Overture Down Again!!

The Overture Keyword Selector Tool has been down for quite some time now. The entire day the page could not be found. I know Overture does this a lot, but never for so long. Why aren't they improving their service? Will they continue providing this service.

I know it's a geat free service they provide and that it probably has a very large database behind it, inceasing server workload, but this is just not proffesional.

They are providing this tool to give their advertisers some insight in search behavior. Giving this information away for free is something that will probably increase customers trust in the company, but when the service fails this often I don't see any benefit for them.

This problem has been around for at least a two years. This post from 2004 allready addresses the issue.
Why aren't they fixing this? Is the server just being overloaded by too many requests? Are they not able to create a better backend to increase speed? Or are they doing it on purpose?

If they are doing it on purpose the only reason I can think of is that they are trying to stop tools like SlowSEO's Keyword Selector Tool, that depend on their site, from collecting their data.

But couldn't they just make a CAPTCHA system or put the site behind a https, so normal users could still get the info?
The way their dealing with this is not professional and I think their scaring away new advertisers this way.

On they other note; if Overture will be providing this tool in the near future a lot of opinions have been shared in several blogs. The most recent view posted here states that an Overture emloyee has confirmed the shutting down of the service. When this is going to happen isn't clear yet (maybe it already has been shutdown!???). But I'm allready looking for alternatives to fill the SlowSEO Keyword Selector Tool

Added on: January 26, 2007 - 9:29 am