Job Discussion Forums

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

I live in Saudi Arabia and I just discovered the Saudi Arabia forum has been blocked. Why is that? It is only used by English teachers to discuss salaries & living conditions. I'm helping a friend change his job here but we can't get the necessary info.

It's Scary! · Joined: 17 Apr 2011 Posts: 823

Which rock have you been living under?

It's been that way for over a year!

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

johnslat · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 6:33 pm Post subject:

Dear It's Scary,

I think the blocking started at the beginning of this year, didn't it?

Regards,
John

It's Scary! · Joined: 17 Apr 2011 Posts: 823

Captain_Fil · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 11:19 pm Post subject:

Entire forums can be blocked?! Shocked

It's scary!

It's Scary! · Joined: 17 Apr 2011 Posts: 823

I think you're sweet on me!

I see where your from. I'm not a fruit, but I am a bit nuts! Laughing

It's what I think!

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

Did someone mention nuts??? Very Happy

MEB

It's Scary! · Joined: 17 Apr 2011 Posts: 823

Stay out of this, squirrel!

It's between me and the "kid"! Laughing

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Captain_Fil · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:28 am Post subject:

lcanupp1964 · Joined: 12 Dec 2009 Posts: 381

Ok, this has been driving me crazy for a while, but I thought somebody would have made this suggestion by now:

If you look at the top of your browser and find the place where one types in a web address, you will see a very long "address". For example, the last part of the �address" ends in a lot of numbers. This is basically the file name for this page. When someone �builds� or creates any website they name each page as a separate file. If you change just one small part of the file's name (change the last number to a different number, for excample) then the website, or section, or that one page becomes �unblocked� because the fine people in KSA has that long address and thusly, had it block. If the webmaster at Dave�s can take 2 minutes and change the long version of the address, or name of the KSA section, problem solved. The webmaster would need to completely change the file, save the file on the main web server and resave and load the ENTIRE website back onto the main web server, which may take a few hours, but it�s very easy to do. I spent many years in marketing communications before I went into teaching and I have done this trick a few times. This is how proxy server software can keep �hiding� from countries like KSA because every once-in-a-while they just rename the long version of the address to keep one step ahead. They just release an updated version of the software.

If somebody could please make this suggestion to someone at Dave�s, (I�m guessing one of the moderators) it would solve this problem. Think of it this way: people in KSA can access the general Middle Eastern section and all other pages on this website, but not the KSA section. This is because there are just blocking the file name to the KSA section. Just rename the file and it should be unblocked. When the �smart� folks who control internet access in KSA find out what has happened, they will re-assign the new file name for blocking. When that happens, Daves can just rename it again.

Sorry if my English sucks right now, or I'm sounding smug, but I�m typing this super fast because I have a class in five minutes. Take care! Surprised

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

So... why don't you send an email to Dave. His email address is on the page. Besides, the Saudis could just pick it up again and block the new one. How many times do you think that they would want to bother from this side?

VS

lcanupp1964 · Joined: 12 Dec 2009 Posts: 381

Hi VS. Thanks for your questions.

First question: Sorry, but I might have assumed that the many moderators on this site had a relationship with the staff at Daves, so I thought it would be faster and more efficient if it was handled the way I suggested. I would think that Dave gets a ton of emails every day. So here�s my modified recommendation: If someone reading this post knows anyone at Daves ESL Caf�, please call or email them. I think it would be better than if I sent an unsolicited email to Daves. If I thought it would work, I would have not wasted my time (and yours) by posting this message.

Second question: Well, money talks. It would be a benefit to the owners of this website to make the change as many times as it takes, so that more teachers are able to go to the KSA section within KSA to possibility responded to ads and be exposed to spam that comes with this site; it is how they make money. In advertising terms (man, now I am sounding smug - sorry) Daves website is able to "reach" more and in turn, charge more for its ad space. Again, it takes a few minutes to make the change.

If I had to bet on a motivated staff at Daves Vs. a "motivated" Saudi staff, my money would be on Daves. I would even bet that the Saudi staff would think they blocked it permanently and would not bother to check (to busy drinking tea and waiting to go home at 2:00pm after a hard 2 hours of work).

johnslat · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:44 pm Post subject:

Dear icanupp1964,

Just thought you'd like to know - I messaged your suggestion to Dave on facebook. I'd have suggested you do that, but I figured you might not be a "facebooker" Very Happy

Regards,
John

P.S. Just got a reply: "Hi John - I didn't see this. It's a forum software problem and I would need to talk to a programmer in order to change this."