FWIW, there is a difference between the failure of back end systems and the failure of the user facing web stuff (although, if poorly designed, they can become related).

These online media events tend to be a learning experience for all companies. They often just don't understand the scaling issues very well the first time out.

I noticed the same kind of thing with SPOT and the Primal Quest coverage.

My guess is that this will help them build a better system and hopefully they will learn that they must keep the emergency use and the web tracking separate, if they already do not.

-john