Personal (SAILING) Websites

[kmclemore]

I agree, Jim. Plus, when you buy your own domain name, you can 'point' it anywhere you like... so if your website is on Google, you can point your domain there and when folks type in [redacted]they get sent to whatever server you're able to host on.

A domain name also usually comes with a few mailboxes, which similarly can be 'pointed' elsewhere. So writing to me at [redacted] (I won't post my actual address here, of course), using my first name, would route that mail to my actual mail provider.

[CFCassidy]

I use DotEasy for http://cfcassidy.com. It is about $100 for 5 years to register a domain through them, and includes website hosting and email. They have tools to build the website, although I use NetObjects Fusion to build my own and FTP it up to the web server.

[Paul S]

The only thing using your ISP (comcast, etc) for hosting is if you ever change service, your url will change. Your comcast.net/file.html will now be newISP.com/file.html. So any links you sent, pages you created, links posted, will all be broken.

The $10 yahoo charges allows me to keep my domain directory structure, so if I ever move service, everything will still work.

when I started I used my hosting storage, but don't anymore, tired of having dead links.

Everyone has different needs. Just if you plan on growing the site, unless you don't mind having your old stuff orphaned..try and get a real hosting.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

Actually that's not true. You should code your links with just the HTML file name, no domain. If you need to navigate up and down folder trees just use relative links. This allows you to work on the page locally on your PC then move it to any web host at will and still have all the links work just fine completely independant of who hosts them.

Likewise any posts you do at a forum like this one should link to your domain (not the isp) and page (ie: http://www.ddunn.org/index.htm ). This makes them completely portable. You can move your files to your new host if you change ISP's, change the URL redirect pointer in your Domain Management DNS tools (such as godaddy) and all your links in the forum will still work perfectly.

GoDaddy domain registration starts at $6 a year depending on the extension you want. One of the reasons I recommend them is the low price and a very user friendly set of DNS tools. I've use Dotster, NetworkSolutions, and EasyDNS for various domain registrations I have done and by far GoDaddy is the best.

Another nice thing about having your own domain is you can have your own email addresses that will never change no matter who your current ISP happens to be. You'll never have to change your email address again when you move or switch from cable to DSL or the next greatest thing. As part of most registration packages you get the ability to point [email protected] to any real email box. This could be the one you get from your ISP, such as my comcast ones, or you could go further and setup you own domain email services like I have at Google apps. For free you can get up to 50 email accounts for your domain along with shared calendars, shared contacts, shared documents, and google sites (wiki). These all sync with almost any phone/smart phone out there. Because it is all web based you can access your mail, calendars, contacts, and files from any computer with an internet connection, no longer do you need your computer with your email app on it (Outlook).

It's a very powerful solution for any personal domain or small business that moves you completely into the cloud. There really is no reason for any small business to install and operate a email server any more. To view your web page you go to http://www.yourdomain.whatever, to see your mail you go to mail.yourdomain.whatever, to see your documents you go to docs.yourdomain.whatever. Very recently Google has opened up GoogleDocs to any file type you want to store. It's a great family solution, my kids edit and save their homework while at home from their computers and then open it to print or submit via the school computers when in class. No more endlessly lost flash drives for moving files to school. No worries about having the right version of an application on the computer you are using, the data and the application all runs in the browser loaded from the cloud.

[Uncle Jim]

Once again Duane is correct about the links, ../image/file.html means go up one level in the tree and then to the folder image/ and file.html no need to use the domain name name as part of your link. I only use the domain name if the link is to another domain.

I use WebHostingBuzz.com and pay just over $5 month, based on a 2 year plan for the server space, more storage and band width than I'll need for a long time. I have the ablity of unlimited email address, php, SQL databases and many other functions that if I ever get around to setting up I'll have a pretty cool site. The domain name I have I get from WSM Domains I pay a little bit more at $15 yr but I have received better service from them than others I have used in the past, I currentlly have 4 names registered. I can park a name at any sub directory on my main site and it acts as a seperate web site.

One last point for not using the free servers is that they collect the $$$ for ads place on the site not you I can list ads on my sites and collect $$ from any visits or sale generated from my sites. Another reason I need to get more sites opened.

Jim

[Paul S]

Actually that's not true. You should code your links with just the HTML file name, no domain. If you need to navigate up and down folder trees just use relative links. This allows you to work on the page locally on your PC then move it to any web host at will and still have all the links work just fine completely independant of who hosts them.

Likewise any posts you do at a forum like this one should link to your domain (not the isp) and page (ie: http://www.ddunn.org/index.htm ). This makes them completely portable. You can move your files to your new host if you change ISP's, change the URL redirect pointer in your Domain Management DNS tools (such as godaddy) and all your links in the forum will still work perfectly.

GoDaddy domain registration starts at $6 a year depending on the extension you want. One of the reasons I recommend them is the low price and a very user friendly set of DNS tools. I've use Dotster, NetworkSolutions, and EasyDNS for various domain registrations I have done and by far GoDaddy is the best.

Another nice thing about having your own domain is you can have your own email addresses that will never change no matter who your current ISP happens to be. You'll never have to change your email address again when you move or switch from cable to DSL or the next greatest thing. As part of most registration packages you get the ability to point [email protected] to any real email box. This could be the one you get from your ISP, such as my comcast ones, or you could go further and setup you own domain email services like I have at Google apps. For free you can get up to 50 email accounts for your domain along with shared calendars, shared contacts, shared documents, and google sites (wiki). These all sync with almost any phone/smart phone out there. Because it is all web based you can access your mail, calendars, contacts, and files from any computer with an internet connection, no longer do you need your computer with your email app on it (Outlook).

