Creating a website

HellboyHellboy Posts: 1,437
edited December 1969 in The Commons

Hi.

I’d like to set up a site and stop relying on free hosting.
Basically I want somewhere to put my images, freebies and maybe potential producs or whatever comes along the way.
I don’t know anything about websites so ideally, I’d like somewhere I can register a domain and start working with an easy site builder like Wix’s or something, or in the worst case, using a registered domain with something created with weebly or something like that. :/
Biz.nf caught my attention:
http://www.biz.nf/web-hosting.php#

What do you think? :roll:

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Comments

  • JOdelJOdel Posts: 6,247
    edited December 1969

    I've been registered with Domain Registry of America for the past several years. If you register through them, you can get free hosting on their servers. I think they allow something like 5GB of space.

    They won't build your site for you, but you can check them out and see whether their offer would suit your needs. Other registries probably have similar offers as well. And I'm pretty sure that most of the registries also rent server space if someone needs more than what can fit on the free allotment.

  • Joe CotterJoe Cotter Posts: 3,258
    edited May 2013

    You might like Drupal Gardens. It is a CMS and free hosting platform like Wordpress but on steroids. It has themes, widgets, etc.. you can start for free and if you like it, migrate it to a paid account. Drupal also has a community similar to here but around website construction, from basic home sites to running universities, with a lot of community support and training (YouTube, etc...)

    Post edited by Joe Cotter on
  • Orphanslayer69Orphanslayer69 Posts: 96
    edited December 1969

    Dreamhost -hosts- my site and are all hooked up with Wordpress which is free. That might be just the ticket for you. (7Meg upload limit)

  • Joe CotterJoe Cotter Posts: 3,258
    edited May 2013

    You might like Wordpress, but it isn't as flexible as Drupal. Both are worth checking out, as is Joomla! (the exclamation is part of the name.) I would recommend trying a CMS though (one of those three) if you don't already do web design.

    Post edited by Joe Cotter on
  • Orphanslayer69Orphanslayer69 Posts: 96
    edited December 1969

    Heck, I might try Drupal and Joomla!.

  • Joe CotterJoe Cotter Posts: 3,258
    edited May 2013

    YouTube videos, Meetup.com for local groups... lots of resources for all of them. I've used them all myself and like them for different reasons, but I also like Notepad++ ;p

    As a quick summary, Wordpress is the easiest but the most limited. Joomla! is the flashiest and has some nice widgets, pretty much in the middle, and Drupal... well it runs Universities (whole universities) so that should say something.. but it's not bad to get going either. It's the most powerful, but for some people can be less intuitive, and as I mentioned above has the strong selling point of having a free hosting where one can get up and running and decide if it's right for them which is a nice feature. Wordpress also has or had free hosting, but they were much more limited then the other two especially in the free hosted versions. I've heard they've 'grown up' some, but haven't played with them lately.

    Post edited by Joe Cotter on
  • Tempest!Tempest! Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    If you're setting up a portfolio with possibly a few extra features in the future, don't go buying a truck when a bicycle is what you actually need.

    As stated Wordpress is easy to set up, extremely popular (by a quick look at some statistics, easily trumping the rest) and well documented. It's also being used by really big organizations, so it's extendable if need be. My own site uses WP and I have no complaints, though i haven't really followed the development of the CMS for the past couple of years.

    Blog was a big feature for me back in the day (I migrated my blog from Blogger, and never looked back), so WP was a natural choice but for many artists and illustrators an even simpler CMS with good gallery plugin(s) and effortless usage is often enough.

    If you have to wonder about needing a feature, you're probably not going to use it in the long run. If you think something won't be too much of an extra hassle (when there would be a simpler way), it will be. Make sure the process for updating the site is as effortless as possible, or else you're not going to do it very often once the novelty has worn off. Been there and seen it happen to numerous other sites, commercial and private. But having said that, it's also good to know that you will be able to extend the functionality (like with a store) if need be.

