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90s Web Design: A Nostalgic Look Back
A nostalgic look back at 90s web design, and a warning to anyone whose website is an accidental anachronism.
Remember the days when every PC was beige, every website had a little Netscape icon on the homepage, Geocities and Tripod hosted just...
Does your website need an IP Address?? Does it really matter?
A Web site hosted with a "dedicated IP" never changes location. The advantages of having a dedicated IP number is that dedicated IP's tend to lend themselves much better to advanced web development, they are much easier to work with and they are...
LOOKING FOR A NEW WEBHOST!?!
The first step in locating the best and most affordable web hosting company for your needs is to hit your favorite search engine and then to start collecting email addresses of hosting firms. Take a quick look around at what each company offers...
Personal Web Hosting Free Or Cheap?
After you have spent some time and creativity on designing your personal web site now its time to publish it on the World Wide Web for all to see it. When coming to web hosting, many face the dilemma of choosing between free or paid web...
The Best Simple Software For The Busy Webmaster
Here are a few programs I can't do without. They're free, and make being a webmaster much easier. CGI-Telnet http://www.rohitab.com/cgiscripts/cgitelnet.html A cgi script that allows you to run commands on your server, even if your web host...
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Choosing a web host based on price? Don't!
Choosing a web host based on price? Don't!
3 reasons why price should not dictate the web host you choose
By David Leonhardt
It's tempting. There are so many companies offering cut-rate hosting loaded with astounding post-futuristic techno-gizmo features ! that it just makes sense to save a few dollars, right?
Think again. First, consider how much you would be saving. If you run a business site, saving $5, $10 or even $15 a month is not a big saving. No going concern will become a stopping concern on account of even $15 a month. But the wrong web host can stop a business cold.
Here are three reasons to look beyond price when choosing your web host.
Usability. Confession time: I chose my first website host based on price. The control panel was not easy to use, and I often found myself traveling in circles trying to enter it. I switched to my second web host based not just on price, but on usability, and I instantly became a pro. Well, not quite. But I was able to manage my email accounts and learn about CGI, and check my traffic stats and edit my html files right on the server. Not bad for a newbie who couldn't even find his files on his previous host's server.
Service. I thought my second host had great service. They even answered my emails. Until the dreaded day that some guy with a chip on his shoulder filed a phony spam complaint. I was out in the cold. In fact, they would not answer my emails or even speak to me at all. Meanwhile, my ISP responded to the same phony complaint immediately,
sharing with me a copy and giving me a chance to deal with it. That ISP is now my third web host. I pay a little more, but the personal service is worth it. I have no hesitation recommending Phastnet business web hosting to anybody who wants the assurance that they won't be hung out to dry at the first whiff of somebody in a bad mood.
Reliability. When that phony spam complaint struck, my website was down for four days. Ouch! But there are many other things that can bring down a site. What is your web host's uptime? And how reliable is its reporting and your monitoring? Other things can happen, like a form not functioning meaning lost sales. Worse still, what if Google comes crawling just when your site is down? Search engines don't like sending people to unreliable sites. Website & network monitoring services can often help avert such catastrophes, and the cost is nothing compared to the cost of lost sales.
Sure, save a few bucks on hosting, and pay a whole lot more in lost sales and increased stress. Your web host is your Internet landlord. Take as much time choosing your web host as you would the place you live in. Price alone just is not enough.
About the Author
David Leonhardt is a Canadian website marketing consultant in Ottawa. Read his SEO book and tips and his media relations plan.
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