Do NOT go with Hostgator.com

Alright, after many positive "reviews" (probably tons of fake, but ok) i decided to go with Hostgator.com as well.

I must say that my sites are loading EXTREMELY slow, even my adminpanel which is very annoying.
This is not temporary, it's like this for a while now.

Besides that, some of you might now the sneaky Hostgator 404 page hijack.
They change your 404 page to theirs with a "discount coupon" to bribe visitors to host with them.

Right now i see another sneaky trick.
If you install a new Wordpress on your domain Hostgator automatically install THEIR OWN plugin that adds a footer to your blog.

Is this actually legal?
Sneaky link injection and advertisement i never agreed with?

Wordpress Adminpanel:



Blog Frontpage:



Footerlink goes to:

http://www.hostgator.com/?utm_source=fantastico&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=footer

Code (markup):

 

I aware of this trick since last year.
And i do a charge back via CC.
After few day,they email me and offer me a deal.
HostGator "reward" me extra 1 year free hosting(Business Plan) for not complaining this issue at WHT.

 

How did you install the script? Did you use some tool provided by hostgator to install the script?

 

I'm sure it installed through the fantastisco

 

I suggets hostmonster is best, never had problems as such.

 

Just Fantastico

 

It's just sneaky.
What's next?
Noscript advertisement?
HTML source code altering?
Come on guys, this make me puke.

 

OK, isn't possible that you have used some free wordpress theme designed by them? Many companies design wordpress themes, offer them for free in exchange for the link in the bottom in the template.

 

Wow, that is really sneaky. So when you deactivate their plugin their footer disappears?

Maybe you could enter into a deal with them, like being an affiliate for them so when someone visits their site and buys hosting plan through your site you get a commission?

 

I mean i dont use Hostgator but this is really bad. They are promoting themselves without your permission.

 

Absolutely not.
No way.
Add a domain, install Wordpress on it via Fantastico.

Look, i'm not the only one http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/hostgator-automatically-adding-plugins-to-wordpress.htm

 

That's weird; I host 15 blogs with them and have hosted up to 40 blogs at a time with them. Have installed wordpress a ton of times with them both via fantastico and manually; each time, never had such a plugin installed. There has to be some missing part of the puzzle here. I've been with them for 3+ years with no problems.

 

Install your new blog via Fantastico today and you'll see.

 

Yes I noticed the sneaky plugin recently too, they only added it in the last week. I'm switching from them when I get the chance!

 

Host Gator Rocks!

One click will delete the WP plugin, get over it already!

 

Ahh.. So HostGator only cares about people who knows WHT forum.


And about 404 error page, do they offer to change 404 page??

@ilook, thank you for posting HostGator tricks. I never knew these things. I will never suggest my friends for hotgator.

 

Now they changed the anchor link to:

Hostgator Wordpress Hosting

And the link goes to :

http://www.hostgator.com/wordpress-hosting.shtml?utm_source=fantastico&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=wordpress

Code (markup):

Scumbags.

This is their plugin code:

File: hosted_by.php

<?php
/*
 * @package hosted_by
 * @author HostGator.com
 * @version 1.0
 */
/*
Plugin Name: Hosted By HostGator.com
Plugin URI: http://www.hostgator.com/
Description: This website is proudly hosted by HostGator.com a.k.a. Scumbags
Author: HostGator.com
Version: 1.0
Author URI: http://www.hostgator.com
*/


function hosted_by() {
    print '<p><a href="http://www.hostgator.com/wordpress-hosting.shtml?utm_source=fantastico&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=wordpress" title="HostGator WordPress Hosting">HostGator WordPress Hosting</a></p>';
}

add_action('wp_footer', 'hosted_by');
?>

PHP:

 

You should upload your own 404 page, although i heard stories that they sneaky replace your 404 page.
There was some rumour about it in the past, they denied of course.

Hostgator staff, if you read this thread i hope you understand these unethical blackhat tactics to gain more customers over the back of your clients is absolutely NOT done.

I lost my trust in this webhosting company by their sneaky behaviour.
Pure illegal and unethical tactics.

 

Now Whats next? Huh?

Fantastico can be easily edited to add more goods to the scripts there.. And Hostgator took no pain to do it and even they gain some strong backlinks + Direct Visitor Eye Advertising.

So what to do is, as you installed it yesterday, i dont think there wont be much content in it, Simply install using File Upload method. If you have data, Backup DB and Take out Pictures

Thanks.

No one is gonna possibly install plugins to your site Then. Atleast not automatic. Well, they may be able to upload the plugin automatically, but will never activate them. But still there is a hardway to activate it. But i dont think you all would need to hear that, since its out of topic. but anyways, i love to share

 

It's unethical and a honest company should not do such things.
Seems you don't care it as i read your reply.

Anyway, it's a kind of advertising and in the hosting contract as not mentioned that you buy hosting but you must add a "powered by" link or a banner to your site.
It's not legal at all.
If i want shit advertisement from a crappy hosting company on my site then i register a .TK domain for free with free hosting!

Note: the plugin comes ACTIVATED (not deactivated).