Here are the ten most popular web hosting podcasts from 2009:

Click the image for the show you want to check out, listen to and/or download.  2009 was a great year for the Web Hosting Show podcast.  We not only celebrated four years of bringing podcasts about web hosting and web development issue to all of you, we also celebrated the 200th podcast posted. 

Also, I’m not going crazy – I did say “we” because without your downloading, dedication and support, this podcast would not be the one and only voice of the web hosting world.  Thanks to you all, have a great New Year!

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 195!
Running Time: 13 minutes | File Size: 5.99 MB

Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode:

• How to Find a Job in the Web Hosting World
• What is an Independent Contractor in Web Hosting?
• Remote Workers Should Not be Overworked!
• 10 Reminders for Web Hosting Remotes

Hope you enjoy this second take a question I know a lot of you have, how to get a job in web hosting, and advice for those of us who already work in this great industry.  Remember, you can always leave your questions, feedback or comments on this very page, or send it to me at mitch@mitchkeeler.com.  Enjoy the show!

So that, my hosting homies, is the topic of today’s show.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 193!
Running Time: 10 minutes | File Size: 4.67 MB

This week on the podcast we will be covering the top ten reasons why your web site is not working. So without further interruption, let us take a dive into these troubling web site problems.

10. The Tubes Are Broken – It was former senator Ted Stevens who famously said, “the Internet is a series of tubes”. With that in mind, when the tubes are broken, it can cause a massive web site problem.

When you navigate to your web site, your request bounce from this point, to that point, to that point over there until you reach the server your web site is hosted at. Now what if one of the points is having problems? Well then your request gets stuck, and you can’t see your site.

One way to see if this is the issue is to do a trace route to your domain. With each line, you see a different hop your request took to get to the server. If it looks likes stopped, then your, “big truck” as Ted Stevens would call it has come to a halt.

9. Server is Down, Please Try Again! – Sometimes stuff happens on a server, causing it to go bonkers, stops it from serving your web site and makes it think it is a toaster. Any server at any web host can (and probably will) go down for any number of reasons, the trick is to find the one that has done so the least amount of times.

Think of a server as MacGyver on a busy day. Sometimes it gets it’s requests out of order, breaks down, and needs a few fixes here and there to keep it running better, faster, and for a little longer.

8. What, I Need Hosting Too? – It might be a rare occurrence in the web hosting world, but sometimes it happens. You forgot to purchase a domain name with your hosting, or you forgot to purchase a web hosting account with your domain name.

For people new to the web hosting world, they often think, I want a web site, so I am buying one thing, “the ability to have a web site”. Why would this be separated into two major things? Well, it is – so remember to tell people they need both!

7. Somebody is Abusing my Poor Little Server! – If you think of a shared web hosting server, as a community that you live in, and all the other sites hosted there are your neighbors, then it is easier to understand the idea of server resource abuse. Think of the annoying neighbor that keeps playing his music so load, everybody else in the community can’t get any work done.

This can happen in the Online world too.

Say for example, another web site hosted on the same server that your site is hosted on is using up too much of the server’s CPU. Due to this problem, your web site performance has started to slow down or come to a halt.

6. YOU Are the one Abusing That Little Server! – When somebody is found to be abusing a server (for example, by using too many server resources) and that person is you, that too can bring your web site down.

No mater if it is caused by a sudden burst in traffic, or a crazy script that is badly configured – you are using too many resources, and will be shut down so your neighbors (who are playing by the rules) can go back to seeing their web sites again.

5. Using Too Many Server Resources – Now number seven through six are pretty similar, and all mainly have to do with abuse to the server. One major thing you have to watch out for (and get ready to upgrade because of it) is the use of too many server resources.

When you are hosted on a shared server with 100 to 300 other customers, one guy can’t get away with using too large of a percentage of RAM or CPU power. What about disk space and bandwidth? Those can be abused too, but since those two are much cheaper these days – the new thing to really watch out for when it comes to server abuse is the amount of the server’s RAM and CPU you are hording for your own site.

4. You Got DDoS’ed – When a DDoS happens, you can say goodbye to your web site until your web host figures where the attack is coming from, and filters it out.

What is a DDoS?

DDoS stands for distributed denial of service attack and occurs when multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted system or systems. These systems are compromised by attackers using a variety of methods.

3. Disturbing (or Rule Breaking) Content – Every web host out there has a series of rules (often found in the terms of service or acceptable use policy) summing up what you can and can not host there. Some of it is common sense, (like anything that is against the law), however others might deserve checking into at least.

For example, some web hosts allow “adult” content on shared servers, and others require you to upgrade to a virtual private server or better. Also scripts that are known to cause high server usage, like many of the YouTube-clone scripts out there, might also get you in trouble with the rules.

