship-to-permanent job” told him “yeah, we don’t need you anymore, get lost,” (along with all the other temps – never, ever, ever, ever trust any promises made to temps) and I got caught in a scam that, while not getting money away from me, screwed up my bank account royally. So all I can do to support the site is keep my ad blocking software turned off in prep for ads to be launched one day, and make this my last comment so that I personally don’t take up any more server room. I’ll still be lurking in my branch, though. =)
Tree climber, If you have a comments you would like to make please do. Next donation I make I’ll kick in extra to cover you! We are all family here.
Glad to be back!
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Sundance, with the old system I used to get email notifications of new postings and could access the new posting directly through the email. Will this feature be available with the new system? My email is registered with you folks. Also, like others I have to comment in order to get all comments to post. Thank you
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Thank you Sundance and best of Luck with all the undiscovered issues that have yet to arise.
I understand whatever it takes, but I hope you don’t have to resort to Disqus.
I like the feeling of actually having a pen name and it not having to be tied to anything or a real email. Like our founders were able to do in the newspapers of their day.
That won’t be available with Disqus since you would have to sign up with them I believe, also aren’t they able to block/sensor post, out side of your control?
I don’t know but is there also some site liability that perhaps having an open posting feature puts you and the site in potential legal jeopardy? I don’t know if you have looked into protection for your self and the site on that front. However, after your DC trip, the eye of sauron is upon you. I keep you in my prayers.
The commenting here reminded me of the open commenting that used to be available on TOPIX, that was shutdown last year. (way more intelligent conversation here, just the not needing to sign into to any third party software to post, very rare to find anymore on the net.)
I know that TOPIX was more like a local gossip shop, but I also think that if it had still been around, there could have been a lot more local reports on the election issues. I have often wondered if that wasn’t why it was shutdown last year. The way TOPIX was would have also been a good way to see ground reports on the scale of the Wuhan Flu locally and also on the effects of all the riots.
I am a long time lurker, infrequent commenter. These last few days have made it clear to me that CTH is my touchstone. If I can see/hear/engage in rational discussion I can survive. These last few days I have found myself spiraling into conspiracy theories – Gina Haspel injured in Frankfurt server raid, arrested and charged with treason and singing like McCain in Vietnam, Obama arrested in Hawaii, same charge, Biden confined to his home and wearing an ankle bracelet to restrict his movements so the foot injury story is a cover to disguise it. I wish they were all true but wishing doesn’t make it so. I think that I have only ever contributed financially to CTH once in who knows how many years. I am ashamed to admit this. What price my sanity? A monthly contribution is a small price to pay for such a return.
Same here! I read yet rarely comment. CTH has been my sanity so the last few days has been difficult.
I can’t comment on whether any of that is true.
However, I do know for certain that John Kerry is a space alien.
With a horse face.
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I feel privileged to be a part of this community.
I will be sending a donation. Thank You again Sundance for your Patriotism.
Great job. No problems here.
SD and all the Treehouse staff who make this site possible. Just a quick thanks for all the dedication and hard work to get us here. Lots of headwinds to overcome. Treepers are patient (except where draining the swamp and removing the coup plotters are concerned).
SD, its amazing how you can move so much material and still keep us Treepers up to date at such a critical time in our country’s history.
Thank you and Godspeed.
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Well done, everyone.
I’m looking forward to getting back into the Emergency and Survival Planning 101 (Tips) pages.
Great resource. It’s really meant a lot to me in the past year, and, looking back, I’ve just this minute realized how much it’s helped me deal with the coup and its implications. So please accept my belated thanks.
Not meant to be funny here Sundance, but I would liken what happened with WordPress and all, as CTH being considered a cute website that overgrew the small fenced in area they had allocated to it and those that visited it.
Once outside of their complete control they could not abide. And so, measures had to be taken. CTH had become to popular to their liking, and inimical to other interests in the search for truth.
It is much easier to uproot a sapling then a mighty oak tree now isn’t it. I predict much future success for CTH and greater things ahead. Big things can come from such humble beginnings such as an oak tree from an acorn.
Posting comments is working fine. First attempt at an image:
Nice image dd
I can see the site perfectly but the print is very small. Also sometimes I can see comments and sometimes I can’t. Thanks for the update!
Often my comments, frustratingly do not get past moderation. But I can affirm one thing as absolutely true; when I contacted the Tree House via email to point out that the page had not updated for a number of days, I ALMOST IMMEDIATELY GOT AN EMAIL WITH SUGGESTIONS TO FIX THE MATTER FROM “STELLA”!
