American Idol Too Popular For The Phone System?

from the the-idol-effect dept

It appears that Fox is feeling the impact of the "Idol Voting Effect." While perhaps not as well known in techie circles as the "Slashdot Effect" of taking down a website when Slashdot points to you, Fox is trying to talk its way around reports that the company's phone lines couldn't handle the rush of phone calls from folks looking to vote in the latest American Idol TV show. Apparently the problem was caused by jammed local phone lines, rather than long distance phone lines. Also, it sounds like the way around the problem was to just use text messaging - since those appeared to go through without a problem. Either way, when you know you have such a popular event coming up, you would think that the show would make an extra effort to make sure such problems wouldn't occur or come up with simple workarounds in case they do.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    Justin Walters, 17 May 2004 @ 7:32am

    No Subject Given

    Either way, when you know you have such a popular event coming up, you would think that the show would make an extra effort to make sure such problems wouldn't occur
    I'm sure they made an extra effort. Just because you've succumbed to the slashdot effect doesn't mean you didn't try... perhaps they even had a whole team dedicated to avoiding that.
    or come up with simple workarounds in case they do.
    umm... didn't you just mention something about them providing SMS text messaging capabilities?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    eeyore, 17 May 2004 @ 11:11am

    why

    Why the hell does anybody care enough to watch this show and vote in the first place? So we have another faux-celebrity to ridicule six months from now when their fifteen minutes are used up? Isn't that what Paris Hilton is for?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 17 May 2004 @ 11:15am

      Re: why



      oooh, I can't vote for flavor - of - the - month ! My life is as miserable as this show ! Boo hoo

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        William Hung, 17 May 2004 @ 1:27pm

        William Hung

        She Bangs

        Talk to me
        Tell me your name
        You blow me off like it's all the same
        You lit a fuse and now I'm ticking away
        Like a bomb
        Yeah, Baby

        Talk to me
        Tell me your sign
        You're switching sides like a Gemini
        You're playing games and now you're hittin' my
        heart
        Like a drum
        Yeah, Baby

        Well if Lady Luck gets on my side
        We're gonna rock this town alive
        I'll let her rough me up
        Till she knocks me out
        She walks like she talks,
        And she talks like she walks

        And she bangs, she bangs
        Oh baby
        When she moves, she moves
        I go crazy
        'Cause she looks like a flower but she stings
        like a bee
        Like every girl in history
        She bangs, she bangs

        I'm wasted by the way she moves
        No one ever looked so fine
        She reminds me that a woman only got one thing on her mind

        Talk to me
        Tell me your name
        I'm just a link in your daisy chain
        Your rap sounds like a diamond
        Map to the stars
        Yeah, Baby

        Talk to me
        Tell me the news
        You wear me out like a pair of shoes
        We'll dance until the band goes home
        Then you're gone
        Yeah, Baby

        Well if it looks like love should be a crime
        You'd better lock me up for life
        I'll do the time with a smile on my face
        Thinking of her in her leather and lace

        Well if Lady Luck gets on my side
        We're gonna rock this town alive
        I'll let her rough me up
        Till she knocks me out
        She walks like she talks,
        And she talks like she walks




        Spanglish Version:


        La encontre sola en un bar
        Sent¨ª embrujo de su mirar
        Y fui cayendo en su trampa de amor
        La mentira es su juego

        Un sabor animal
        Me aguo la boca entre miel y sal
        Su veneno se ha enredado en mi ser
        Y salvarme no puedo

        Y en un rinc¨®n, ca¨ªmos juntos
        En un rito de pasi¨®n
        Y al tocar su piel
        Sentir el calor
        Yo puse el deseo
        Ella puso el control

        She bangs, she bangs
        Ay mirala, she moves, she moves
        Me enloquece cuando baila
        Camina, no puedo parar
        Esa mujer me va a matar
        She bangs, she bangs
        La dame de mi ajedrez
        Jugar conmigo es su placer
        Porque ella es todas las mujeres en una mujer

        Me atrapo
        No puedo escapar
        Entre tortura y sensualidad
        Sus labios muerden cuando van a besar
        Ella es fruta prohibida
        Donde esta la quiero encontrar
        Sue?o con ella en ese mismo bar
        Dejo su huella esa noche de amor
        En mi cuerpo, en mi vida

        Y me hundo mas
        Sigo perdido
        En el desierto de su amor
        Quiero calmar mi sed
        De su boca beber
        Sentirme s su due?o tan solo una vez

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 17 May 2004 @ 2:01pm

          Re: William Hung

          Are William Hung & dorpus one in the same ? Both annoying as hell, yet they make me laugh.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      thecaptain, 18 May 2004 @ 5:24am

      Re: why

      I'm with you there.

      I can literally SEE the IQ points leaving the body of my many co-workers who obsess about this show AND survivor.

      Coincidence, they all think that e-voting is a huge, cool thing and when we discuss the inherent problems they don't think its anything to worry about.

      Religion is the opium of the people said Marx...well to me that just means he hadn't seen anything yet...

      link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.