2. Web Site was Hacked – Always make sure you are using the latest version of any script or plugin you install on your web hosting account. Getting your web site hacked is a major problem that is never much fun to deal with. Also, check out folder and file permissions (to make sure files are at least 644 and folder are set to no higher than 755).

Now I could probably do an entire second show on web site security, but one more tip I think is worth mentioning is don’t install a script, say you never used it again, and that is your excuse for not updating it and creating a big hole for any hacker out there to use to get into your web hosting account.

1. PEBKAC – For those of you not in the web hosting support world, the acronym PEBKAC might leave you a little confused. PEBKAC stands for “Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair”. It is nothing to be ashamed of, sometimes a user just configures things incorrectly.

Sometimes they forget to set their domain name to the right name servers. Sometimes they upload their web site, but all the file paths are pointing to locations on the PC. The thing to remember is don’t be ashamed to ask for help, because in this wild and wacky world of web hosting, we are all here to help learn from and teach each other.

I hope you enjoyed this look into the top ten reasons why your web site isn’t working today. If you have any other common errors I might have missed, be sure to leave a comment and share it with the rest of the Web Hosting Show listening audience.

Web Hosting to Go – Episode 169 – October 20th

What would I like to have today? Lets see. I will have a large data center mashup map, a side of hosting tools (just remember to hold the tomatoes), a HP performance-optimized datacenter and a definition on what domaining is all about? For here or to go? I think I am about ready to go – because the Web hosting Show is now on the air.

The Magnificent Fantastico – Episode 168 – October 6th

From the first time I ever heard about Fantastico, I always thought about the traditional magician pulling rabbits from his hat. Who would have a clue that a few years later on down the road I would have a chance to speak with one of the magicians behind the magic at Netenberg to find out more about this favorite cPanel addition.

Bobcares About Support – Episode 166 – September 22nd

Any web host will tell you the hardest part about the web hosting business is finding a team of support people that care about your clients as much as you do. You want to make sure they are in good hands. One company that promotes themselves as those good hands to trust is Bobcares.

They specialize in support for small, medium and large hosting companies.

What is the AIHSP? – Episode 162 – August 18th

That is the question a lot of people are asking about coming out of this year’s most recent HostingCon. Paul Hirsch of the AIHSP stopped by to answer a few common questions we all have about this new association of internet and hosting service providers.

Personally, I am fully behind any organization that promotes the success of the hosting industry as a whole. The AIHSP looks to be on the right track.

Lower Your Hosting Costs – Episode 160 – August 4th

Want to save some of the green stuff? We have tons of great tips to help you lower your web hosting bills. That is not all though, but we have to leave some of it for the show. The Web Hosting Show is now on the air.

When Spam Attacks – Episode 157 – July 14th

Did you know the peaceful Swiss people have problems with spam? The king of all spam has also met his fate. Spams not the only thing we got on the line up today, there is a lot of hosting news, and information coming to you. So stand back, there is a Web Hosting Show coming through!

Hosting Hustle – Episode 155 – June 23rd

You can only do so many silly intros to a podcast before you run out of idea. Let me just say I got lots to talk about this week from domain marketing to somebody spitting in your web hosting fast food. Confused? Good I like to leave you wanting more and well, here it comes!

Inside Web Hosting Reviews – Episode 152 – May 12th

On today’s special edition of the Web Hosting Show we have in the studio Emory Rowland of Clickfire.com. Emory has been an insider in both the web hosting and web development worlds for a long time – so there are many topics I would like to pick his brain about. Today though we will be cover from head to toe the world of web hosting reviews.

Zangief Does Domains? – Episode 150 – April 22nd

Did you know that the Web Hosting Show was Yakov Smirnoff’s favorite way to spend a lazy afternoon? Ok, maybe that isn’t true but I will update you on the rise of the Soviet Union domain name extension as well as pull the curtain other myths and rumors about SEO. Now just as long as Yakov’s lawyers don’t shut me down, the Web Hosting Show is on the air.

Troubleshoot Your Hosting Woes – Episode 148 – April 14th

From coast to coast, and all around the hosting world we all have times where we contact support and they say that nothing is wrong. Today I’ll show you how to paint a better picture for support of your hosting problems as well as…

Well a lot more hosting podcast goodness right here on this week’s edition of the Web Hosting Show.

Searching the Free File Hosts – Episode 145 – March 17th

On this week’s show I am going to give you a run down on some of my favorite search tools to find files hosted for free on the services such as Rapidshare, Megaupload and more. Also tune in to hear about the basics of traceroutes for both Window and Macs as well as a lot more hosting goodness packed into one awesome podcast.

