| Most people don't have a personal web page or a | | | | (TOS) on their website. This TOS should include an |
| business web site. But there may come a day when | | | | uptime guarantee and refund policy. It should also |
| you feel the urge to promote a product or invention | | | | include the hosts' requirement to provide you with 24 |
| or just share your thoughts with the online world. | | | | 7 support via e-mail as a minimum. Some better |
| There are thousands of web hosts to choose from | | | | hosts also provide online chat and a phone number to |
| out there. But the question is how do you go about | | | | call with technical problems. Part of their support for |
| choosing the right one for you and do it without | | | | your billing and customer support needs should be |
| getting ripped off in the process. Most people feel | | | | e-mail and a telephone number. Be wary of hosts |
| they do not have enough knowledge or experience | | | | that do not provide an alternate way of contact |
| to get a web page or web site up on the Internet. | | | | other than e-mail. It is hard to find a host that will |
| So they are afraid to even try. This article will help | | | | truly support a newbie but they can be found. Some |
| those of you who want to but are either too afraid | | | | newbie's will require a minimum amount hand holding |
| or don't know how to get started.You have a choice | | | | and some will require a walk through and some will |
| of using free hosting which gives you a small amount | | | | require that the host do most everything for them. |
| of space and bandwidth on their domain. Or you can | | | | Expect to pay extra for a host that will design and |
| have your own domain name and pay a small fee for | | | | manage your web site for you. You need to know |
| this privilege. If you decide to use a free host | | | | how much disk space and bandwidth you will require. |
| provider then your site address will be something like: | | | | Most people don't really know how much they need |
| or HostDomainName.com/YourName. The free | | | | or want and will over estimate their requirements |
| services also force you to have advertisements on | | | | sometimes by 100 fold. Most web sites use between |
| your website to pay for your free service. Some | | | | 50MB and 100MB. And most E-Commerce store sites |
| people prefer not to have advertisements on their | | | | use less than 1,000MB (or 1GB) of storage. I suggest |
| sites and they want to have their own personal and | | | | if you are just starting out you should start with an |
| or business domain name. For instance or | | | | account with at least 200MB and no more than |
| YourName.US or .org or .net. If this is what you want | | | | 500MB for a personal web page and at least 1 GB for |
| then you want to find the web host that is right for | | | | a small business site and at least 2GB for an online |
| you.First you should make a short list of things you | | | | store. Most people see ads from web hosts with |
| want to do on your web site and make a list of | | | | extremely large amounts of each or unlimited |
| things you want from your potential web host. As | | | | amounts at ridiculously low prices. Stay away from |
| far as things you want to do on your site, that is a | | | | these hosts. Hosts like this tend to sell more space |
| personal choice and I cannot tell you what you can | | | | and bandwidth than they have and this will cause you |
| and cannot do. But here is a small list of things that | | | | to have poor uptime of your website, a lot of |
| you can setup and do easily on a personal web | | | | sending in support tickets for problems and the |
| site:Personal WebsitePicture GalleryDiscussion | | | | frustration of having to deal with these problems. Plus |
| ForumsBlogsE-Commerce Store and Shopping | | | | you will not get the support you are truly looking for |
| CartGuest BooksMailing ListsPolls and SurveysContent | | | | because they have to cut back somewhere in order |
| ManagementContact ManagementAuction Site (Similar | | | | to stay in business. Speaking of which it would be a |
| to E-Bay)Website Building ToolsFAQ'sWiki's | | | | shame to find your web site down and the host ran |
| | | | off with your money just because you didn't want to |
| And much much more! The good news is that most | | | | pay a little extra. To choose which Operating System |
| of the software required to do all of the above is | | | | you want is easy. You have a basic choice of two, |
| included with most web hosting packages at no extra | | | | Linux/Unix and Windows. If you have no preference |
| cost. The bad news is that if you don't have much | | | | or special needs go with Linux. Linux provides for |
| computer know how it can be difficult to install and | | | | more inexpensive hosting packages and more hosts |
| start running the software mentioned above. The | | | | use Linux so hosts are easier to find. Too many |
| better news is that there are web hosts out there | | | | people make the mistake of buying their domain |
| that can and will help you as little or as much as you | | | | name from their web host. Do not do this under any |
| need to get going on the Internet.Now you need to | | | | condition. Some unscrupulous web hosts will hold your |
| make a list of things you want from your potential | | | | domain name hostage if you want to leave them of |
| web host. Don't worry, I'll explain some of these in | | | | if you don't want to pay their rate hikes. Always buy |
| more detail: | | | | your domain name from a separate domain name |
| Good server uptime guarantee (You should insist on | | | | registrar.Go about e-mailing all the hosts you feel |
| 99.7% or more uptime)24/7 Technical Support via | | | | have the requirements you are looking with your list |
| e-mailAn address and phone where you can call if | | | | of questions. Then make your decision based on their |
| you need to talk to a real personA host that | | | | answers, grammar or the replies and the timeliness of |
| specializes in supporting New Web Users Called | | | | their replies.David Brilliant owns and operates The |
| NewbiesA realistic requirement of how much disk | | | | Kona Forum An online resource for people who want |
| space and bandwidth you really needWhich Operating | | | | to visit and/or move to Kona and the Big Island of |
| System do you want/need No requirement to buy | | | | Hawaii. He also owns Da Kine Website Design and |
| your domain name from the web host | | | | Brilliant Host providing premier website design and |
| | | | web hosting services. You can e-mail him through any |
| A good web host will publish their Terms of Service | | | | of these websites. |