Overwhelmed (In a Good Way)

wow, 2 entries so far this week.

Thank you for the wonderful service that is OD 🙂

Cynical Jersy girl..isn’t that being redundant? (ducks). Admit it…you married him because his name was Bruce. Also, are the other animals in the other hospital as much fun as we are? Happ B-Day DM!

Your notes remind me of the LoveFest that Bruce used to host.

Don’t be too concerned about the negative notes. People have no idea what you’ve been dealing with since last weekend. You’re doing a good job. I love OD; I hope it’s completely restored, but will deal with whatever happens.

OD is my home :o) Thank you both for creating such a big part of my life *hugs*

Thank you so much for the devotion you and the DM share in this effort. We appreciate it.

If the back-ups were occuring weekly all along, the OD Staff wouldn’t have to resort to July for a non-corrupted cache. And yes, I’m cynical that we will even be given THAT much back. Count me out of The Lovefest. I’ve already contributed $36 since the month of July. Put that towards the “recovery efforts”.

I know that there are a lot of people who criticize and lash out with harsh words of blame right now. Those words should if anything be directed to the person(s) responsible for the attack, not to our DM. Even a loving parent with the strongest desire to protect their children from harm cannot always be successful. There have always been people who are determined enough to find whatever

psst, pssst …over here …did you happen to notice that Gel’s latest entry has a picture of her with some sort of “electronic device” sitting in front of her on the table….I’m just saying is all.

spot of weakness they can take advantage of. There have always been people who are so consumed with the negative that they cannot contain it within themselves and have to find someone or some way to take it out… to let it out. That is a very sad fact of this world.

All the people who are the most pissed are the ones that will never leave. Or at least never make good on their promises. People just like to have something to bitch about. I’m just glad that OD is back and functioning. I come here to write anyway…not to look at my diary chock full of entries. Everything I wrote I can remember. That’s what I’ve got this brain for. =o)

you are a wonderful family.

Happy BDAY DM! Yes, his last entry taught me to remember not to put the cart before the horse. It sucks that this has happened, but group me in with those who are going to be patient and enjoy writing in the meantime. Happy anniversary whenever that was. 20 years is amazing. Good for you.

RYNRMN: Then what good did it do? Or why bother mentioning that it’s been taking place weekly in the first place? Why not just say, “We have complete storage of the data every such-and-such”? My point is, this comes across as a bunch of smoke and mirrors to take attention away from the fact that there was lousy security and essentially no plan to protect these diaries from

such a thing happening. And, the people that are upset just want a direct answer. When this happened in early 2002, there wasn’t a very straightforward approach. Just two weeks of “we don’t know; maybe/maybe not” before getting the news that our diaries had been lost. I understand that this oversite wasn’t done on purpose. And, I’m sure you are both nice people.

I just think this hasn’t been handled very well. And asking for more money, when we don’t have any answers, is shameful.

Happy Birthday to our DM!! In spite of the attack that has occurred, I hope he feels a little blessing on his birthday because WE LOVE HIM!! (and you too!)

This diary site is the best thing that has happened to me. I hope that the people who messed with it are caught. This is the best diary site that I have seen and I thank you guys for creating it. Luv, Kat

We couldn’t have a greater leading team here at OD. I’m glad to be a part of OD. You guys make these tough times seem as just a passer by of a problem. Thank you for the reassurance.

*sings Happy Birthday in a very bad offkey voice* I have major faith in him, he’s always fixed everything before that’s why I’m a OD+ member I know he takes care of us *big hugs* ~Amethyst~

all I can say is thank you, to both you and the DM, for caring so much about us. And please tell him happy birthday from another cynical jersey girl (well now FL but I grew up there, in south jersey)! I’ll stop by and tell him myself, as well. Get rest, and take care of the kitties! 🙂 Always, D.

I do have to wonder why you would choose to have only one set of backup tapes and tape over them weekly, rather than having at least a father/son rotation, if not a grandfather/father/son? Having more than one set would have at least given you a better chance to have a non-corrupted copy. Also, I’m curious why Free OD and Teen OD weren’t affected? To be honest, that’s what really scares me!