Hosting Podcast Turns 3 – Episode 143 – February 25th

It is not only my birthday, but it is your birthday too. The Web Hosting Show has been rocking the web hosting industry for three year now, and hopefully for many more years to come.

No surprises, no special guests no fluff will be here today though. I am just going to do my job and give you a grade A podcast you will soon not forget.

Checking in with Dr. Hosting – Episode 140 – February 4th

The hosting doctor is in and is ready to see you now. There are several sicknesses out there in the web hosting world that could bring you down.

I’ll inform you about those, and let you know of a few hyper-linked medications to check out too. The Web Hosting Show includes no side effects and an awesome orange-like flavor I’m sure you will enjoy.

Shiny Happy Hosting – Episode 138 – January 21st

You ever wonder why hosting people always seem so up to beat and happy? Maybe it is due to the fact we have to be due to dealing with customer relations all day.

Maybe it is because the angry part of our brain died a long time ago. Shiny happy hosting people rejoice, the Web Hosting Show is on the air.

With 2009 on the way, that means there will be even more web site web hosting podcasts, interviews, web site improvements and oh so much more. If you have any feedback you wish to share of the past year’s content please feel free to do so here.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 137!
Running Time: 8 minutes | File Size: 3.29 MB

The first and most important thing you can do is backup your web site and get it ready for the move. Remember to grab all of your static files. This would be all of your non-dynamic pages, images, templates and more. The exact files that you do backup might change depending on how your site is setup.

Backing up Isn’t Fun To Do

If your using a content management system, then you might search the official site for that CMS to find the best way to backup the information it stores. Often you can also backup you databases (MySQL, MSSQL, ect). Control panels can really come in handy when it comes to backing up too. All of the major control panels that your hosting account could come with should have a backup function built in.

You should also always keep a backup of your web site in my opinion (make one at least one a month) no matter if your moving or not. That makes this job easier to manage and getting everything moved from the Web to your computer shouldn’t be such a big job.

Put Your Moving Pants On…

Next step you are going to want to take is to take all of those files, folders, databases and more from your computer to the new web host. Before transferring the information over, check with your new web host to see if you will be able to view your web site as it should be seen with the temporary URL they give you. Often if they give you a URL like this:

http://www.dummyurl.com/~yourname

You will not be able to execute JSP, PHP and other advanced code types. If that is the case, see if they can set you up with a temporary real domain or sub domain. Most web hosts will be happy to do so – but it will be a service you need to ask for. Then you will know your web site will be able to be viewed by your domain name (with the old web host) or your temporary domain name (with the new web host).

They give you a domain such as testsite.testermctesttest.com. Now that you have a temporary domain that works with your new hosting plan you are ready to transfer over (via FTP) all of your static web site files.

Syncing Content, Keep it Static

Once the files are uploaded with your new web host – go back to your older web host and disable your databases and put up a nice message saying, “Web site going through move, will be back soon.” or something to that effect. You need to turn off any dynamic content generation (like with forums or blogs/comments) so that your information moving from the old host to the new host will not be out of sync when your done.

Now let us go back to your new web hosting account and upload your scripts, services and databases that need to be restored. Each script will have it’s own way of doing this so best to check with the script provider to see what the best method might be.

Take a break. At this point you should have two working versions of your web site. They are: the web site with your domain name at the old web host and the web site with the temporary domain with the new web host. Both should be static, so that no content can be added or removed from them at this point in the move.

If all systems are go, then you are ready to move to the next step in the process.

Domain Names and Nameservers

Now you need to get your domain name to point to your web site with your new web host. To do this, login to the place where your domain name is registered and update your nameservers. These should be supplied to you by your new web hosting company and are what tells the domain name to point to the new hosting account and away from the old one.

Note: If you talked your new web host into giving you a temporary domain, now you will probably need to tell them you want to go back to using your actual domain name.

Now this nameserver update will take some time to complete. I would say give it 24 to 48 hours. After that time has gone by your domain name should be pointing at your new hosting account. While the change over it taking place, people will be taken (most often) to your web site with your old web host or your web site with the new web host.

Once your domain starts pointing at your new web hosting plan, you are almost all done. Turn back on your dynamic content, forums, blogs, comments, and more. Break open some of the good bubbly stuff too because you just completed something that most people dread. I would put moving a web site from web host to web host right up there with doing your taxes. It is no fun at all. I would give it a week or two there before you cancel your old hosting account so that if you forgot to backup something you still have time to grab it before you old web host deletes it for good.

I want to tackle domain names from head to toe to give people a guide to the confusing world of domain name registrations.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 134!
Running Time: 12 minutes | File Size: 5.21 MB

There is no doubt that domain names are one of the most important parts of the web hosting game so the do deserve a little special attention.