Well done – THANK YOU!
Depending on Donations or clicks on advertisements might raise some money but fore those of us that value value what you do, after you get a firm server cost number, what about a monthly, quarterly, annually or even lifetime membership and with little extra benefits like maybe email hosting.
I think I’ll add “Social Media Justice Warrior” to my self-unemployment resumé.
Better make it “Mostly Peaceful Social Media Justice Warrior”.
Brakes applied on the head-end. [For those who don’t know, this is an air test/posting test.]
Do I still have any problems posting? I’ll see.
I see your comment.
Another test.
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Before committing to Disqus, do a search for ‘Disqus censors.’ Then decide.
Yes it has a couple of niceties the current CTH commenting systems lacks. But is it worth getting those in exchanges for how Disqus can enable less desirable functions?
Giuliani’s in Michigan for election fraud hearing on OANN now
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I just ready your email JMC. This looks like your email of choice is working!
Shift + F5
to refresh the page seems to be really helpful in getting the page to show it’s latest version.
Another poster mentioned this in another thread and it has been really helpful, as things are not auto updating like normal yet or at least not for me.
No worries though and thanks to you Sundance and all your IT help!
Cool. Thank you. Also learned from another Treeper that CTRL w/scroll up is an instant zoom for text.
It’s beautiful, Sundance, and I can tell you that so far this platform/CTH 2.0 works much better, and much faster on my very old, very slow computer.
I like it a lot, and think you guys have done an amazing job!
And if you need cashola to help keep all of us safe just say the word and we’ll help gird-up mortgage payments for each of our branches.
Great job!
Is this still posting or not?
It’s not back yet.
Need mobile version.
Agreed, a mobile device cannot view the site like the previous version.
That may take time depending on the platform and language used for creation.
PC is the best for now, and it is admirable the diligence the staff has taken to get it up and running over a weekend. Very impressive from an IT point of view.
But can’t wait for the mobile version, as I tend to read the site at night in bed.
It works fine on my iPad even if I have to try different ways to get updated. It’s truly amazing how well all this change has gone. iPads don’t have function keys, etc but it’s so nice to have comments back. Actually it’s unbelievable that this new site is already handling hundreds of comments. Please feel free to shut us down if we test too often, lol.
OK now I see it.
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This one works I think.
I seem to be able to connect directly to CTH, see all articles, see comments and clearly, leave a comment! Hooray! Great job!
I deleted my WordPress account. Cleared my browser history 100 times.
Thank you and God bless!
I also deleted my WordPress account/blog.
Nice to leave them behind as we mover forward.
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“The hypocrisy of selling a product they do not really want to see succeed is a very interesting conversation.“
Especially since it crosses state lines
Wonderful post, Sundance.
As I read your heartfelt words, it occured to me that this site truly is special–it is as different from other conservative sites as day is different from night. But that difference makes you–and us–a target to be silenced and punished.
Should Biden et al, succeed in their electoral grand theft, we will witness a shocking acceleration of Biblical prophecy as it relates to the persecution of Christians and movement toward a one-world government. That acceleration of prophecy will require that sites like this be censored or silenced outright.
We should all pray that we have the courage to refuse the “mark”, or that we take a pass when our 30 pieces of silver moment tempts us.
I am so grateful for everything, Sundance.
My thanks to all who have made 2.0 possible.
Sometimes, you have to pick the #8 shot out of a pheasant to eat a great dinner.
I look forward to watching the new format evolve.
I have a ton of time and patience, and I pray for your continued success.
I LOVE THIS PLACE
Testin with my usual handle JMC but with an updated email adress
Seems to be working quite well
Testes one-two. Appreciate all the hard work from all involved. You guys are 21st Century Patriots.
CTH 2.0 is improving, everything appears to be in good working order. Thanks!
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Thanks Sundance!
I think I have the correct log-on now.
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Disqus is bad news. It may be better to not comment at all than use Disqus.
Vuukle is worse by an order of magnitude.
YES! I don’t even bother commenting at American Thinker anymore and I noticed Newsmax uses Vuukle also.
The big problem with Disqus is moderation. If you don’t get a firm handle on the mind-numbing trolls then you end up looking like the comment section at PJ Media. Life is short, I block trolls but get tired of an all-day blocking event.