What Does This Mean?

When attempting to go to Spywareinfo forum the following message was received what does it mean?

SWI is being badly slashdotted. The forums are down to deal with the load. If you need help removing a parasite, please use TomCoyote. http://forums.tomcoyote.org


What in the world is "badly slashdotted"?

They are under attack by some scum on the net.

ChrisRLG Thank you for the reply – I am sorry for being so unknowing – but, if I don't ask question when I don't know – how does one learn anything? Does the term "slashdotted" mean that someone has sent some sort of virus or worm to Mike's site? Or do you mean that someone is sending 'spam-like' things to the site [which I don't see how that can be done - but, I know nothing of these things anyway]?

LOL……. The only thing attacking swi is a hundred thousand geeks reading the news. There's an article on slashdot linking to spywareinfo and it's KILLING the server. The forums are turned off to help with the load.

Actually, no they are NOT under any form of attack.

They are currently featured on the frontpage of www.slashdot.org , probably on e of the most widely read "geek news" sites on the net.

Tthat translates into 1000's of visitors to SWI per minute, trying to see what the article, that is in the current newsletter and featured on slashdot is all about.

It is actually very good for a site to be featured favorably on slashdot, except they have been known to cause servers to melt….

Sorry mike for my mistake in knowing the term, and happy that you are not under attack, in the literal sense.

Thank you all for the lesson in terms! Glad to know that there is no "real" bad 'stuff' being sent to SWI!