[shouting mode off]
Before giving my $0.02, my creds:
20 years software & web design
5 yrs database and sysadmin
2 yrs AWS certified cloud practitioner (working toward solutions architect)
Technical explanation (will get to you non-geeks in a sec):
* if for whatever reason Gab is changing IP's, it make take more than a few minutes for your browser to recognize the gab domain name as the new ip address. Sometimes clearing your browser cache may help. Other times, you may just have to wait for your cookies to expire (unless you delete them force fully)
* if they are in the process of a database migration to a larger instance due to increased traffic, something could happen during this process, causing a downtime to be longer than expected. This is common. This would also apply if they are working on an improve retention system.
* If/when there is an upgrade in progress, it is often impossible to send you a notification tell you that. That's why we throw up maintenance pages and give warnings ahead of time.
And for you non-geeks:
Our entire movement is in the process of a network re-build from the ground up. During this process, you're going to see a lot of 'orange cones' on our information highway. What used to be on platforms that guaranteed uptimes of over 99% are now un-reliable. You (we) users are taking detours to more friendly avenues in droves - thus very heavy (read unexpected traffic) pouring into these servers. There will be bumps in the road for a while.
With that said, too many of the comments on this thread (including the title) are irresponsible at best. These free-speech friendly places are doing the best they can under the circumstances, and the LAST thing we need are people spreading inaccurate information about websites and platforms they know little (and sometimes nothing about).
Let's say for the next 30 days, if a site or system is unreachable, give it 24 hrs, and try again. If you have a contact email for said system, send them a friendly one saying you tried to reach them from (your IP) at (your local time) and got a (some kind of message) error. That helps at lot more the spewing that something has taken someone off the internet.
So, on behalf of those of us 'behind the submit buttons':
WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
That is all.
jimjohn - OUT
It’s working now 🎉