Selecting a Web Provider [2 msgs]

From: campbell@ufomind.com (Glenn Campbell, Las Vegas)
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 15:57:24 -0800
Subject: Selecting a Web Provider [2 msgs]

Subject: Re: Website developers
From: James R Graham <jrg@world.std.com>

Hi all,
To put my 2 cents in...I haven't yet done much with it, but Geocities
offers free email and 2MB disk space to anyone who wants it. It is free as
long as you are not a commercial entity. There are some issues that I
haven't looked into such as they say you can't have a link to any other
provider on the site. Even so, it is free and if you are only posting info
in text form, then 2MB should be sufficient for most topics.

james

=======================================================================

FROM GLENN:

The Geocities url is http://www.geocities.com

I am always suspicious of "free" anything.  Don't they force their
own advertizing header and footer on the page?  They force you to
be part of their "community", which is Communism as far as I'm
concerned.

Things to consider when selecting a web server...

1. Will the address be stable?  If you have to change addresses to
upgrade in the future, then you will lose all the links that have
been made to your site.  LINKS ARE THE COIN OF THE REALM.  You don't
want to spend years attracting them, then lose them all when you move.

2. Will performance be maintained?  Paying for it assures that the
provider has an incentive to maintain service.  It also assures
that he will have the funds to do it.  You WANT the provider to
make a profit.  If he loses money, he will eventually go out of
business or performance will deteriorate.

3. Will I have complete control over the site and EVERYTHING on
EVERY page?

4. Am I limited to FTP, or is shell access possible?  (Important
for eventual CGI use.)

5. Does the server support "Server Side Includes"?  These are important
for many advanced functions like hit counters that really work.

6. Are CGI scripts supported?  Does the server let you write your own?

I have had to make 3 costly server changes for my own site, so I've
learned the hard way.  The monthly cost of the server is trivial
compared to the amount of labor you put into it, so I wouldn't quibble
with paying $5-30/month for the site.  You get what you pay for.

If I were a beginner, I would still start with a basic site on pair,
starting at $5/mo for 5mg and items 1-3 above.  Their "high end" service
is  $29, for 25mg and all 6 items above, which is an incredible bargain.
(They also encourage accounts from overseas at the same prices.)
http://www.pair.com

Every cultured human on the planet needs their own web site.  It
will be how the world sees you, so you want to put some care into it.

Glenn

+---------    U    F    O    M    I    N    D    ---------+
| Glenn Campbell, Cult Leader        campbell@ufomind.com |
| Area 51 Research Center          http://www.ufomind.com |
| Las Vegas Annex               Box 448, Rachel, NV 89001 |
|                                                         |
|               "No opinions, just facts."                |
+---------------------------------------------------------+