Dear Organized Registry user:

I deeply regret to inform you that Organized Registry's webhost has suffered a fatal hardware crash, which has resulted in the loss of all data. Your registry is gone.

I expect this news to make you furious. At least that's how I would feel. In fact that is how I do feel toward my web host. Just as you trusted Organized Registry to provide you with a service, I trusted my web host to provide me and you with a service. They let me down, and so I have let you down. I regret this deeply.

A previous communication from PHP Webhosting has led me to believe that there is nothing that can be done.

This is indeed a sad day. You have lost a registry, and I have lost a business.

I know it is little consolation, but I wish you well recovering from this setback.

There are other sites that offer the same free service, and you can find them in the Google directory. (e.g., felicite.com, postwish.com, wishcast.com). Unfortunately you will have to rebuild your registry, and will have to inform all of your friends and relatives about the change. I am sorry that you have to deal with this inconvenience at this very important and busy time in your life.

Below is a copy of a letter I just sent to PHP Webhosting. I will keep you updated on their reply. -- Larry Gibson

Dear PHP Webhosting.

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Larry Gibson, and I run (ran?) Organized Registry -- a free gift registry service that has served almost 3,000 users, with hundreds of currently active accounts. These are brides and grooms, mothers to be, etc.

Now all their data are gone. Your crash has wiped out everything -- their data, and all of my files. I cannot replace any of the data nor many of the files. I need an answer to a question:

* Why didn't you have an adequate backup system in place?

I now have hundreds of angry brides and mothers looking for answers.

* May I refer them to you to handle their inquiries?

I do not have time to deal with this right now. Really. My day job happens to be incredibly busy right now (finals week, academic conference), and I will have to let them all stew if someone else cannot tell them what needs to be told. I will put up a message on the front page, but some will want more information.

I am a father of two children who has been in school the last few years and am now working as an instructor at a university for $20,000 a year, and I have to wait until July to see if they will have the money to hire me again. This business was my hope for lifting my wife and kids beyond poverty. Now the site and some of that hope is gone. I had poured about 1000 hours of my free time into building the site. I was finally making about $350 a month extra on the site -- that may not sound like much, but it created vital breathing room, and I was looking forward to making more. -- Finally a little pay out for all that time invested. Now it's all gone.

* Is there any way you can find my users' data?

* Will you offer something to help me out?

I just lost an $8000 asset at present value (2x projected annual earnings), plus all the hope that went along with it, and now have a hundred angry brides threatening me--and I have to say I understand their concern. I need help.

PLEASE DON'T send me a reply unless it shows that you have thoughtfully read this message, and that you fully appreciate my situation and the situation of my users. And Please answer all of the questions with an asterisk beside them.

Sincerely,

Larry Gibson
Organized Registry