Time collapse support site forced offline
Published: 01 Aug 2005 17:50 BST
A Web site set up last week to act as a forum for ex-employees of Time and Tiny Computers and as an unofficial help desk for customers of the company closed down in mysterious circumstances on Monday afternoon.
A stark notice on the Web site, tinycon.com, blames lawyers acting on behalf of the company's administrators, Grant Thornton, for the sudden shut down.
"I got a call from the company lawyers who told us to take it down," said Matt Ashworth who, until the demise of Time, worked in the company's sales office. "They said they were acting for the administrators. I refused and the next thing I knew the site had been taken down — I assume it was the hosting company."
Tinycon.com was hosted by SiteHQ.
Martin Hoscik, director and co-owner of SiteHQ, confirmed on Tuesday morning that SiteHQ had taken the site offline, but categorically denied that pressure from lawyers, or anyone connected with Granville Technology Group, had been a factor.
"I've had no contact from Granville, their lawyers, or their administrators," Hoscik told ZDNet UK.
Some of the comments posted to sites such as Tinycon.com since the collapse of Granville Technology Group by angry ex-employees and customers could potentially have been considered defamatory.
Following the landmark Godfrey vs Demon case of 1999, ISPs and hosting companies can be held liable for the content they host online.
Since its launch on Friday, tinycon.com had rapidly become a focus for users and customers alike of Tiny and Time Computers and retail company The Computer Shop. According to Ashworth, by Sunday night the site had registered 180,000 hits and it has spawned many threads from customers and employees alike.
As Granville Technology Group, the parent company of Tiny, Time Computers and The Computer Shop, lurched into administration last week, many employees and customers turned to the Internet — and facilities such as ZDNet UK's TalkBack — to share information.
Grant Thornton did not return calls requesting comment in time for this story.
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19 comments
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I understand these things happen, but why are thes... Barbara Cook [Mrs] -
I am totally gutted that the lawyers acting o... Chilli P -
Sorry forgot to add the URL, been a long... Chilli P -
The comment posted by the site's hosts (siteh... Matt Ashworth
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It seems that they read some of the stuff on the s... Anonymous
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This article contains a number of inaccurate... Beyond Ego Limited
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What a load of rubbish Chilli P -
The problem is there was too much truth being spok... Anonymous
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Apparently according to some inside source it... Chilli P
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from Martin Hoscik's homepage at http://www.hoscik... Anonymous
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Matt,
if you wish to email us at general@beyondego... Martin Hoscik
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Now let me guesss... However Lord Ashdown is no lo... Anonymous
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So Mr Hoscik
What would I need to do to run a webs... Anonymous
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Matt,
If I were you I would take your hosting else... Anonymous
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The real villains in this saga should be exposed a... Anonymous
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The next site to be pulled down will be tinyu... Anonymous
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tinycon.com is now back online. with a lenghty dis... ITEF
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hi everyone. help a student! this is a desper... Emma
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http://tinycon.com/
Unfortunately d... Anonymous