I agree with the above noter, in the backup method. Btw FOD is now OD so FOD does not exist anymore…but for TOD I do beleive they reside on seperate servers to help balance the server load.

So have him explain why the backup was on the live server. Just a few words to explain, because I for one would sure like to know.

My birthday was Monday! You know what I got? Nothing!

Yes we all keep hearing about how much the diary master cares about us! But still, I have no explanation as to why my diary has been down for 2 months. I have nothing to say about the way you run this place or what you do or don’t back up. As far as I’m concerned, That’s my fault as well as yours for not backing things up myself. I am saying that when someone has a problem they are ignored!

That’s a funny way of showing your concern. I do hope you get all of this straightened out. I am preparing myself for the worst though. If everything is lost, like I said, I blame myself. But being ignored, Thats just not right.

i know i’ve said it to him but i want to say thank you to you as well. we appreciate everything that’s been done so that we can keeping coming here and sharing our lives. :o)

oh for heaven’s sakes. The DMS does not address the technical stuff!! We all have the button to save our stuff on a server that only we control! Marking the DM’s birthday on the calendar so we can all look back and laugh next year. Eat cake DMS…. everything looks better with cake.

I do appreciate the on-going up-dates. And I believe you and the DM are doing the best you can at this point. Perhaps things could have been done differently earlier. I don’t know, not being a computer geek. I do know that this is my home and I plan to stay and be as positive as possible. I would love my entries back, but I’ll live if that doesn’t happen. I could have backed them up!

happy birthday to the diary master!! take care,

Awww! 🙂

Thank you all for what you do to provide this place. Enjoy the birthday celebration! : )

Happy Birthday to the DM! I find it sad and pathetic that people feel the need to critisize and complain at a time like this. They apparently have no true understanding about what happened and the consequences. You have amazing patience and tolerance for them. I probably wouldn’t be so considerate. *sigh*

will you please tell him to cotact me b/c I have info hemay be intrested in.

wow, 20 years! congratulations. I’m really liking seeing all these entries from you lately, I hope you keep it up 🙂

Wow, second entry in less than a week! Maybe we should start taking bets on whether there’ll be a third? 😉 Seriously though, it’s nice to get updates. Thank you both. hugs,

Awww, your entries always make me so happy. 🙂 You’re like having a very loving second mother over here at my second home. It’s a great thing.

We were all victims of an internet terrorist act, or something like that. You too. So, be kind and loving to yourselves and to each other. We will all survive this! Love,

I’m glad you’re writing. I just wish it wasn’t because of all this.

OHHHHHHHHHHH lemon pie!!!!!!!!!!!! YUMMY!!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday DM!!!!

I’m so glad Icarus Knew is having so much fun pointing a finger at me! hehe It does help to keep a sense of humor about things and I hope you are all able to do that once in a while. Happy birthday to the DM-I hope you take a little time to celebrate.

Hi, long time listener, first time caller …you and DM are doing a fantastic job and this site is really ab fab! Thanks and keep up the great work 😀 Take care xx

I cannot imagine what we would do without od… it means a lot to us all…. happy to see your entries even if it took this to get you writing again!! Happy Birthday to the DM……. 🙂

You know, I haven’t been leaving the DM notes this week, I had been away on business. However I will be mailing a check in support of the cause. I am happy to see you writing. I hope it continues.

Maybe all of this … as awful as it has been … is worth something after all. Isn’t it miraculous that someone out to be so destructive actually has brought forth light in so many of us? This is a special place. Those who started it and keep it going are obviously a huge part of what makes it that. Best of luck with the cat and kittens … off to have some pie at the DM’s place! 😀

Happy birthday to the hubby, but his last entry made me very, very angry. —

Special Birthday Hugs to the DM and I am not surprised you work at the Animal Shelter…looking after the defenceless. love to you

Ms. DM … I appreciate the thorough explanation and understand … and as much as I’m tempted to post your explanation, I respect the (p) and will keep it that way. I am sorry about the anxiety this has caused … I KNOW your intentions are nothing but honorable … but maybe it’s time to cut your losses then, if the data recovery is going to be all that expensive and not guaranteed. —

cyndication I don’t believe they asked for any extra money my understanding from reading the DM’s diary is that people have been offering,i’m sure they don’t expect people to provide money if they don’t have enough to do so.. As one person said Thankyou DM and DiaryMisteress for keeping OD going it’s been a savior for many. take care hope the DM’s birthday is a good one despite everything.

