IP address change

Help, someone changed my IP address! If you've had trouble reaching this site lately, it's because I recently moved it to a new server (and hence changed it's Internet Protocol number). Every computer that is on the Internet has a unique IP number; if a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Many computers (especially servers) also have one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember. You type in the domain name "westhoff.net," which gets looked up in a database called a domain name server (DNS) which translates it into "64.6.235.191" (machines apparently understand numbers much better than words). To understand this great mystery go check out How Domain Name Servers Work. This site was down for a while because it takes some time (usually days) for all the domain name servers all over the world to get the news that "westhoff.net" has a different IP. Those servers that have not yet gotten the word will continue to direct you to the old IP address (i.e. the old server from which I've deleted all my files), and you'll get the error "file not found" or "page not available." If you're reading this, it's because the word has spread to your neck of the internet that Westhoff.Net has a new home (a process called "propagation"). Neato eh?