Picking a Domain Name

The hardest thing about getting a new web site going is deciding what the domain name is going to be. I remember when I started this podcast, I wanted webhostingradio.com. Sadly enough though, it was already taken. WebHostingShow.com was my second choice though and I was able to pick it up with no problems at all. Of course when picking a domain name it has to be related to your web site or product in one way, shape or form.

Which domain name extension do you want to go with? There are plenty out there, but my usual rule of thumb is to go with a .com if at all possible. Why? This is the one that people know, are familiar with and is pretty much in the general public’s mind when it comes to associating businesses with the Web. If I told you my company’s name was the Web Hosting Show, you would type webhostingshow.com first to try to find me. Your first thought is not to go type in webhostingshow.co.uk or webhostingshow.biz.

Now where the rule might be broken is if you can get a better second choice than a first choice. For example, you want to go register greenlatern.com but it is taken. You do a little more research and find though that greenlantern.net is avaliable. Then it would be ok to go with the .net. Also you can do lots of creative things with the domain extensions too. An easy example of that idea would be del.icio.us.

When it comes to hyphenated domain names a lot of people out there will tell you they are good. They will then start going on and on about the search engines and good keywords. I think that is all a bunch of bologna. While search engines are important you need to keep in mind you are making a web site for people to read first, not search engine robots.

Check out these domain name search engines that will give you a little more help when it comes to finding out if a domain name is avaliable or not.

What domain name extensions are avaliable out there? Wikipedia has a good list of country code top-level domain name extensions.

Shopping for a Domain Name

Now we have your domain name you want picked out, where do we go to purchase it?

There are a number of domain name registers out there today. One of the most popular is GoDaddy.com. You have probably seen them at least on the Super Bowl, right? Usually when people reach this fork in the road that can go one of two ways.

Register the domain name with a third party or register the domain name with their web hosting company (if the web host provides that service). I like keeping all my eggs in different baskets – so I would stick with keeping your domain name registation and web hosting separate.

Go from domain name register to domain name register and try to find the best deal with the most respectable name. Here are a few companies to start with:

• GoDaddy.com
• Register.com
• NetworkSolutions.com

You might also want to check the ICANN list of accredited registers. That would be the best place to find out if the domain name register you find is a fly by night setup or a real online business.

Now this brings up a new idea that you must keep in mind when shopping for a domain. Make sure that when you register it, the registration is done under your name and not the name of the company setting it up for you. You want to make sure that you will own the domain name and the rights to that domain name. If you can’t find it in their small print when signing up you might drop them an e-mail to make sure.

WHOIS and Anonymous Domain Registration

What is the whois database? The whois database is the big dump where everybody’s domain name registration information gets tossed into a big search-able pile. This way anybody can find out the name, home address, phone number and more of the person who has registered any domain name.

It started as almost like a phone book for system administrators to find out who owned that next server over. The whois system though hasn’t matured any at all over the years though. It might have been ok when there were 25 people out there with domain names and servers but with millions? That is a little scary. Well I would say for businesses, having this information to turn to could be very handy but for Joe Newbie who is registering his first web site it is a big security concern.

Now I could go on and on about how the whois system is broken and we need a replacement, but that is for another podcast. They did kind of fix the problem, the only issue here is you have to throw more money at it. Money fixes everything right? Due to the problems with the whois database a new business has come up for domain name registers and the like. It is often called anonymous domain registration or privatizing your domain name. Many domain name registers and web hosts offer it as a secondary service and the price usually isn’t that bad. For $5 or more a year they will replace all of your information in the whois database with their own.

Now some people would suggest that you could just put in fake information when signing up and you would be in the clear right? The problem with that, and I speak from the domain name register and web hosts’ side on this one, is it makes it very hard to verify your identity when you say you are Huckleberry Hound from Nowheresville, Texas. Now if you had a PO BOX avaliable to you that might be one work around – since it is a real address but not your home address. Another fix would be to use your work address when signing up for new domain registrations (just make sure you clear it with your boss first).

Watch Out for Domain Slammers

So what have I left out of the domain name discussion? I would advise you to keep up to date when your domain name registrations are due. The reason is that there are places out there that will try to steal your registration away from the place you have it now and move it over to them. This is called domain slamming. An example of a company that does this shady practice is Domain Registry of America. They have been known in the past to send you a letter via snail mail (another good reason there to privatize your domain registration) to your house, to your front door and tell you..

“Oh no, your domain name registration is running out. Fill out this form and we will register it for you for another year. You only have to pay us $49.95 and you will never get another letter like this.”

Then at the bottom or back of the letter in really tiny print it will tell you, “This is not really a bill, it is an advertisement by a butt monkey trying to steal your domain name registration.” Ok, maybe the “butt monkey” part really isn’t in there but you get the main point behind the idea. If there is any question at all about your domain name registration, go to the web site of your domain name register and check there first.

