[deanhills]

I'm curious.  How many of us actually sit down and read the Terms and Conditions of Hosting (TOS) for our VPSs? Note:  they have been posted with each VPS in the VPS Plan section of post4vps home page.  How many of us have read the content of the VPS Plans that have been posted up in the VPS Plan Section and understand what they mean?

The TOS of each VPS is the most important document to read as it contains all of the rules of the VPS host.  The VPS host assumes when you take ownership of the VPS that not only have you read all of the terms and conditions of hosting, but that you also understand what they mean. If you don't understand the terms and conditions of hosting the host fully expects that you should ask the staff of post4vps who should be able to explain those to you or find out for you.  A good percentage of those rules are important not only for the safety and security of your VPS, but every one else's VPS on the same service.

As far as post4vps VPSs go, the hosts in overall assume you're a knowledgeable user and you're going to use your VPS the linux way.  You'll be working from a command line, and you will be doing standard VPS common sense things with the VPS.  However, if you have plans to do anything more than that, especially then you need to read through the TOS again to check how that affects what you want to do, and if it isn't covered, or you don't understand what it says, you need to ask the staff of Post4VPS who will know or find out for you BEFORE you apply for the VPS.  Hence why the "what you are going to do with the VPS" question in the application of the VPS is so important and needs to be fully replied to.

So wonder what can be done to make sure owners have read and understand at least the important parts of the Terms and Conditions of Hosting of their VPS?

Suggestion 1:  Highlight standard important rules of the TOS in each Plan section for each VPS? List the highlighted rules under the TOS of each plan.

1. Games (Games allowed or not allowed - check rules (linked))
2. Windows VPS (allowed or not allowed - check rules - manual verification needed (linked))
3. Mass mailing (allowed or not allowed - check rules (linked)
3. Etc

Suggestion 2:  Add "IMPORTANT:  Please read the TOS before you apply for the VPS." next to the TOS link of each VPS Plan.  Maybe the latter could be repeated in the rules for application too.  I.e. the importance of always reading and understanding the TOS BEFORE you apply for a VPS.

[tryp4vps]

I agree with you on Suggestion 2.

But for Suggestion 1, however, I am afraid it will not be quite fair to ask admins to do so. Admins are more or less as busy as normal members in daily lives and they just spend their time here voluntarily.

And it should be mainly the responsibility of the users to sit down and read the TOS before they apply for any VPS.

[deanhills]

I agree with you on Suggestion 2.

But for Suggestion 1, however,  I am afraid it will not be quite fair to ask admins to do so. Admins are more or less as busy as normal members in daily lives and they just spend their time here voluntarily.

And it should be mainly the responsibility of the users to sit down and read the TOS before they apply for any VPS.

The suggestion isn't to do a summary of the TOS - just to put key information that is important and that in the end will be helpful to the Admin as well as to the sponsors - like under the TOS of each Plan to add in the categories below with important info:

Games Server:  Not allowed  or Allowed but please read restrictions
Windows:  Not allowed or Allowed but need license number to be verified by Giveaway Manager first
Mail:  Limitation please read restrictions.  Sponsor doesn't allow Bulk Mail.
Etc:

[Vuluts]

@deanhills TOS is already shown in the VPS Plans page, and applicants should be 100% aware of it.

[xdude]

There are 2 things personally I never relay on when it comes to web hosting. Provider terms of services and Backups. You have to take your own backups no matter what they say. You have to make sure its all clear to you whats in TOS. If not ask questions and get things cleared before using.

But I agree with @deanhills some additional information would be good. A good example is VPS1. There should be a note telling Windows Templates are not allowed to use in that. This would stop repeated questions in forum. Still members should read sponsors TOS and also if they have a separate one for post4vps.

[tryp4vps]

The suggestion isn't to do a summary of the TOS - just to put key information that is important and that in the end will be helpful to the Admin as well as to the sponsors - like under the TOS of each Plan to add in the categories below with important info:

Games Server:  Not allowed  or Allowed but please read restrictions
Windows:  Not allowed or Allowed but need license number to be verified by Giveaway Manager first
Mail:  Limitation please read restrictions.  Sponsor doesn't allow Bulk Mail.
Etc:

It still requires admins to read almost every TOS content before they can make this Highlight List.

Not to mention if some sponsors change their TOS afterwards, forum members may come back to complain the Highlight List is not up-to-date.

[deanhills]

It still requires admins to read almost every TOS content before they can make this Highlight List.

Not to mention if some sponsors change their TOS afterwards, forum members may come back to complain the Highlight List is not up-to-date.

Surely information like whether Windows is allowed, or whether there are game server restrictions is common knowledge for those administering the VPSs, however not for the membership - some of it, like the Windows rule for VPS 1 is not even mentioned in the TOS (as far as I can see), however is common knowledge for those who have had Windows involvement with VPS1.  Again, my suggestion is not for scrutiny of the TOS, just to mention the ones that need to be highlighted to the benefit of both members, the admin so they can inform members and the sponsors.

---

@deanhills TOS is already shown in the VPS Plans page, and applicants should be 100% aware of it.

True.  I've also mentioned this as well in my OP.  However, I've yet to find the rule about Windows in the TOS for VPS 1.  There are certain knowledge that stands out about each of the VPSs and that is common knowledge to the Admin that would be to the benefit of both the Admin and the Members as well as the Sponsors if they were included in the Plans - like they used to do at FreeVPS.us as well.  Particularly games servers if there are restrictions or any other special restrictions that stand out.

[IEpicDestroyer]

While you are suppose to run a TOS/AUP before agreeing to it as it is a legal document, it's one of those "who's cares? I'll just click agree because I have to use it anyway..." like when you sign up for online services like a Microsoft account or a Google account or anything like that. I do partly read VPS provider terms, I just scan the page for the prohibited stuff to see if there's anything different than the typical, no illegal stuff and no mass mailing and that sort of stuff. It would be helpful but it is the user's responsibility to read before agreeing to a legal document.

[Dudi]

I have one suggestion too:

This rule is fine if someone does not post enough:

https://post4vps.com/announcement-1.html

For Registered Users(who were VPS Holders in their Past):

If a member loses his or her VPS and reapplies again 100$ credits will be deducted from his credit balance when he won his new VPS.

But if someone had a VPS before, then he lost it because the provider is no longer a sponsor then I think that we should not have to punish him by deducting his credits, it's already enough punishment that he lost his VPS.

So I think the current rule is not fair for every situation.

[arsalahmed786]

I have one suggestion too:

This rule is fine if someone does not post enough:



But if someone had a VPS before, then he lost it because the provider is no longer a sponsor then I think that we should not have to punish him by deducting his credits, it's already enough punishment that he lost his VPS.

So I think the current rule is not fair for every situation.

As far as i know, 100$ credits will be deducted if he/she lost VPS because of incomplete monthly requirement. in case if sponsor no longer with us member shouldn't be punished because it ain't his/her fault.