It's a very powerful solution for any personal domain or small business that moves you completely into the cloud. There really is no reason for any small business to install and operate a email server any more. To view your web page you go to http://www.yourdomain.whatever, to see your mail you go to mail.yourdomain.whatever, to see your documents you go to docs.yourdomain.whatever. Very recently Google has opened up GoogleDocs to any file type you want to store. It's a great family solution, my kids edit and save their homework while at home from their computers and then open it to print or submit via the school computers when in class. No more endlessly lost flash drives for moving files to school. No worries about having the right version of an application on the computer you are using, the data and the application all runs in the browser loaded from the cloud.

Was this in response to my post? You pretty much made my point about why you should get your own domain and hosting instead of, using the example before, comcast's hosting. With the domain, your external/forum links will never go dead if you use the domain instead of linking to the actual location, which may change over the years.

My post might have been vague.. poorly written or something.. but your wording is much clearer...it is actually what I meant, even if it didn't read that way

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

Yes, it was in response to your post, and it is meant to describe that while you do want to have your own domain name, there is no need to pay for hosting.

Your site can be hosted just fine at a free ISP server (such as mine at Comcast) and you will have no problems with your links on the webpages or in forums being portable when you move the site to another host in the future.

Moving the pages will not break any links if you code the links correctly on your pages and your forum posts.

Code a link on your page like this and it will break if you change hosts

Code: Select all

<a href="home.comcast.net/~duane.dunn/Mods.htm">

Coding a link like this, and it will not break when you change hosts

Code: Select all

<a href="Mods.htm">

Both will function the same

Use the .. and the / to go up and down the tree branches as needed, but never include the trunk

Code: Select all

 "home.comcast.net/~duane.dunn/"

in any of the links.

Make sure all your forum post links and pictures use your domain name, not the true ISP address.

Posts with the ISP info will break when you move your site to a different host.

Code: Select all

[img]http://home.comcast.net/~duane.dunn/images/DSCF0054.JPG[/img]

Posts with your domain name will not break when you move your site to a different host.

Code: Select all

[img]http://www.ddunn.org/images/DSCF0054.JPG[/img]

[kmclemore]

And don't forget to place an "index.htm" file in each of your sub-directories - I use a very simple "end of the road" type of page - and this prevents folks browsing your sub-directories.

[Kelly Hanson East]

Thanks for all that support, IT-enabled-ones. Take the rest of January off on me, please.

[Paul S]

And don't forget to place an "index.htm" file in each of your sub-directories - I use a very simple "end of the road" type of page - and this prevents folks browsing your sub-directories.

That doesn't bother me. I acually use that 'flaw' to find stuff that may or may not be used on the site itself. but it is a good point

[c130king]

Because my boat is about 3000 miles away...

And because I have seen many great website from the folks on this board...

And because I am sad and pathetic and sit in front of my computer all day...

I created a website yesterday. I used the free (* Because I am a cheapskate... *) google service so no bells & whistles. But it is pretty easy to use and works well for my needs. Mostly just info on the trips and adventures I have had and lots of photos. Please feel free to check it out and provide any feedback you like.

http://sites.google.com/site/sailingonkonig/home

Thanks to a whole bunch of you for the ideas and inspiration.

Happy Easter.

Cheers,
Jim

[opie]

Jim,

Great!!!!

Now, instead of resting, move it up one notch ala Duane.

Go to GoDaddy.com (or equal) and get the domain name "sailingonkonig.com" or such as you would like. Should run about $7 for 2nd year, sometimes $1.95 for first year. Then go to your control panel on your domain name and "redirect" it to "http://sites.google.com/site/sailingonkonig/home"

Now, when some one enters "http://www.sailingonkonig.com" they will automatically and invisibly be transferred to your Google sites pages, but they will not know they are on the Google free site since "www.sailingonkonig.com" will be listed inside URL line at the top of the computer screen.

If you were to host your whole website on Godaddy or other such place, it will cost you at least $4 per month which is a lot more than the $0.00 cost that Google sites charge. So this is the cheapest way to get your ego stroked for $2/year, have the largest website your bored fingers can make and have fun while looking semi-cool..... Arrrrggghhhhh matey......!

Here is my example. I always liked the name fuzzywidget since my economics professor in college used it all the time as a stand-in word to mean some random manufactured good. So I got it at Godaddy for $1.95 first year and $6/year afterwards... But all my pages reside at Google sites. But, because of "redirect" command at Godaddy (or equal) anyone would think they are really at my fuzzywidget site. Here it is:

http://www.fuzzywidget.com/ Notice the fuzzywidget url on the top hides the fact that I am cheap and have all the pages on Google sites.

Note that the "ads" on the right of my site homepage are voluntary by me. Google sites does not require their ads nor will they put them there if you do not want them. I chose to put them there so I can use Google's adsense.com program that tracks visitor views and makes me some money if anyone clicks on stuff. So far, in 6 months of using this adsense ad feature, Google owes me $2.34 hahaha, but it is better than a sharp stick.....

[traderdave]

We set up a free web site with weebley it has some cool features and with our own domain ended up costing us $60.00 for two years. It is set up to make a few dollars so that should easily be recovered. WE have useful information on our links page such as trip planning resources for our area, I use it all the time for checking winds tides and currents before heading out to the boat. Check out the links page at http://www.boattrainer.com/index.html. if you are interested in our set up.

[c130king]

The other nice thing I found about the FREE Google site is the size. I have lots of pics posted (and they all go big size if you click on them) and I am using 42% of my allowed space (100MB I think).

I will consider buying a domain name...but I don't really think I need it at this point. The site is now part of my User Profile on this website. And I will just email the current Google URL to anyone else that I want to.

I wonder if I can get the HTML code for a site visit counter and just cut/paste it right into the HTML view of my home page...I bet I can.

Cheers,
Jim

[bastonjock]

thats a cool looking dude on your website sailing his Mac