It is a job for people who like to help other people. If you don’t have the patience for people with stupid questions, or if your not that interested about how the Web works this job might not be for you. If you like tinkering with things and you find yourself being very customer service friendly, then stay tuned because this might be the right job for you.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 122!
Running Time: 11 minutes | File Size: 4.74 MB

In this Web Hosting Show guide I want to cover some of the basic questions and ideas that anybody looking to work in the web hosting business will need to consider at least once before jumping in with both feet.

Am I an Employee or a Contracted Worker?

First thing that is hard for some people to wrap their heads around is the idea that you are not working as an employee of the company. You are instead working as a “contracted worker” for the company.

This is how many freelance jobs work. If you are working a remote position with the web host in question, you are actually classified as a small business in many situations. Now I won’t pretend to know all the legal loopholes that are related to that – so we’ll just leave that topic there for now.

Now if there is a web host or data center in your area that you work for – that all changes. You will be an employee and it will be “legally” much like all the other jobs you’ve probably had in the past. Nothing new there.

Experience Workers Make the Best Workers

When looking for a web hosting job, you might make a list of things that you are experienced in so that when they ask (and you know they will) you’ll be ready to answer. If you’ve owned and operated your own server then you should be a shoe in.

There are always jobs for experienced server administrators out there. Take in consideration some of your other web projects. How would you answer these questions?

• Have you installed many content management systems or other scripts?
• Do you know the basics of HTML and CSS as it related to web site design?
• Have you ever messed around with PHP, SSI or other server technologies?

If you answered yes to most if not all of them – those would also be good things to include in your resume.

Show Me Some of That Web Hosting Money!

One of the most important questions is how much will you be making? Are you going to be able to do this full time – or will it need to be a part time investment of your time? You should be looking for at least minimum wage when it comes to how much you get paid.

You might actually ask for more – because you will not have taxes taken out of your paycheck in many situations. So you have to consider that a certain portion of your paycheck will be going to Uncle Sam at the end of the year.

What Type of Web Hosting Jobs Are There?

Now for the most part I would say you could divide the world of a web hosting worker into two parts. You have the customer service end and you have the technical grunt end. The customer service end is the side that answers the questions, smiles and has the patience of a Tibetan monk. If this was a war, the customer service representatives would be the first line of defense.

Now on the other side you have the technical grunts. These workers know their way around a server and can get things on that end of the web hosting job fixed and done quickly. They might not talk with the public much – but they can do grunt work like nobody’s business.

Now occasionally you might find people that fit a little ‘bit into both camps. That is fine too – there is room for all types at most web hosts around the Web. The important thing to note is that working for a web host doesn’t mean you will be babysitting a server all day long. There are a lot of different jobs you could end up doing.

Where Can I Find Available Hosting Jobs?

Your average remote web hosting job is not going to be listed in your local paper. You might need to know where to look before you make that leap. Once great resource that is getting more and more jobs listed on it every day is HostCareers.com. That gives you everything in one spot.

You might also try looking around on some of the popular web hosting forums out there like WebHostingTalk.com. Many of them have a “jobs” section where web hosts can post the kind of folks that are looking for and people looking for work can post their applications.

Another route you could go down is to go talk with the web hosts directly. Some places like Lunarpages.com have a jobs section of their web site for open positions within the company. I am a big believer of “it never hurts to ask” so just dropping them an e-mail or a phone call might give you a lot of information on if they are hiring or not too.

Other Things to Consider Before Switching Jobs

Before you give up your nine to five job, there might be a few more things you need to keep in mind.

+ Most remote or contracted positions do not offer vacation time. If you need to take some time off, most web hosts will allow it but you had better check on the policy before signing up.

+ Make sure you read the contract the hiring web host gives you from top to bottom. Your going to be legally bound to this – so better know what you are getting yourself into.

+ Get ready to find somebody who knows what they are doing when it comes tax time. The big branch tax offices should do well, but that old lady down the street might not know exactly how to classify your new job.

+ Don’t get suckered into a job with no set hours. It might sound nice, but this just means that you’ll probably be tricked into working 24/7.

+ Remember that the customer needs to be happy – no matter how much of a jerk he or she is. Just think of it as a challenge, smile and ask “what can I do for you?”.

Is a Web Hosting Job for You?

Well that just about wraps up this guide on getting yourself a job inside of the hosting industry. So now that you have heard it from all angles, has it changed your mind or are you now interested more than ever? If you have any feedback, questions or remarks be sure to send them my way or leave a comment.

Not all Web Hosting Plans Are The Same…

• Flavors of Web Hosting
• What is VPS Hosting?
• What is Dedicated Web Hosting?
• What Are Server Resources?

