Providers

Introduction

Now that you have a web site you need a server. If you leave your web site on your computer, no one will ever see it (unless you send it to them as a file attachment.) A web site cannot be served to the Internet from your home or office PC (well, it can be, but that's not in this class.) So when you finish your web site, you need to find a server who will store/host your site for you. Some host for a price and offer vast services and programs, some host for free with other services provided at no or minimal costs.

Commercial online services such as American Online usually offer web sites free to their members. If you use a local Internet Service Provider they may very well provide web site space along with your Internet connection. Ask them.

Assessing

When you seek a host/server for your web site you need to find the answers to several pertinent questions. Use the following assessment form when evaluating providers. (Note: An important factor to consider is how easy it is to find these assessment answers.)

Provider Assessment

Free

As a former student, this Instructor is entirely aware of the "poor-itis" syndrome that is common to all struggling students. You should be overjoyed to know then, that it is entirely possible to register for a personal or non-profit online Web Host, receive up to 20 MG of site space, and several email addresses, play music, show videos and beautiful moving images, run java script, receive awards and publicity, and link it with a personalized Virtual URL name, all for absolutely nothing.

Assignment:
Below is a chart linking to the Top 50 Fastest Growing Web Sites of the year. Several of them are Web Servers/Hosts which give registered members free Web Site space. Those that are BOLD, and show the MGs Space number, are providers offering that amount of free space. Using the Provider Assessment form, compare three of the marked free hosts. There are a few more free hosts under the chart that didn't make top 50 web sites but are also good. Send the instructor an email with your choice for Best Provider. If you already use another web host, such as your ISP, compare your provider to another from this list. Choose your preferred provider. Support your choice.

NOTE: Don't spend time in the other sites playing right now. Yes, yes, I know they are interesting, but assignment first. You can always bookmark this site, come back here during your netaholic time.

The Web In Review: The Top 50 Fastest Growing Web Sites: First-Half 1998 MEDIA METRIX, THE PC METER COMPANY WWW Audience Reach Point Increase from December 97 to June 98
Chart Definition: This list represents the Top 50 Fastest Growing Web Sites among web-users at home. The ranking is based on Reach Point Increase. Reach is a measure of "unique visitors" or "unduplicated audience" and is expressed as a percentage of web users. The sites on this list showed the greatest reach point increase, which means they showed the most growth in actual visitor traffic from December 1997 to June 1998.
Rank	Web Site	Point Change	MGs Space	Rank	Web Site	Point Change	MGs Space
1	angelfire.com	5.9	5	26	ahn.com	1.7
2	xoom.com	4.8	11	27	msnbc.com	1.6
3	preferences.com	4.4		28	realnames.com	1.6
4	theglobe.com	4.2	6	29	freeyellow.com	1.5	12
5	hotmail.com	4.1		30	nickjr.com	1.5
6	excite.com	4.1		31	snap.com	1.5
7	tripod.com	3.6	11	32	bmgmusicservice.com	1.4
8	oocities.com	3.3	11	33	digitalcity.com	1.4
9	icq.com	2.8	Home Page	34	hypermart.net businesses only	1.4	10
10	bonzi.com	2.7		35	valupage.com	1.4
11	goto.com	2.7		36	hotbot.com	1.3
12	yahoo.com	2.7		37	city.net	1.3
13	fortunecity.com	2.6	20	38	jfax.com	1.2
14	fsn.net	2.1		39	mapquest.com	1.2
15	greatsports.com	2.1		40	realtor.com	1.2
16	looksmart.com	2.1		41	cmpnet.com	1.1
17	ivillage.com	2.0		42	listbot.com	1.1
18	cyberthrill.com	2.0		43	nascar.com	1.1
19	wnu.com	2.0		44	nettaxi.com	1.1	3
20	Preview Travel	1.9		45	nick.com	1.1
21	miningco.com	1.9		46	surplusauction.com	1.1
22	thefreeweb.com	1.9		47	universal studios	1.1
23	barnes & noble	1.8		48	winfiles.com	1.1
24	amazon.com	1.8		49	1800ussearch.com	1.1
25	ebay.com	1.7		50	classifieds2000.com	1.1

A Few More :

Not So Free

If you wish your site to be a business related site (for profit) you usually must pay for a commercial server or use your business ISP if they allow. (Hypermart is available free to businesses.) Sometimes you want just a bit more in services, security, data base help. If you are willing to pay for the site, Virtual Servers can provide many optional features and, in the long run, may be more cost effective.

Assignment:
Using the Provider Assessment form, compare two of the following online Virtual Servers. If you are using your ISP provided web space, compare your ISP to another from this list (or the list above). Send the instructor an email with your choice for Best Provider. Support your choice.

Register

Alrighty then. You've critically compared some free and not so free sites. You know what you want. You are ready to make a choice and get your site online where we can all view it. Let's do it!

Assignment:

Choose a provider. You may use one of the above, your ISP, your own server, or any other Virtual Server that you find.
Register with your chosen provider.
Upload your Web Site to the new server. Remember a few rules of thumb:
- Read your providers directions on how to upload your site from your disk/hard drive to their server. Each provider will have different directions.
- The first/opening page must be named index.htm or index.html or we won't see it (or we'll see your site index)
- If you change your page, we won't see the changes until you upload them! (note: on a few of these servers I've noticed that you have to remove the old file first before you upload the new changes. Don't ask why, I haven't a clue.)
- Remember, once you've uploaded the new page/changes, you must Reload/Refresh to see those changes!
- Sometimes you have to clear your cache to view the changes, so get used to clearing your cache often! (this will be especially true later in the future if you start using Java, java script, applets, etc.)
Send the instructor email with the URL address to your new site home. Tell her your frustrations and joys with getting your site "online".
Pat yourself on the back for a job well done and go brag to your friends.

email your answers to: ecpatt@ptialaska.net

The Facilitator
ecpatt@ptialaska.net

SLC

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