Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 117!
Well it looks like the web hosting industry made its way through yet another HostingCon. From what I hear it was a very big and exciting event. I’ve been talking with about a dozen people who went to the event – and I have to say I might just have to make the trip next year.
The major positives from an event like this is it allows one to socialize with their peers. Web hosting can be a very cut throat business, so taking some time to meet fellow industry workers and socialize a ‘bit is a good thing. From the perspective of an outsider looking in for the most part HostingCon looked like a big ol’ party which can be a positive and a negative.
The one thing I didn’t see from the coverage I have read thus far on it is an idea. You would think with this many web hosting people grouped together you could see something emerge as a whole to make the business better. Maybe we start a conversation about not hosting splogs. Maybe somebody suggests that we all hosting companies try to hire more American workers. Those are only a few examples of what one hopes would come from an event like this. If it happened it either has not been covered or it wasn’t “buzz-worthy” enough for anybody else to pick up on.
From reading people’s thoughts on forums and blog posts it seems that the experience was an overwhelming success. Everybody from the presenters to the participants seemed to give it two thumbs up.
Now that I have given both my positives and negatives on the event, I hope to hear options and thoughts from other folks that attended the show. Was it worth the trip and will you be doing it again next year? I think overall HostingCon is something good for the industry because it gives us all something to get excited about and a real meeting place just in case the web hosting gurus out there ever plan on world domination.
HostingCon, was it worth the trip? I don’t know – I didn’t get to go. I’ll give you my thoughts as an outsider looking in though. Also we have unlimited backup hosting, the last part of our FastServers.net story and I might even do a funny little dance. Good thing this isn’t a video podcast – because the Web Hosting Show is now on the air.
If your like me and sign up for just about every social network out there, you probably have a free membership at 
It is an age old question, how should you submit yourself to the search engines. Should you not do anything at all and hope they find you? Should you go out and use one of those “all in one” search submit services? Should you go to each search engine and submit yourself by hand?
By using this series and set of tools you can see all kinds of information about what keywords are bringing people in from Google, the Google crawl rate, the last time your page was indexed plus around two dozen more cool tools and interesting resources. If your a webmaster who hasn’t done this your missing out on a free set of very helpful tools right from the folks at Google.
There are a number of tools out there to help you learn about how to create this special sitemap for Google to index. Here are just a few suggestions to help you get started:
Finding out who you share your web hosting space with, if you are on a shared hosting plan can sometimes be a good thing.
What is one of the best free solutions for tracking statistical information on your web site? Personally I like Google Analytics. It has just as many tracking and stats options as any of the expensive big boys out there but it is totally free for anybody to use. Free plus good equals a winner in my book.
Push Your Host to PHP 5
Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 115!
It is time for the masses to look ahead in PHP support and development and move towards using PHP 5. Now I am not alone in my opinion – it seems that is the growing opinion of the masses out there. So what is the hold up all about then? Well, there is some PHP 4 support dropped with PHP 5.
Since it might break some PHP 4 web applications out there, not everybody is in a hurry to upgrade from PHP 4 to PHP 5. That much is understandable. I think if we really want to see a change we are going to have to push the web application developers to think ahead – and not the web hosts.
One good place to check out to read more about “fighting the good fight” for PHP 5 is GoPHP5.org.
Here is a ‘bit of information from their mission statement on the front page.
If you want to learn more about the debate, I would suggest checking out GoPHP5.org for yourself. While your there, if you are looking for a web host that supports PHP 5.2 or greater – check out their ever growing list of choices you have out there.