Code name: False 404 Bug
(not to be confused with Bug Report 042105-A)
Status: [more below]
Date: April 26, 2005 On or around April 22, 2005, AOL made a change to its server which caused failures in certain user-owned web sites on the users.aol.com server. The change introduced a bug. This is a report of that bug.Forwarding Notice
The author of this bug report is an expert AOL user. This bug report is written in terms which your programmers will understand. Therefore, direct forwarding of this bug report to the America Online FTP staff or programming dept. is requested.Problem Type
Breakdown of advertised feature.Feature Affected -- Background
As you know, AOL provides its customers with the "users.aol.com" server (also known as members.aol.com and hometown.aol.com), a place where customers can make their own web sites. (If you are not familiar with this feature, please see AOL's description of this feature at ftp://members.aol.com/wwwadmin/README.)Feature Affected -- Specifics
AOL staff modified the server in a way that causes many HTTP requests to fail.History
I have hosted extensive web sites at users.aol.com continuously since 1997. With rare exceptions, the users.aol.com server has been reliable, with excellent uptime and low failure rates. Problem First Appeared: April 23, 2005 Problem First Proven to Exist: April 23, 2005 Date Reported to AOL: April 26, 2005 Second Request: May 3, 2005 Inaction Reported to AOL Management: May 3, 2005 Failure Rate: roughly 20%; some files apparently affected more than othersCause
Change in server configuration? "Upgrade" in server software? One of AOL's programmers has broken a feature that has worked for years. Clearly the programmer made a change and then failed to make sure that the change didn't cause something else to break. Proper testing would have totally prevented this failure.Symptoms and Demonstration
The problem is easy to see and understand. The problem is not in my hardware or software. At certain times of day, the users.aol.com server becomes flaky. About 20% of all HTTP requests to users.aol.com (also known as hometown.aol.com) result in a false 404 error (file not found). To see the problem, please visit one of my web sites (links below). Click many links, and you will see a few 404's. Example: If you use any browser to visit this web page and attempt to load all images, you will see many server failures. You may also try clicking here.Effects:
1. Visitors to the existing web sites of AOL users are surprised not to find any content. 2. De-Indexing by Search Engines. Every time your web server returns a false 404, there is a sizable risk that search engines, notably Google and AltaVista, will de-index my site when they spider it and find it unreachable. This is not acceptable -- I'm running a business. De-indexing really does happen: On June 30 and August 25, 2002, Google de-listed *all* of my AOL web pages, due to AOL downtime. My mirror site (on a non-AOL server) was not similarly damaged. 3. Reduced Reputation. Potential AOL customers will begin to associate America Online with poor quality. Present AOL customers will begin to associate America Online with frequent breakdowns.
Closing Comments
This bug constitutes a reduction in the user experience and a reduction in AOL's level of quality. This problem is simple in nature and should not take more than an hour for your programmers or server staff to correct. Therefore, if this bug is not corrected by May 1, I will report it to AOL management. Please, won't you pass this bug report to someone who knows how to fix the problem?
Sincerely, (mr.) Software Engineer and Tester (for hire) Testing Pays! http://users.aol.com/JEBrown800 Los Alamos, New Mexico USA , BS Computer Science, has been a software engineer for over 20 years and an AOL user since 1996.
Caution
Note: As in every company, it's possible you'll delegate this bug report to a new employee. If you do, please keep an eye on his or her progress. New employees sometimes have little experience with customer support and service, and sometimes find it easier to blame the customer than to fully investigate the problem. Such behavior is unprofessional. My policy on unprofessional behavior is to report it to AOL management. So, if you delegate this bug report to a new employee, please see that he or she has adequate supervision. Note on Testing: When investigating this problem, remember: The problem is intermittent. Because probability is involved, you may need to test for this problem several times, even if the server appears to work the first time. The failure rate is not 100%, but it's not zero either. Also, time of day may play a role, causing the problem to "clear up" at certain hours of the day. This is important to keep in mind if you delegate this bug report to a new employee who doesn't understand basic probability; some newbies will test a feature once, and if it doesn't fail immediately, will pronounce the problem solved. This naive approach to testing does not promote quality.
Subject: "Bug Report 042605-A - False 404 Errors" From: To: AOLPhoneTech To: wwwadmin Date: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 17:17:31 Contents: *** SECOND WARNING *** Sent to: AOLPhoneTech@aol.com, wwwadmin@aol.com Dear America Online Staff: I reported this bug 6 days ago. I have heard nothing back from you. So now I am sending a copy of this letter to AOL Management. Please, when is this server problem going to be fixed?
Subject: "Bug Report 042605-A - False 404 Errors" From: To: keyword Tell Us Date: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 17:36:49 Contents: [sent to keyword Tell Us] Attn: AOL Management Dear AOL Management, Here is a copy of a bug report I sent to the tech support department. I'm contacting you today because I alerted tech support to this server problem 6 days ago, but I have still not heard back from them. Please, would you see that this quality problem is addressed? P.S. Do you have a policy of reprimanding employees who ignore bug reports?
Subject: "Bug Report 042605-A - False 404 Errors" From: To: AOLPhoneTech Date: Monday, May 16, 2005 11:25:00 Contents: *** T H I R D R E Q U E S T *** Dear Madam or Sir: In regard to the bug report I previously sent you: Why haven't I heard back from you on this?
