bigmoe Whitfield Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) https://hippo-technologies.info/2018/02/16/rackspace-cloud-infrastructure-failure/ the explanation. Rackspace Cloud infrastructure failure Posted on February 16, 2018 by Hippo Technologies On Feb 12th Rackspace Cloud Servers collapsed and took down the legacy Hippo web services which Rackspace supported. Rackspace admits service degradation to cloud orchestration and cloud servers. Surely in due time the long established server technicians at Rackspace will rebuild their cloud infrastructure, but for the time being there appears to be an unsafe amount of dust and smoke around the Rackspace Cloud server collapse to extract the backup databases to migrate to another server host. For the last several years increasingly abandoned land through Second Life has also led to lack of new customer demand for the legacy web service. It marks a best decision for Hippo Technologies to step away from that legacy web service. Hippo Technologies will certainly be keeping a keen eye to future trends in virtual worlds. Edited February 18, 2018 by bigmoe Whitfield adding the post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmoe Whitfield Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 So now if he's not supporting the web interface, he needs to push new updates on products that let a few of the products work without it. or give up and let somebody buy what he has so this can be fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamyourneighbour Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 On 14/04/2017 at 10:06 PM, Studcrusher said: I just read this whole thread and I believe you guys love to suffer. Go to Casper, you can get a free set of vendors that work with drop boxes and a Hippo import tool of some kind ( i never used it) I believe for 5% of the income or buy the vendors and rake in 100%. The customer service is there most the 24 hours of a day. Of the 3 times that I noticed a disruption of service (in the same amount of years) Casper and his team was on it like a chicken on a june bug resorting service. (That is to say very aggressively) Took no more then a day on the worse occurrence. (1 was a HD over load, 2 were on line cyber attacks) But we were all updated constantly in the group chat letting us know of the progress of restoring services. In Caspers profile he states that he is not a hobbyist here but it is his profession. The wiki help site he has covers everything you can think of and its kept up to date for the most part. There have been many updates and upgrades in code to keep things running smoothly as well so he isn't just siting taking money he is there making it happen. No I am not his spokesperson no I am not an advocate I am just a guy who has played store with my partner in SL for almost 3 years (I wanted to play doctor he wanted to play store..) and have almost just under 1,000 listings and its all run smoothly. It pays the weekly tiers easily. Dont believe me ask ANYONE in the Caspervend group chat and see what they say. Good luck with your Hippo 0% surcharge for Casperlet, you pay for the initial system then it is good to go. I have three Sims on casper, it is pretty cheap compare to all the easy rent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hexem Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 This is why I always use my own scripts and web servers. Never rely on other people! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theresa Tennyson Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 14 hours ago, bigmoe Whitfield said: For the last several years increasingly abandoned land through Second Life has also led to lack of new customer demand for the legacy web service. It marks a best decision for Hippo Technologies to step away from that legacy web service. Mmm hmmm... That would be like the management of Sears/K-Mart saying, "Our business is down because people aren't buying things." They aren't buying things from you... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerotsm Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Here is my Marketplace listing for my home brew web interface to the HippoRent boxes. Zerotsm's HippoRent 2 Web system. Price is zero L$. I am offering this code under the GNU public license in hopes you may find it useful and not have to spend over L$1000 on a replacement system. Yes, you have to have knowledge of Linux, Apache, PHP and MySQL, but this code is not too resource intensive. If you don't have a web server already, you can rent one for $20 USD a Year. Yes that's Per YEAR., from several locations now. I'm using VPSCheap.net and nfphosting.com for various projects with good results. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Galli Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 5 hours ago, zerotsm said: Here is my Marketplace listing for my home brew web interface to the HippoRent boxes. Zerotsm's HippoRent 2 Web system. Price is zero L$. I am offering this code under the GNU public license in hopes you may find it useful and not have to spend over L$1000 on a replacement system. Yes, you have to have knowledge of Linux, Apache, PHP and MySQL, but this code is not too resource intensive. If you don't have a web server already, you can rent one for $20 USD a Year. Yes that's Per YEAR., from several locations now. I'm using VPSCheap.net and nfphosting.com for various projects with good results. That’s very nice! I assume nothing like this would help with my Hippo updater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerotsm Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 What product is your "Hippo updater" for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Galli Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 