In solidarity with the Zapatistas we welcome all netsurfers to use the automated features in this FloodNet webpage to:
  1. Continuously reload targeted webpages.
  2. Send messages to targeted server logs.

See "INSTRUCTIONS" for 'how to' details.

Is this FloodNet working?

See for yourself. Look for visual confirmation in the bottom frame and in this frame.

  1. Bottom frame: FloodNet's background applet automatically reloads the target webpage several times per minute. You should see the top of the target page in the bottom frame. The target page flashes when it reloads.
  2. This frame: Click the FloodNet's upper left applet to send a message to the server error log of the targeted URL. The "personal message" form will send a message to the server error log of your choice. You should see the error message returned from the server displayed in this frame.

Why send messages to servers?

The FloodNet application of error log spamming is conceptual Internet art. This is your chance to voice your political concerns on a targeted server. You can make a statement in your own words.

Basically, with HTTP, you request a document (from a server) and it either has it or does not. If it has it, fine, it pipes the html to your browser. When the server does not have the requested doc, it returns the familiar "File not Found" or "Error 404" message (also an html doc). It also records the URL that was being asked for in the server‰s error log file, which is used by system administrators to track down bad links coming from other sites and in some instances to trace security threats or break in attempts.

This is a way, other than email, to put a message on a server. By making an intentional mistake, you can ëupload‰ a message. It's absurd in a way, but it works.

The server may respond to your intentional mistake with a message like: "human_rights not found on this server." So by creatively selecting phases, you can make the server voice your concerns. It may not use the kind of resources that the constant reloading uses (FloodNet automatically does that too), but it is sassy conceptualism and it invites you to play with clever statements while the background applet is running.