Customer Complaints
America Online, Inc.
22000 AOL Way
Dulles, VA 20166
Re: Ongoing Network Problem or Server Problem
Monday, May 16, 2005
Dear Madam or Sir,
I regret to inform you of an ongoing problem with the hometown.aol.com server, where AOL users can host their own web sites.
Also I regret to inform you that I have reported this problem to your staff multiple times (see attached copy), but I have yet to hear back from them, and the problem continues.
Please, won't you see that this problem is acted on?
Sincerely,
(Mr.)
[e-mail address]
[web site]
P.S. Do you have a policy of reprimanding employees who ignore bug reports?
Would you consider a policy of reprimanding (or terminating) employees who create quality problems?
Can there be any excuse for this?
Does America Online really need to be less than great?
atts
Subject: "Bug Report 042605-A - False 404 Errors" From: To: keyword Tell Us Date: Monday, May 16, 2005 11:29:52 Contents: [sent to keyword Tell Us] [May 16, 2005] *** SECOND REQUEST *** [first request sent May 3, 2005] [sent to keyword Tell Us] Attn: AOL Management Dear AOL Management, Here is a copy of a bug report I sent to the tech support department. I'm contacting you today because I alerted tech support to this server problem 6 days ago, but I have still not heard back from them. Please, would you see that this quality problem is addressed? P.S. Do you have a policy of reprimanding employees who ignore bug reports?
Subject: "Re: Fwd: Bug Report 042605-A - False 404 Errors" From: MAC Support Mail Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 09:27:43 Contents: Dear , Thanks for writing back. I apologize that the previous response did not fix the problem. Unfortunately, your issue is difficult to determine and resolve through e-mail. We will need more information to provide you with accurate answers. Please visit our live one-on-one assistance by going to AOL Keyword: Live Help, to determine, through chat, what causes your problem. We will be able to walk you through, step by step until your problem is solved. We are very willing to help you in any way we can to find a quick resolution to the problem you are experiencing. You may also contact our Technical Support Department by phone at 1-888-265-8007 (Mac) and 1-800-827-6364 (Win). The call is free and our staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I apologize for any inconvenience this problem has caused. I only want to provide you with accurate information. Thanks for your patience and support. Yza-mae Q. Customer Care Consultant The TechMail Department America Online, Inc. AOL Help is an electronic "Help Manual" that you can use to find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about AOL. Please visit AOL Keyword: Help.
Subject: "Re: Bug Report 042605-A - False 404 Errors" To: MAC Support Mail Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 11:37:33 Contents: Dear Yza-mae Q.: (in reply to your e-mail, attached below) > We will need more information to provide you with accurate answers. I have already provided all the information AOL needs to start investigating this problem. > Unfortunately, your issue is difficult to determine and resolve through e-mail. False. My Bug Report 042605-A contains a hyperlink to the web page in my web site that contains the full details about the bug. My hit counter log shows that you (Yza-mae Q.) did not even read that page before writing me. AOL management will not like hearing that you wrote me back for "more information" before you even read the bug report. ----------------------------- Caution: Note: As in every company, it's possible you'll delegate this bug report to a new employee. If you do, please keep an eye on his or her progress. New employees sometimes have little experience with customer support and service, and sometimes find it easier to blame the customer than to fully investigate the problem. Such behavior is unprofessional. My policy on unprofessional behavior is to report it to AOL management. So, if you delegate this bug report to a new employee, please see that he or she has adequate supervision. Please, won't you see that your staff handles my question properly? ----------------------------- The problem is in AOL's servers, not in my hardware. Therefore the correct thing to do is to pass my e-mail along to the people who maintain the users.aol.com server. If the programming staff have questions, then I will be happy to spend more time on this issue. If you have questions, please show this e-mail to your supervisor or an experienced colleague. Thank you for working hard to address the quality problems at America Online. Sincerely, (mr.) Software Engineer and Tester Testing Pays! http://users.aol.com/JEBrown800 Los Alamos, New Mexico USA , BS Computer Science, has been a software engineer for over 20 years and an AOL user since 1996.
Subject: "Re: Bug Report 042605-A - False 404 Errors" From: MAC Support Mail Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 05:43:34 Contents: Dear , Thank you for writing back. I have filed a problem report on the problem you are having so the appropriate department will be able to research and correct this problem for you. Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. I assure you that AOL understands your feelings. Your input helps make the best possible online experience. Once again, I would like to thank you for taking time to write to AOL. If you have any technical inquiries, suggestions or comments please feel free to write us back and we will do the rest, you may also contact our America Online technical representative at 1-888-265-8007 (Mac) and 1-800-827-6364 (Win) or through AOL KEYWORD: LIVE HELP. It has been a great pleasure assisting you. Yza-mae Q. Customer Care Consultant The TechMail Department America Online, Inc. AOL Help is an electronic "Help Manual" that you can use to find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about AOL. Please visit AOL Keyword: Help.
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Issues:
AOL complaints, AOL problems, AOL breakdowns, reviews of AOL, how AOL treats its customers
Copyright © 2005 all rights reserved. Los Alamos, NM USA