Webhosting & domain name questions

[boxer]

Hoping someone can help me out with a bit of advice here about web hosting services I'm thinking about starting a website, and need some opinions about domain names and the right sort of webhost for what I want to do.

A bit of background: One of my favourite hobbies (that I’ve been doing for years) is pottery – mostly small vases, bowls and the occasional figurine. I’ve made piles of the stuff LOL, but I still enjoy it so keep making more. I really don’t have room for many more of my ‘creations’ (LOL – I always find room for “just one more”) and my family and friends are inundated, so I’d quite like somewhere to show them off or where I can just look at what I’ve made without having to drag everything out of boxes (I did say I’ve made a ton of this stuff). Anyway, I was thinking about starting a website about crafts. It’d be nice to have a site where I can compare notes with other people who're into the same sorts of things. I’m sure my long-suffering family would appreciate that too LOL.

So my questions are about webhosting and domain names and stuff. I don’t understand all that sort of thing very well (dogs I understand, but I’m not really into computers LOL) and what I’m finding on the internet is just making me more confused. What’s really the difference between webhosting and the space my internet provider will give me for free? I get something like 10Mb space and 10 email addresses with my internet connection – would that be enough for a site? A friend told me that if I want to have lots of pictures and a ‘good’ domain name then I need to have my own dedicated server. That’s the same as webhosting, right? I’m finding stuff about both on the same sites, but other than cost I don’t really see the difference.

Here’s what I get with one webhost I was looking at. Anybody who can tell me if this looks suitable? TKI

Debbie

 750 MB Ultra Fast UK Web Space:Hosted in CWCS' secure UK Data Centre
 Your Own Domain name: e.g www.yourdomain.co.uk or www.yourname.com*
 Supreme Control Panel v5.0: Manage your web site and email from the Web
 High Speed Connections: Our main connection via MCI
 5 POP3 Mail Boxes
 1 Mailing List
 Unlimited Email Autoresponders: Allows you to have an automated response for your email. For example, should you be on holiday.
 Built-in Spam-Relay Protection: Our system can filter spam emails
 Online File Manager: Manage your web site files online
 Full Graphical Web Site Statistics: View your web site activity
 Pre-Installed Scripts: - Including Full CGI & SSI Capabilities
 5 GB Data Transfer (bandwidth) per month
 Full FTP & SSH Telnet Access: FTP allows you to upload your web site. SSH Telnet allows is for advance development
 Real Audio & Video Support: Gives the capibility for have a fully interactive site
 Perl
 PHP 4/5
 Active Server Pages (ASP): Create dynamic content with ASP
 Regular Backups
 Uninterruptable Power Supplies
 High Speed connection to the Internet
 Fast technical support via e-mail
 FREE 24/7 Telephone Technical Support
 Indepth Support Web Site
 NO Setup Fee

[RockinRob]

10mb's threw your internet provider will get you about 10-20 high quility pictures and it will be full.

[Boxerworld]

You do not need a dedicated server for starting. It's costly especially if you have a managed server as I guess you know nothing about administrating them. The difference is you have a root access to the server and that you are the only one using it (more resource for your site only).
Just use a shared web hosting with a lot of web space for all your photos. The SSH access is useful for database backup.
Good luck with your crafts site! A friend of mine has also a crafts related site (in French) at http://www.artisanatweb.com

[myrocky]

Debbie, to be honest, if you don't know a lot about computers that company has too many bells and whistles. It sounds like you want a site that can be designed to your liking and you can upload your pictures. Perhaps sell them too? If so, I would go ahead and buy your own domain name and then look for a host. www.godaddy.com is a great site for buying domain names.

If you wanted to start off small first and see if you like it (being on the web), many people have used a blogging program to start websites. www.************************ is free to use. You can sign up and get started right away. If it seems like the website is what you like then you can expand with your own domain and such. If you end up not liking it, you've lost nothing as blogger is free.

[boxer]

Thanks guys And great site Olly! Pity I don't speak French or I might have just joined that one
I'd kind of shelved the idea for the time being, but it is still something I'd like to do sometime though. I think you're both right that a dedicated server would be overkill LOL Well, maybe I'll look into what sort of space I could find for free and start things off slowly. It's mostly just for my own benefit anyway.

[Boxerworld]

Debbie, did you finally get a web site? A domain name is only $3.99 at Godaddy.com for the moment. I don't think you can find a cheaper domain name registrar (for a .com, .net). Just be careful not to select all their hosting or email plan etc. They advertise a lot of products through all the pages before you go to the registration page. It's always better to have a webhost that is different from the registrar in case there is a problem.

Olly

[wnt2adpt]

Are you planning on using something like FrontPage to edit it? I don't have lots of experience doing this on my own, but I used to work in web development. Are you familiar with FTPing files? I assume that's how you could get the files there? With FrontPage, you can create the connection to the webhosting server, and just edit it straight from there. It's cool because you can edit what you want, and then just refresh the web page. There are other web-dev. tools, but FrontPage is pretty easy to work with. Are you doing any coding other than HTML? Maybe these are way too many questions, but you never know!

The benefits of a dedicated server are pretty great, as you have massive space to work with. However, like Olly mentioned, you will have to maintain and administer it. That means with any problems, you are the one who will need to fix them. With a webhosting service, they are responsible for that. If you wanted to start up a site as large as Boxerworld, you'd most definitely need a dedicated server, if not several. But for something small, webhosting is probably your best bet. I'd say there's not near enough space in 10mb to post very many pictures.

[Draymia]

I can't answer a lot of the questions, since I am not real great at a lot of internet questions. I have 5 mb with my server and have over twelve pages with lots of pictures. And these have only taken up 3 mb. I use a cheat program, so mine is not super fancy, but is easy to maintain and change. I looked into Frontpage and found it just too confusing to use, so went back to my simple one.

Someone in another forum said the websites he saw from eastern Washington breeders were "cheesy" and was probably referring to mine?? But, I am happy with it and it only cost me the cost of the program.

They are fun and sometimes a little frustrating, but with a cheat program, pretty easy to do. Hey, I can do it.

Someday, I might even work up the energy to get my own domain name and give Frontpage another try.