    So the bottom line from me is, get a CMS (manually updating is a bitch) that you feel comfortable using and also pick one that suits your needs. Ask Google about CMSs and go to opensourcecms.org and try out the demos. They have countless free CMSs to try out, including Joomla, Drupal and WP.

  • Miss BMiss B Posts: 3,071
    edited May 2013

    Dreamhost -hosts- my site and are all hooked up with Wordpress which is free. That might be just the ticket for you. (7Meg upload limit)

    I can second DreamHost without any reservations. I just celebrated my 8th year with them in April, and have all my web sites hosted there using several different CMS pkgs as well as hand coded. They also include one free domain name registration with each account.

    You can check out their hosting here  --> http://dreamhost.com/web-hosting/ Just scroll down near the bottom of the page and click on the Show More button to see all that's included.

    Post edited by Miss B on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,859
    edited December 1969

    I was an online business owner for 8 years, had websites for a lot longer than that. Depends on how serious you are in selling stuff as to what you would want for a host. I only use pair as a multi-millionaire I met had all his mega corporations hosted by them- as they NEVER go down. And it's true. If you are doing a business, free doesn't cut it if it's not reliable. So check out reliability FIRST. To register a domain, 1and1.com (but NOT for hosting.) If you don't know how to code a website, and use a preset, once you get it done, PM me. I had a yahoo group of over 1800 people for SEO (search engine optimization) and I can look over your site. I'm not up on the latest stuff as it's always changing but there are some basics which these "premade" gimmicks just don't cover.

  • Miss BMiss B Posts: 3,071
    edited December 1969

    Very true. I usually have to farm out any SEO, as I've never gotten into that. Luckily I belong to an active listerv with some extremely knowledge members, so I always have someone to ask.

  • Zev0Zev0 Posts: 7,039
    edited December 1969
  • edited December 1969

    I've been really pleased with hostmonster.com. Their customer support is excellent, and they fixed a security problem I didn't know I had for free. It was awesome. I use wordpress with the DIY theme, which has some amazing options, good seo built in, etc.

  • frank0314frank0314 Posts: 13,189
    edited December 1969

    We use IPower for all 4 of our sites and store

  • Voodoo128Voodoo128 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I highly recommend you check out Wordpress as a Content Management System (CMS), you will be hard pressed not being able to find a pre-made template that is to your liking that you can modify.

    As mentioned above, free is not really viable unless you are just doing this for a hobby and don't care about uptime and content restriction. I've been using GoDaddy to host my website for the last 6 months and I've been extremely happy, not one outage and not one slow down. I can't say the same for BlueHost and HostGator, I had trouble with both these hosting companies and ended up moving my site from one to the other until I settled on GoDaddy.

    Hope this info helps and best of luck.

  • HellboyHellboy Posts: 1,437
    edited December 1969

    So many options...
    Thanks!

    I've used the free version of Wix, and I love it, but the premium upgrade seems a bit price for now.
    I don't want something huge, just a domain and a fairly simple builder.
    Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check it all out!

  • RCDescheneRCDeschene Posts: 2,799
    edited December 1969

    Quick question! Which of these sites is good for something non-3D content related? But rather, a method of providing a list of live services via communication like phone or Skype.

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,714
    edited May 2013

    Serif has a free version of their Web Designer, should be pretty good. If you register it (you actually have to AFAIR), they use to send some great email discount offers for the full version, sometimes 50% off or more.

    http://www.serif.com/web-design-software/

    Post edited by Taoz on
  • FirstBastionFirstBastion Posts: 7,220
    edited December 1969

    Voodoo128 said:

    As mentioned above, free is not really viable unless you are just doing this for a hobby and don't care about uptime and content restriction. I've been using GoDaddy to host my website for the last 6 months and I've been extremely happy, not one outage and not one slow down. .

    Thanks for that, checked out the review site btw. Cool site.

    Anyone else have experience with godaddy?

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,714
    edited December 1969

    Voodoo128 said:

    As mentioned above, free is not really viable unless you are just doing this for a hobby and don't care about uptime and content restriction. I've been using GoDaddy to host my website for the last 6 months and I've been extremely happy, not one outage and not one slow down. .