houses, kitchens, bathrooms, bars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerotsm Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Probably not. The only Hippo Technologies product I'm working with is the HippoRent system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerotsm Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 I have added the ability to view box locked, reserved and "not renewing" status to my web interface. you can get it it https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Zeros-Hippo2Web-add-on/14071630 This is an add-on, so if if you are just starting out, install my original version first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Menjou Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I've been telling people for years this was going to happen. As an IT Consultant, the way the website was run in the first place was a dead giveaway. Not only that, their inworld store has landpasses enabled, they are that strapped for cash. I'd really recommend switching to properly maintained and professionally run systems like CasperTech's stuff. I've seen Casper's programming style and I know how the infrastructure is run since he's extremely open about (very very very sporadic) downtime and his infrastructure. He lists the improvements he makes, posts post mortems on issues and is generally very communicative and there's an absolutely wonderful support group filled with users helping each other, active support people and a ticketing system. Sure you can keep trying to clobber around with your own php scripts and what not, but these are likely to not be as well maintained after a while. It's not even cheaper since you pay for hosting anyways. Hosting generally runs 5 dollars or more a month so that's two months and you have your caspervend/casperlet system Also @zerotsm if you want to keep going on with your project I might suggest using github, since you have experience with php and what not I am sure I don't need to explain the value of using (git) repositories. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Galli Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I know all this, everyone has known about Hippo for years. But when I got my updater, Casper did not yet have one. I tried making my own with an updater script I bought but it did not work. It was Hippo or nothing. With an updater you can’t just switch. I imagine those with vendors or rental systems just held out as long as they could. We are not just stupidly holding on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Menjou Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 We used to use Hippoupdate in our products, and sadly ancient versions still have them. However before this happened we started deploying updates that replaced the old update script with one based on casper. I can understand the difficulties with the updating scripts, not so much with rentals/vendors though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Mark Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 It doesn't actually make any difference at all to existing rentals, it just means that the rent boxes can't be seen or configured from the Hippo site. They still work, just like they did before they were web-enabled, so it hasn't really caused any real problems, it was just nice and convenient being able to see them all in one place on the web. It makes sense to use a new system for new rentals now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Menjou Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 3 minutes ago, K9Mark said: It doesn't actually make any difference at all to existing rentals, it just means that the rent boxes can't be seen or configured from the Hippo site. They still work, just like they did before they were web-enabled, so it hasn't really caused any real problems, it was just nice and convenient being able to see them all in one place on the web. It makes sense to use a new system for new rentals now though. That highly depends on what's needed. If you have a lot of rentals then a web overview is pretty much needed, if you only have a handful it doesn't really matter I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Mark Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 They only allowed 100 rentals with their system. When you wanted more you had to buy them as an extra, and I didn't want to do that, so I started using others as well a couple of years ago. I always kept proper records anyway, because it's not possible to rely solely on any one system, but it was nice having them all on one, easy to use, web site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite Runner Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) I have since been using CasperTech products for some time after I noted that one of the merchants I check into switched from Hippovend to Caspervend and I noted others also made the switch after some time in which I decided to make the switch to CasperVend and ditch HippoVend. I also tried out CasperLet and other CasperTech products including the "spinner" and snow emitting machine. After learning that HippoTech went bust, I feel assured that CasperTech would dominate the grid for eons. Edited February 28, 2018 by Elite Runner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synjari Myriam Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Long post ahead, but I want to help people with information I've learned over my time owning these products or getting very familiar with them. While I no longer use CasperTech, if you need similar functionality to Hippo, moving to CasperTech products is your best bet if you want a turn-key solution that