Aww, happy b-day to the Dm.. you seem cool… I haven’t typed in my diary since the attack.. I’m thinking I should.. I hate losing time.. but I love OD. -Dylanne-

Thank you so much for this site, and happy birthday too 🙂

Thanks for the update and for persevering through all of this…

I’m with cyndication all the way

I’m with Cyndication on the “shameful” label. To write an entry explaining where/how to send donations is extremely unprofessional. We’ve *already paid you for your services. Having a secure site is *part of that service. Good God, people. Forget the warm fuzzy entries/notes and tell us the TRUTH about where are damn diaries are.

where are OUR diaries ….. (typos stink during a rant note)

I just thought I’d say, I’m so sick and tired of the cynical conspiracy theorists on this site… the ones who picture you cackling in glee around your cauldron of OD horror, thinking up new ways to screw us in the fine print… I have long believed that you do us an incredible service here, and I thank you so much for doing your part, despite all the CCT’s I mentioned above. *HUGE hugs*

A Jersey makes the best milk

Just give us all a straight answer on what’s going on, don’t leave us in the dark. We haven’t had an update on the acutal site & the servers in a while. I think we’re entitled to that. It’s fine & dandy the DM posted today on the subscriptions & the places to send ‘donations’ but let us know the progress of recovering our entries that are so dearly important to us it’s not too much to ask.

I don’t like to speak my mind to those I don’t know, talk out of turn and such but… I have to say here, Too little, too late. We’re getting better security out of this? Where was the better security after the hacker attacked us less than 3 months ago?? First I lost year one over on my FOD, which I was distraught over but it’d been transferred. Now, I’ve lost year two AND year…

one. And if you expect me to just be happy we’re getting better security now, then you’ve got another thing coming. I love this place more than anything, but come on people, get real. You have NOT been doing everything to keep this place going as best you could, or we wouldn’t be out of ALL OUR ENTRIES right now. *frowns* I’m glad you can be so happy about it all though. Uh huh. Mel

I am amazed at the outpouring of support people on OD have had, but also saddened and disappointed by the anger and ruthlessness people have displayed during such a tough time. This was nobody’s fault. I, for one, have never had anything to complain about with OD, and I will be on this site until the very end. And may it never come.

Still no entries…still feel sad 🙁

There are some out there surmising that the ones wanting to donate for repair/award money are doing it in hopes of getting their diaries back 1st. Apparently the writer of such notes doesn’t realize that very note spoke volumns of their selfishness & apparent greed, that they couldn’t realize that others of us do the donations for the survival of this diary site and not for any other reason.

Uh oh – Chuck is ANGRY. Run away!

*HUGE HUGS* You guys are wonderful *runs to wish the DM happy birthday* 😉

I truly am very sorry about the stress caused to both you and your husband, but I am even sorrier over the loss of 6 years worth of writing. Was was nothing learned the last time OD crash was as bad? Where are the fail-safes? And then to ask for money when there are no true updates?! Having much trouble being supportive. Happy Birthday DM.

I lost 4.5 years of writing I will never get back. The fact that this site was not backed up like it was supposed to be, makes me sick. I love OD and will never leave. But quite frankly, the vague updates we are getting over lost entries is rediculous. Let’s face it, the entries are unrecoverable. Just level with everyone instead of dragging out the agony already.

I’m sorry, but I’m feeling very left out here on this one. I lost all of my entries. We have gotten no “real” updates from the DM. The security measures needed clearly weren’t in place – the fact that they’re going in now isn’t a “silver lining”, it’s a “closing the barn door after the horses have gotten out”. If my entries come back, I may return, but in the meantime… I’m out.

