My website has been down a lot lately, which is irritating because a science fiction writer without a functioning website is a bit of an embarrassment. "Oh, you write about the intersection of technology and humanity but can't keep your website online? Ha ha ha!"
It's not that I wanted my website to be down so much, but my old hosting company — Typepad — has been hit recently with a number of denial of service attacks. During the original attacks I was sympathetic to their plight. After all, Typepad didn't ask to be attacked.
But then the effects of that attack went on and on, following by a second round of attacks, making me suspect that Typepad's response to these DDOS attacks might be part of the problem. And then I remembered all those little irritations and questions I've had about Typepad in recent years. Like why they haven't updated their website control and design systems in forever, and why most Typepad sites look like refugees from the old AOL "You've Got Mail" generation of website creation.
That's when I realized a little something: Why hadn't I dumped Typepad years ago?
I admit it. I was lazy. I prefer to spend my free time writing instead of building and maintaining my website.
The good news is I have a new website courtesy of Squarespace. I hope people like the new design and layout. I also can't say enough about how impressed I am with the services offered by Squarespace. They offer template and design options which Typepad can only dreams of providing.
So goodbye, Typepad. And hello Squarespace.