Re: Carla, cheapest is not always best...

> Maa,

> I never said cheapest was the best but sometimes it sure can be.

> I've got over 200 domain names with Godaddy and have 2 dedicated servers
> there.

> Their prices are great and their phone support is awesome but rarely
> needed since everything is made super simple for the user.

> They also have some real simple packages that I thought would be of great
> help to Carla here.

> Check out their "website tonight" program. This is a web-based
> template program that doesn't require any html or ftp knowledge. Carla can
> build and host her site for $4.99 a month and update it online without any
> ftp knowledge.

> As far as the domain name, I thought CarlaBall.com sounded the most
> professional. Nobody is going to be searching for any of the domain names
> mentioned so why not go with the one that sounds the most professional and
> the easiest to remember.

> Just my opinion.

> Jim

Carla, I'm sure everyone has the best of intentions and you have gotten some great information but, just reading the thread, I can see that you'd find it extremely confusing. Allow me to help...I used to have a successful newbie site so...let's begin at the beginning.

First off, I recommend you avoid Go Daddy because of their reputation for holding folks hostage if you try to move things for any reason at all...and they're expensive in that event...and you risk losing your domain. Ask Paul Meyers at TalkBiz.com if you think I'm kidding.

I use 000domains.com and have for years. They were great when Network Solutions held my domains hostage and refused for 3.5 weeks to transfer them. 000domains got the transfers done in 3 days. They're not the cheapest at $13.50 but they are the best IMHO.

I'm not very familiar with AllWebCo but I won't step on Maa's toes by contradicting her extraordinary experiences with them. The one I currently have my sites with is excellent but not real newbie friendly even tho' their support is excellent so I won't make a recommendation there.

You should always keep a backup copy of your entire site, and if you have databases, back those up onto a storage medium of some kind and do incremental updates (just whatever's changed since the last update)...at least weekly.

If you used templates that are offered by your current host, you may or may not be able to use them elsewhere...best to check. Some are proprietary to the host and cannot be used elsewhere. Since you have a backup of sorts on your computer it is likely to be okay to use them...but I'd still check. If they cannot be transferred, post and let us know and we'll help you get them into other templates or some such so you can. It's a bit of a hassle but not all that bad so don't be shy, okay?

FTP sounds scarey but isn't really...only the first time...then you'll wonder what all the fuss was about. I use WS_FTP Pro but it's not beginner friendly and the new methods they're using and the customer disservice they now give earn them a no-recommend in my book. Cute FTP used to have malware in it but I don't know the current status on that. It is pretty easy to use, however.

Some hosts will move your entire site for you (my current host will) but most won't. There are programs like Flash_FPX (I think that's the name...been a long time), that will do direct transfers so you avoid downloading and uploading hassles.

As for the domain name, I agree with MaaMaw that the best might be to begin with what people would remember: stainedglassbycarla.com . DO get a dot com extension as it is the default if someone mistypes dot net or some other extension instead...so they will find you even so (unless someone has the identical domain with the other extensions...unlikely in this case).

Do NOT have your host get your domain for you. Do it yourself. I've recently been through a horrid hassle, extra expense and delays because I bought a name through my then host and they refused to release it, wouldn't answer emails or calls and so on...then I couldn't reach Enom (I'd never use them again...they're almost impossible to reach but decent if/when you finally do). They put a registrar lock on my domain and you talk about hassles!...yuck! Do your own registration of a domain.

A few other things to keep in mind when choosing a host: make SURE you can expand capacity if needed at a reasonable cost. Some that sound cheap to upgrade aren't so...do your due diligence.

Anonymous FTP isn't offered by every host but it's invaluable if you need to hire someone to install scripts for you. With it, you can avoid giving out your primary FTP access and, when they're done with the installation you can just delete the anonymous FTP account you created for them to access your server. Much safer that way.

I can't stress this enough: read the TOS (Terms of Service) and know what it says, and what it means to you. Failure to do this has caused innumerable heartaches and headaches for folks. If you don't understand something, ask for an explanation.

Best wishes, Carla. My apologies for the length but hope it helps you or perhaps someone else in a similar situation.

Sandi Bowman