I think most of us realise all we’ve lost is words. There’s still an amazing strength of spirit and the strong friendships we’ve developed through here.. Not something that’s possible to hack.

It’s not just words people have lost. It’s entire chapters of memories.

Life has a way of showing that we all have some kindness in our souls. Hugs

hey hey, i just found ur diary via the diarymaster. newayz good luck

Glad to see you got both of your entries back.

thank you for everything.

This is my home in cyberspace.

Thank you. when I first read the DM’s explanation I was confused. But never did I think negativity towards him. I didn’t even know your 2 diary’s existed till after this unfortunate event. I am overjoyed at the support and togetherness of the better part of the OD users. I myself would like to be counted as one of them. My first entry since this attack is specifically about my thoughts of this

this incident. I have already been informed of other’s thoughts on it. Much appreciation. I was surprised to see a note from the DM there as well. Of all the users to leave me a note, he did too. It made me feel appreciated to know that the creator’s still think of the users. That we are not only thought of as simple minded people that rant and rage on their diaries. Please take no offense from

this comment, but if it wasn’t fer us users, there would be no Open Diary. It takes smarts and creativity to start it up. But it takes faithful users to keep it alive. I feel confident now that everythin will be ok. And though all the talk is in language I myself do not understand, I can get the jist of it. And it seems that it will work out fine. And even if it doesn’t, we still support eachother

Maybe this incident will backlash the way it did for those that initiated the 09/11/2001 incident. I really hope that they find out who did this, and that they get their deserved punishment.

Much respect.

Great, so all things OD are warm and fuzzy. That STILL doesn’t change the fact that I lost three years from my diary because a service that I paid for didn’t take the right precautions in the first place to protect the site. But it’s okay, because we’re all having pie to celebrate the DM’s birthday.

Thank you for these lovely entries. I have missed reading your journal. I have been a member of OD for a few years now and love it and the people I have met here. The site is not perfect, but no site is. Looking at all of the diary sites out there, this one is the best in my opinion. Keep up the good work and I hope they catch whoever hacked into OD.

Amazing how few of the grunters and groaners have come back to acknowledge the return of their entries. Good work.

Thank you SO much for all your hard work, especially restoring the C diaries 🙂 What’s going on with the data restoration for the drives? The DM hasn’t written in awhile on that, and I was just wondering what’s going on with that…

Gotta agree with [Kitty Mamma] on this. The fact that this site was not backed up like it was supposed to be is unacceptable. The the vague updates we are getting on what’s been going on is a bit fishy. Just level with everyone & be honest instead of dragging things out.

PLEASE update…I’m getting antsy!

Most of my entries were restored… I am so grateful for what DM did, and you (are you involved w/the site? I really have no clue?)… I cannot imagine how ones head spins, with the frustration of their site being hacked like this. So thanks so much… Wondering how DM’s birthday was? Great, I hope! And not forgotten like mine is all the time…

It’s nice that you are both supportive of each other, and seem to have clearly delineated rôles, i.e., he is in charge of the technical aspects, & you’re better at dealing with the emotional aspects. As to the attack, it seems to me that this was handled pretty well, considering the circumstances. By the way, Lemon Meringue Pie was my desert, tonight! (OK, so I’m a little late..la chaim!)

Felt like popping in saying thank you to you and DM for trying to restore the entries. I suppose in a way now that it’s clear that more cannot be restored anymore you (and we all) can move on and focus on other things. I had a backup so I can now repost what I want, I was just waiting to hear how it turns out. I can only imagine how difficult the process has been for you two. Hope you’re ok 🙂

I just wanted to thank you personally for standing by the DM while you two and the staff worked so hard at trying to restore our entries. I’m so sorry the process failed and i feel awful about it, as I’m sure you do too. However, this hacker will get his (or hers) because they always slip up. Hopefully they will slip soon. HUGS to all of you and thank you so very much… D.