requires less involvement (ie. scripting your own, etc). Casper has Multi-vendors, single product vending capability without use of multi-vend, buy as gift, Group Discounts, profit sharing, wishlists, loyalty rewards system, and affiliate system among other things. They do have good sales analytics and connect with marketplace as well. If you get the complete package, as I did.. you do get a lot of bang for your buck as it comes with the premium vendors (no % fee taken off each sale), plus all the vending system expansions. Lotta marketing tools if you're into that kinna thing plus gift cards, holovend and texture specific vendors. The system also offers re-delivery, but they also sell a stand-alone Updater that doesn't require use of the vending system for selling. Basically a widget type script that you can pack with your products which makes use of the single in-world server DropBox technology they've created to check if there is an updated version available. The upside is that the system will cause considerably less lag on your sims and the vending system makes use of a single script which faaar better than the ton of scripts that Hippo products utilized. I admit it was a cutting edge system in its day but that's long past. This is just an aside, but MANY event companies in SL do not allow hippovend anymore and havent for a long while. In fact it took a while for CasperVend to prove its mettle with several event hosters to be low lag enough for any busy event they held. Even so, Casper has created a specific vendor mode I think.. that specifically is used for events plus multivendors in general arent allowed at many an event. The downside, and ultimately why I decided to use a different method, is due to full product setup needing to be done via web panel. They have tried their best to make the process easy for what this aspect of the vending system requires. I use e2v but its a very different type of system and isn't for everyone. Less bells and whistles, but infinitely easier for me to setup plus its less reliant on the web servers. Additionally, the same single script ideal goes for the rental system. If you want that networked renting dealio, take a look cause there are way less scripts in there too! The scripts thing for both systems I'm basing off owning hippo products (rental and vending) waaay long ago. I don't know if they changed it but I remember there being a bunch of scripts to make both of those systems work.. within each vendor or rental box. It was insane. Thats it! I hope it helped and didnt make everyone too buggy-eyed with my wordy words! <3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Hoobinoo Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 As a merchant I have owned hippo and multiple other networked systems. I use Casper now for the unmatched customer service and ability to actually talk with the creator in group. Try that with any other leading product in SL. With a single script per vendor and no lag in sims using Casper, in the RP sims I sell, it's preferred if not downright required to use this system. As a customer If I see someone using hippo - I think "old vendor- = is this merchant still in SL?' Final thoughts Use what works for you - it wont be the same for all merchants With regard to the thread - re: Hippo - Don't be surprised that a system that was sold off doesn't get updated or supported. Just don't get caught out if one day.."poof". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerotsm Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 On 2/27/2018 at 6:42 AM, Ghost Menjou said: Sure you can keep trying to clobber around with your own php scripts and what not, but these are likely to not be as well maintained after a while. It's not even cheaper since you pay for hosting anyways. Hosting generally runs 5 dollars or more a month so that's two months and you have your caspervend/casperlet system You can get hosting good enough for this purpose for just $20 USD per YEAR! I'm my case the hosting is "free" because I just hang it off of one of my servers I have at my home office. I'm like Gadget Portal. I no longer want to rely on somebody else's server, other than Second Life itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamyourneighbour Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 It has been a slippery slope for the last year for hippo. Unfortunate closure but nevertheless a closure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centbair Daxeline Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Since Hippo are down, there any other services that don't cost 1400L? I only have two items so far that used the update and I don't see spending THAT much for it. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Warden Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Centbair - you could consider one of the free options, like CasperVend Free - there's a small 5% commission payable on sales, but no upfront cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centbair Daxeline Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Just now, Casper Warden said: Centbair - you could consider one of the free options, like CasperVend Free - there's a small 5% commission payable on sales, but no upfront cost. I have the free option for the normal vender, but mainly lookin for something I had with Hippovend, which is, when I push an update out, I throw it in a box and it'll send it out to everyone that has a script in it. I liked it since all I have to do it is change one number in item script, delete the old one from the box and throw the new one in the box. No need to log in and such. <.< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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