So much Web hosting information so little time! Episode 14 of the Web Hosting Show is ready for download. Catch up with the past week’s Web hosting news, get your latest Web hosting questions answered, pick up a few Web hosting tips and get some design help from the one and only voice of the Web hosting world.
+ Download the Web Hosting Show!
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Welcome back to the one and only Web hosting podcast on the Internet today, the Web Hosting Show. This show is sponsored by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat. Web Hosting Chat is your number one place to visit for Web hosting discussions. Who am I? Why I am the Web hosting fiddler on the roof, Mitch Keeler. We have lots to cover in this 14th edition of the Web Hosting Show, so on with the podcasting broadcast!
Web Hosting Headlines
The Web hosting news and headlines are brought to you by The Web Host Industry Review. The Web Host Industry Review is the place to go to get all the latest Web hosting news from around the globe.
The US Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday it is consulting on proposed changes to the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act, which sets out to define how a recipient can opt-out of receiving spam, and reducing the time limit for honoring an opt-out request. So far, the Act has yet to establish a ban on sending unsolicited commercial email or text messages, but rather it requires that spam sent to consumers include a way of opting-out of the mailing list used by the sender.
The Act has managed to create a national Do-Not-Spam list, as well as banning the sending of fraudulent emails or unmarked sexually oriented emails, and providing civil and criminal sanctions for spammers who fail to adhere to the rules. The penalties may amount to fines of $6 million and five years in prison in the most severe cases.
Microsoft Works to Patent Email
Software firm Microsoft was granted a patent earlier this week for treating addresses as objects for email messages.
In its patent, granted by the US authorities, Microsoft claims if users regard email addresses as objects, it allows the email address to be easily manipulated and transferred into clipboards or other applications. Among other uses of this patent, Microsoft claims the technologies allows email addresses to be added to a contact list.
Web Hosts Now Giving Away Domains
According to research and analysis firm Netcraft, some of the Web hosting industry’s largest players now offer free domains names to customers who sign up for Web hosting accounts.
1&1 Internet is offering a free domain with its $4.99 hosting plans. Yahoo! is giving free domains for its $11.95 small business hosting package. Netfirms is offering two free domains with its $9.95 hosting plan. Meanwhile, Interland includes a free domain name with its Value Hosting plan, with the stipulation that customers pre-pay for a year.
Do you have some Web hosting news? Make sure you send it to mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll try to get it on the next episode of The Web Hosting Show.
Web Hosting Tip of the Week
Every so often you just need a quick nugget of knowledge. The Web hosting tip of the week is brought to you by Mitchelaneous. Mitchelaneous is my own personal writing space where I go one on one with you everyday with some of my Web hosting articles, random postings and updates on my current projects.
Cheaper is not always better. Actually more expensive is not always better either. Depending on how much you pay for something in life you can determin how good it is. These days I could pick up an “old school” Gameboy for $5. My Gameboy SP though cost a lot more than that and the reason for the price hike is it is better. In Web hosting though, it doesn’t always work that way.
Just because you paid $20 more for your Web hosting account than your buddy doesn’t mean you have a better Web hosting experiance. Many more factors play into the worth of a Web hosting account. Sure you might get more bandwidth and disk space but how is the customer service? How is the support? What condition are the servers in?
So just be warned that price does not always matter in the world of Web hosting.
Do you have a Web hosting tip? Make sure you send it to mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll try to get it on the next episode of The Web Hosting Show.
Web Hosting Thoughts, Views and Ideas
All of my Web hosting thoughts, views and ideas are sponsored by Data Center Talk. Data Center Talk is the best set of forums on the Earth about the world of Web hosting data centers.
What types of scripts do you like to have avaliable to install via your Web hosting control panel?
After looking at a thread on Web Hosting Chat about this very question, it seems like everybody has a diffrent opinion. Some say that an account must have Fantastico. Some say that they would rather install their own scripts by hand. Personally I think I fall more into the second group of folks out there. Having scripts ready to go is a nice idea but as you can tell from my rant last week on the Web Hosting Minute it isn’t always the best thing to do.
Speaking of last week’s Web Hosting Minute, did you hear it? If not, then go take 60 second of your day to see what all the buzz is about! It seems like the idea of a 60 second podcast has really caught on with the Web Hosting Show’s fans. It is only going to get better folks so get ready for another one this Thursday!
Why are there not more companies that give folks the option to build there own Web hosting plans? I’ve seen a few companies do it and usually the idea sounds great but the execution is horrible. Maybe if folks like ModernBill or other billing software would make it easier to add these types of options it would be a little easier for Web hosts to do.