When Shopping for Web Hosting You Need to Check…

• The Truth Behind Top 10 Web Host Lists
• Test Your Web Host’s Speed
• Are There Too Many Web Hosts?
• Secret Taboo Topics in Web Hosting

Once You Get That Site, Remember This…

• Quick Tips for Hosting Bliss
• Search Engine Submit and Help
• Classic HTML vs CSS – Who Wins?

Other Tools You Should Keep Handy Are…

• Setting up Google Webmaster Tools
• What is Reverse IP Lookup
• Setting up Google Analytics Guide
• 5 Great Web Dev Tools

Here Are Some Popular Marketing Tips…

• What is a Landing Page?
• 7 Ad Design Tips and Tricks
• Marketing Talk with Amy Armitage of Lunarpages
• Inform, Then Pitch Your Goods
• Marketing Your Site with StumbleUpon
• Write a Better Press Release

There is no doubt that starting out with a new hosting account or web site can be a scary thing. Hopefully with these resources by your side, you’ll be ready for anything that comes your way.

From CHMODing the right files to uploading things to the right spot, it can be a headache in the making. Well on this special edition of the Web Hosting Show I’ve decided to step you through the process of getting a blog setup on your own hosting space using WordPress.

The Web Hosting Show is now on the air.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 108!
Running Time: 17 minutes | File Size: 7.75 MB

Here are just a few topics that we discussed on this week’s episode of the Web Hosting Show.

• How to Find the Right Web Host for Blogging
• Tips on How to Pick the Right CMS for You
• The Fun of Installing WordPress by Hand
• A Few Post Installation WordPress Configurations
• WordPress Themes and Plugins – Get Them Going

Blog hosting is a big part of what made the Web hosting industry grow by leaps and bounds in the past ten years or so. Everybody and their grandmother wanted a place to tell their stories, post their options and share their thoughts. Now just about everybody has one.

The only problem is that some of the best tools out there are intimidating. I’m here to hopefully take some of the intimidation away and get you started with your own blog about whatever your passion is.

Link of the Week: Customizing and Using WordPress 101

What should Joe do? Joe should look into getting into ecommerce.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 93!
Running Time: 13 minutes | File Size: 5.81 MB

Now first things first, what is ecommerce? Ecommerce is the conducting of commerce with goods and services over the Internet. It includes: consumers using the Internet to purchase goods and services online; as well as businesses selling and communicating with other businesses through the Internet.

There are a lot of “Mom and Pop” stores all over the world that want to get their goods and services Online. How do they do it? Well there are a few things that Joe is going to need.

1. Joe Needs a Domain Name

The first thing Joe should be looking for is a good domain name. It should be something that is short, yet gets the job done when it comes to telling people what they are coming to see or buy. Take my domain name for example. When you type in WebHostingShow.com you automatically know you are getting a show about Web hosting. Now do you have to be that direct? No – but it doesn’t hurt any.

2. Joe Needs an “Ecommerce Friendly” Web Hosting Company

The second thing that Joe needs is a Web hosting company. Now there are millions out there to choose from, so finding one should not be that big of an issue. Find the best hosting deal for your budget and go with it. Now will just any Web host do? No. You want to look for the one that offers the other things on the list as well. That is where the term “Ecommerce Friendly” comes into play.

The Web hosting account that Joe chooses should have:

• A Dedicated IP Address
• Shopping Cart Software
• Shared SSL Certificate
• Dedicated SSL Certificate

Now the dedicated IP address and the SSL certificates kind of go together in the same group. I will explain more about them later. The shopping cart software will be where the fun begins.

3. Joe Needs His Online Store Setup

Now when it comes to setting up the basic building blocks of an Online store you will need a script or service to run the interface. Now like you might use WordPress or MovableType for blogs and driving content – you will need to find another Online script to run your virtual store front. Here are some of your options:

• osCommerce Shopping Cart
• Cube Cart Shopping Cart
• Zen Cart Shopping Cart

Now some if not all of these will come pre-installed with your Web hosting account. That is one of the devilish details you will need to look into when you go shopping yourself for a Web host.

4. Does Joe Need a Dedicated IP Address?

Answering support questions, every so often I get the guy who tells me he doesn’t know what a dedicated IP address is but he wants one! Now where a dedicated IP address plays a part in the Web hosting world is when you need it for setting up your own dedicated SSL Certification.

Now I could get into all the details about how it works and why you need it, but both of use would probably just end up being more confused than when we started. The thing to remember is – is that if you want your own dedicated SSL certificate, you need a dedicated IP address. If you want to use the shared SSL (if it is provided by the Web host) then you usually don’t have to have the dedicated IP address.