    Thanks for that, checked out the review site btw. Cool site.

    Anyone else have experience with godaddy?

    I was thinking of registering some domains with them a few years ago but a search on the internet revealed a lot of horror stories, not least when it comes to dubious business practices. In general they have a rather bad reputation among people in the web business. A couple of recent threads on webhostingtalk.com:

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1253999
    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1269764

    Here's a list of good hosts from a reliable source:

    http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/web-hosting/5089-top-hosts-2013-a.html

  • Miss BMiss B Posts: 3,071
    edited December 1969

    Taozen said:
    Voodoo128 said:

    As mentioned above, free is not really viable unless you are just doing this for a hobby and don't care about uptime and content restriction. I've been using GoDaddy to host my website for the last 6 months and I've been extremely happy, not one outage and not one slow down. .

    Thanks for that, checked out the review site btw. Cool site.

    Anyone else have experience with godaddy?

    I was thinking of registering some domains with them a few years ago but a search on the internet revealed a lot of horror stories, not least when it comes to dubious business practices. In general they have a rather bad reputation among people in the web business. A couple of recent threads on webhostingtalk.com:

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1253999
    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1269764

    Here's a list of good hosts from a reliable source:

    http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/web-hosting/5089-top-hosts-2013-a.html
    I have all but one of my domains registered with GoDaddy, but don't believe in hosting sites at the same place I register the domains. Mostly because it makes it easier to move a site to a new host without having to incur trouble (or annoying questions) as to why I'm moving the hosting but not the domain registration.

    Aside from the bad hosting reviews I've also seen with respect to GoDaddy, I think domain registrars and web hosts should each stick to their main functions, as that's what they do best, so I wouldn't register a domain with a hosting company. I've heard horror stories of web hosts that say you own the domain name, but when it comes to moving your site or taking your domain name to another registrar (or in my case where I wanted to buy a friend's domain because she was retiring from the web), they don't allow it, or make it such a horrific experience, you just give up in frustration.

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,714
    edited May 2013

    Miss B said:
    I have all but one of my domains registered with GoDaddy, but don't believe in hosting sites at the same place I register the domains. Mostly because it makes it easier to move a site to a new host without having to incur trouble (or annoying questions) as to why I'm moving the hosting but not the domain registration.

    Aside from the bad hosting reviews I've also seen with respect to GoDaddy, I think domain registrars and web hosts should each stick to their main functions, as that's what they do best, so I wouldn't register a domain with a hosting company. I've heard horror stories of web hosts that say you own the domain name, but when it comes to moving your site or taking your domain name to another registrar (or in my case where I wanted to buy a friend's domain because she was retiring from the web), they don't allow it, or make it such a horrific experience, you just give up in frustration.

    Yea, I know some people have had poblems with these things, but I've never experienced it myself. I've been transfering domains between registrars several times, in most cases everything was done via the control panels, and no questions asked in any case.

    I have most of my domains with webmasters.com, they also sell hosting plans but both things work very well, together or separately. I had a hosting plan with them for a couple of years but I canceled it because for some unknown reason my ISP would drop mail sent from some of their servers so that didn't work. Otherwise they were very good with an excellent support. Don't know how they are today though when it comes to web hosting, but as registrars they're fine, and with low prices.

    Post edited by Taoz on
  • Miss BMiss B Posts: 3,071
    edited May 2013

    Taozen said:
    Miss B said:
    I have all but one of my domains registered with GoDaddy, but don't believe in hosting sites at the same place I register the domains. Mostly because it makes it easier to move a site to a new host without having to incur trouble (or annoying questions) as to why I'm moving the hosting but not the domain registration.

    Aside from the bad hosting reviews I've also seen with respect to GoDaddy, I think domain registrars and web hosts should each stick to their main functions, as that's what they do best, so I wouldn't register a domain with a hosting company. I've heard horror stories of web hosts that say you own the domain name, but when it comes to moving your site or taking your domain name to another registrar (or in my case where I wanted to buy a friend's domain because she was retiring from the web), they don't allow it, or make it such a horrific experience, you just give up in frustration.