It seems like these days there are two kinds of sales leads that people post in “Hosting Offers” type forums. I think just about every Web hosting forum out there has some type of forums where you can post your prices, what you offer and see the folks roll into your service. The only problem is a lot of people are not taking the time to get the most out of that free advertising space.
You have to sell your service like you were selling anything else. After reading your post, do you feel like you would by a hosting account from yourself? There is only so much decoration you can do on Web hosting forums, but for Pete’s sake try to make something that is a little eye catching at least. Several blocks of basic text and Unlimited thrown around on there a few times is not going to make me want to buy anything at all. Put a little charecter and charisma into your posting. Those who put forth the most work will be the ones getting the most clients.
Do you have a Web hosting topic of discussion you’d like to hear me cover on The Web Hosting Show? Then make sure you send it to mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll try to get it on the next episode of The Web Hosting Show.
Web Site Design Help
All of The Web Hosting Show’s Design Help is sponsored by BrowseHosts. BrowseHosts is the most comprehensive Web hosting directory out there today.
The Web site we will be looking at this week will be Semblant Hosting. This was another review submitted to the BrowseHosts forums, so if you want to let them know what you think, I’ll be sure to leave a link in the show notes to the thread in which they asked for the review so you can sound off yourself.
BrowseHosts Forums – Semblant Hosting Review
A few things catch my eye when I first visit this Web page. The first is the pencils, I like that graphic and what it stands for. Very good marketing right there. The problem is you are not holding the visitors hand through reading it. If it were me, I’d add at the bottom,”the obvious choice is semblant hosting” or something to that effect.
Next I would tell you to go into more detail about your Web hosting company. What is it that you do, how do you do it better than everybody else out there. you really need more text on your front page as well. Past the graphic, you are not hooking too many people in and bringing them into your Web hosting company. It is like going fishing with a really pretty fishing hook but no bait.
I like the iPod giveaway, but you change from iPod Shuffle to iPod Mini in the text so much, I’m not sure which you are giving away and to whom you are giving it to. You might want to make that a little more clear as well.
Where is the support Web page? As a customer I need information and I need it quick. Right now your just not giving that to the folks out there.
So Semblant Hosting, you have a good start but you still have a ways to go before I could say you are a finished product. Go back to the drawing board and let me know what it is you come up with!
Do you need some help with your Web site design? Would you like me to just let you know what it is you could do to make your Web presence that much better? Make sure you send me an E-mail to mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll try to get your questions answered and your Web site reviewed on the next episode of The Web Hosting Show.
Web Hosting Web Site of the Week
The Web hosting Web site of the week is brought to you by Banners World. Banners World is the number one place to visit to get all your Web site graphics, banners and designs done. You can find them on the Web at www.bannersworld.com.
This week’s Web hosting Web site of the week is Web Host School. There is no real Web hosting school, but sometimes I wish there was. However, the Web Host School Web site is a good substitute if you are looking to excel in some higher learning. Web Host School has some of the best resources gathered from around the Web on the Web hosting buisness. Everything from Cpanel questions to how to prevent fraud signups they have covered just about every inch of the world of Web hosting. There are a lot of great articles there, so get to educating yourself about the Web hosting world, check them out and let them know that The Web Hosting Show sent you there!
Do you have a Web site that deserves to be the next Web hosting Web site of the week? Make sure you send it to mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll try to get it on the next episode of The Web Hosting Show.
Web Hosting Questions and Answers
The Web hosting comments, questions and answers are brought to you by Web Host Gear. If you are looking for some great Web hosting tutorials, this is the place to go. They really are the hosting resource for professionals.
This week’s question comes via E-mail from Clark. This Web Hosting Show lisener asks:
“I see a lot of confusing words when looking at web hosting stuff. Is there any place that tells me what it all means?”
I couldn’t agree with you more. There is too much jargon thrown around at Web hosting clients and in most cases they are just expected to know what it all means. You shouldn’t have to, this stuff should be quick and easy to learn. You should feel like you need a college education to understand how to run your Web site.
I have found a good Web hosting glossary Web page via The Web Host Industry Review that might be a good start for you Clark. There they have everything definded. From active x to disk space they have you covered.
That should at least get you started. If anybody else has any better resources to share, please let me know and I’ll include them in the show notes as well.
Do you have any questions about the wild and wacky world of Web hosting? Make sure you send them to mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll try to get it on the next episode of The Web Hosting Show.
Final Web Hosting Thoughts
That is it for this week’s show! Make sure you send me your feedback, thoughts, suggestions and ideas to mitch@mitchkeeler.com or stop by The Web Hosting Show Fan Forums. Next week we will be doing more of the same! I am Mitch Keeler and you have been listening to The Web Hosting Show, the voice of the Web hosting world.