5. Joe Wants to Know the Differences Between Dedicated and Shared SSL Certificates

Now we get into that gray area that seems to confused a lot of people. Before I tell you the differences between shared and dedicated SSL certificates – let me share with you what exactly a SSL certificate is.

SSL certificates give a Web site the ability to communicate securely with its Web customers. Without a certificate, any information sent to a Web site can be intercepted and viewed by anyone. You know that little padlock you see in your address bar when you have a secure connection to your E-mail, banking or credit card company’s Web site? That is created by the SSL certificate. Think of it as the security checker on the server. It’s job is to encrypt any information sent from yourself to the server so no bad guys can steal your information.

Shared SSL Certificates

Now a shared SSL certificate is usually one provided by your Web hosting company. It is the one that everybody and anybody on the server you are on can use.

The advantage of using this is you don’t have to pay for a dedicated SSL certificate of your own. The disadvantage is that when people go snooping around to see your verification it is going to show your Web host’s information and not your own.

Dedicated SSL Certificates

For those that want the more professional touch, you should go with a dedicated SSL certificate of your own. Now at this point, I am not sure which way Joe might go – but there is nothing wrong with paying a little extra to get your own SSL certificate.

The advantage is that it gives your company and Web site a more professional look. Dedicated SSL also shows that the SSL certificate is in your company name and dedicated to your Web site. The disadvantage is that it usually costs some of the green stuff, and you have to pay your dues on a subscription type basis.

6. Joe Needs a Credit Card Processor

Now that Joe has a domain, hosting account, shopping cart software, and an SSL certificate – what comes next? Well a lot of folks do not think of the credit card processing that an Online store must do to turn those products into dollars. This is the one area you might have to shop around to get a good deal on. Most Web hosts do not do credit card processing because it would be another headache that they don’t want to deal with.

So with that said, what should you be looking for? Well after you type “credit card processors” into Google you should look for a company that will:

• Work Well With Your Shopping Cart Software
• Doesn’t Take Too Much Off the Top of Your Sales
• Has Low or No Annual Fees

If you want to go down the easy road when you start out, you might look at PayPal or Google Checkout as a payment processor.

7. Does Joe Want to Shop Around?

Now that all the basic have been covered and Joe has everything he needs to know, should he shop around for all these various things or get them all in one spot? I would say Joe should get as many of them as he can at one spot. This makes managing things a lot easier.

Your Web hosting company maybe able to point you in the right direction and get a lot of these services for you cheaper than it would be to go out and do all the shopping on your own.

Now you know Joe, the guy that lives down the street? He has turned his little local store into a world wide market leader by placing himself on the Internet. Where people in his local area used to be the only ones that could get his goods – now everybody can. This is as good as opening a store in every city across the world. You don’t have to be a Walmart to become a success. All you need is a good idea and the tools of the trade I have provided you here.

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That was the case untill I started seeing all these Ajax powered domain name searching tools popping up one by one. So out of the many out there today, which ones are the best? That is what I wanted to know.

The first Ajax domain name searching tool we have is squurl. It might have a funny name, but it does do the job.

Chris Jennings is a Design Student who works full-time as a web designer as well as chasing his entrepreneurial dreams. He is currently studying modern-day marketing and writing a book with a few friends at Yopos.com. Brian is the founder of the Infinimedia Network.

As far as speed goes, I would give this one 3 out of 4 stars.

DomainsBot is a new one to me, I just ran across it the other day. Here is some information about the project taken from the Web site.

DomainsBot was built to solve a couple of the most annoying problems facing anyone who wants to start a website on the Internet – finding decent domain names; figuring out who to register them with; and keeping track of them once you do.

How is DomainsBot’s speed? Five stars all the way. This sucker is quick!

Right off the bat I do not like this place because of the name. Diggage? It sounds like they are trying to milk the success of Digg.com, all the way down to the spelling. With that aside though, here is what I found out about them.

The site diggage was created one winters day. While searching for a domain name for one of my other projects I was getting extremely frustrated that I had to keep pressing ’submit’ or ’search’ or better still ‘go’. In this day and age, we want information, now! I wondered what was the best way to display results without interaction. I heard about this new so called ‘AJAX’ technology which, to be honest, has been around for a lot longer then some might imagine. Anyway, I put my thinking cap on and created diggage.

How does the speed look? Not that bad, I would say 4 out of 5 stars.

Now this was probably one of the first Ajax domain name search tools I ever heard of. Here is the inside skinny on them.

AjaxWhois.com allows you to search and Whois just about every Top Level Domain (TLD) in the world!
This service is free for private use only. Commercial use and/or abuse is strictly forbidden. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the results.

Speed? I would say it is a safe bet I could give them a 4 out of 5 stars as well.