    Yea, I know some people have had poblems with these things, but I've never experienced it myself. I've been transfering domains between registrars several times, in most cases everything was done via the control panels, and no questions asked in any case.

    I have most of my domains with webmasters.com, they also sell hosting plans but both things work very well, together or separately. I had a hosting plan with them for a couple of years but I canceled it because for some unknown reason my ISP would drop mail sent from some of their servers so that didn't work. Otherwise they were very good with an excellent support. Don't know how they are today though when it comes to web hosting, but as registrars they're fine, and with low prices.
    I'm not familiar with them, though their hosting price seems reasonable, and they have their own custom control panel. I know so many people who hate DreamHost because it doesn't use cPanel. Me, I hate cPanel, but then my first web host didn't use it either, so I guess it's what you get used to.

    Post edited by Miss B on
  • HellboyHellboy Posts: 1,437
    edited May 2013

    Just in case you wonder, I went with biz.nf and so far so good.
    Too early to say for sure of course, but being new and not even a vendor yet, I didn't wanted to spend a lot and $9.99 for a year of hosting and the domain seemed fine. :roll:
    Support is very helpful and answer within minutes. No complaints so far. Lets see how it goes with time.
    They have WordPress and Joomla site builders, but I'm having a hard time with that :/, so I used the domain with a Weebly site. Not what I expected but idiot proof.

    Post edited by Hellboy on
  • Joe CotterJoe Cotter Posts: 3,258
    edited May 2013

    Wordpress and Joomla have somewhat of a learning curve. It can be worth it in the long run if this will be a business, but it depends on how much you want to invest in the page design and maintanence yourself vs hiring it done and how sophisticated your needs become. All of the tools become easier over time so it is something you can approach in a relaxed manner if what you have is working for you. My advice is to do more basic research on what the tools can do, and what the differences are between them, as once you've invested heavily in one you will be loath to switch even if it isn't what you might want in the end. People often find themselves defending a bad decision because the idea of changing is too costly. Not referring to what you are doing, btw... you are doing it exactly correctly from what I can see. It is more a heads up for the future. Also, something to keep in mind when getting advice, this previous point and the point that we tend to idealize what we've found works for us even if we aren't fully aware of what is available in the alternatives.

    Post edited by Joe Cotter on
  • HellboyHellboy Posts: 1,437
    edited December 1969

    So, what are the usual MySQL database sizes for things like a very small store and an almost desert forum?
    I've seen hosts usually offer 50mb databases. That doesn't sound like much. Is that correct? :gulp:

  • pwiecekpwiecek Posts: 1,537
    edited August 2013

    In addition to the reliability problem of free sites, many free sites have terms of use that give them the right to use your stuff as they wish.

    Nothing against Drupal of Joomla!, but be careful of the tendency of CMS based sites to look the same.

    Post edited by pwiecek on
  • HellboyHellboy Posts: 1,437
    edited December 1969

    Just in case, I'm not using free sites. :)

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,714
    edited August 2013

    Hellboy said:
    So, what are the usual MySQL database sizes for things like a very small store and an almost desert forum?
    I've seen hosts usually offer 50mb databases. That doesn't sound like much. Is that correct? :gulp:

    50 MB would probably go a long way in the above case, unless you store attachments (pictures etc.) directly in the SQL database, but I doubt any stores or forums do that as it is strongly advised not to.

    But a site with unlimited SQL databases don't cost much - MidPhase for example (which I use myself for some of my sites) charge $9.95/m for a commercial site:

    http://www.midphase.com/website-hosting/business.php

    Post edited by Taoz on
  • HellboyHellboy Posts: 1,437
    edited December 1969

    Thanks. That sounds good! I'll consider it when porting everything to a place with bigger databases. :D

  • RCDescheneRCDeschene Posts: 2,799
    edited December 1969

    Actually, I recently found an awesome site that allowed me to create my service website just nicely. I found VistaPrint to be a popular option. They gave me great deals on Business Cards and E-Mail Marketing, too. :)

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