Here is some inside information on the folks at InstantDomainSearch.com.

This site is designed to help you find the right domain name. We don’t offer computer-generated suggestions because we think people can outperform machines when using good tools.

How instant is InstantDomainSearch.com? I think we have our second 5 out of 5 stars!

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First things first, you have to break things up into smaller parts that are easier to manage.

The Idea Phase

The first phase would be the idea one. You have to have a good idea before you can get anything set up. Now a good idea can come from anywhere. It could be about anything. I usually like to start with the domain name and the subject of the Web site. For example, with Hosting Hoopla I wanted to create a new Web hosting article database. Thinking of the word “hoopla” actually came to me one morning while writing. The most important tip I can share with you is, if you think you have come up with a good domain name, buy it. You don’t know how much longer it will be available.

Getting it Up and Running

Now that you have idea phase over with, you can get things up and running. You have to get your domain name registered and you have to purchase some Web hosting. I decided to register my domain name with Go Daddy and my Web hosting with TotalChoice Hosting. There are plenty of other good choices for both jobs out there as well. The key is to find the best combination that works for you.

As the “engine” running behind the Web site, I picked WordPress. Picking a content management system can make your job a lot easier. It takes a lot of the “back end” problems away so you can focus on delivering your audience the best experience possible.

Rounding Off the Rough Edges

The last thing you have to do is round off all the rough edges. There are a lot of little things to do in “post production” of the Web site. Submit yourself to the search engines. Get the word out about your new Web site. Make sure all your links are working, and make sure your layout looks good in all the different browsers.

That is pretty much it. If you want to start up your own Web site, just follow those steps. If you have any other Web site developmental tips to share, make sure you let me know!

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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Well I guess the first question that everybody wants answered is what is it. Flashback is a software package developed by the folks at Site5 to do automatic backups of your files. For an example, lets say I changed an image on my Web site. The next day I might want to change it back, but I didn’t backup the origional to my computer. Well, Flashback would allow me to “undo” my changes and go back to the previous day’s image.

The fun doesn’t stop there. You can also totally restore your Web site, not just one or two files. If you want to roll your Web site back to how it looked a week ago, just use Flashback.

Site5’s development team says that there are many more new features to come as well. I don’t know about you, but I’m almost wanting to become a Site5 customer so that I can check some of this stuff out for myself! Right now Flashback is completely free with any Site5 plan. This may change in the future, so if you are interested in using Flashback, order a package today.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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So the first question to answer is what is Office Live all about? For the sake of keeping things simple, I’ll just focus on the Office Live Basic for right now. Here is what the folks at Microsoft say about that:

Create your own professional Web site in minutes! Microsoft Office Live Basics is the perfect way to get started on the Web. It features all the basics you need to create your first Web site, including free hosting, Web site statistics, personalized domain name, and e-mail addresses.

Now if this all plays off to perfection, then Web hosts have something they should really worry about. If the execution of these services aren’t that great, then customers will look somewhere else.

What Microsoft wants to do is bundle every aspect of a Web hosting account under one roof. Now as I said before, if they can pull it off, then more power to them. You have hosting, design, E-mail and management all covered.

Now where is Microsoft making the mistake? They are aiming this towards business. For the most part, if you are running a business, you are going to hire a team to do this stuff for you. What about small businesses? Well, that is one market they could get. Small business isn’t a big enough market to keep this up and running.

What they need to do, to become successful is aim this product at everybody. The majority of Web sites out there aren’t small business. They are Aunt Sally and Uncle Elmer trying to post Christmas pictures. Make things more friendly towards the average Tom or Jane on the street.

So we go back to my first question. Do Web hosts have anything to fear? I don’t think so. Not yet anyways. Even if the product is as good as it gets, I feel like Microsoft is fumbling on the marketing of the idea.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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The strange Web server in question this time around is the WebServUSB. If you haven’t guessed by now, it is an entire Web server crammed inside of a USB thumb drive.

What type of features does this tiny Web server handle? What content can it serve up?

CGI /Perl

PHP /Python

MySQL

Java / JavaScript

Flash

RealAudio

Windows Media

Here is some of the “press talk” you can find via the official Web site.

WebServUSB is a full featured web server programmed into flash memory a USB device. It features HTTP and FTP web services, plus a companion email server program which provides POP3 and SMTP mail services. By plugging WebServUSB into any PC with a USB port, it can enable that PC to become and Intranet (LAN) or Internet based web server. WebServUSB can provide the majority of features of a web server costing thousands of dollars all embedded in the USB flash memory. WebServUSB comes in sizes ranging from 128 megabytes to 1 gigabyte.

Want one? Check out webservusb.com!

I would say this Web server should go into the oddball server Web Hosting Show hall of fame. It would fit just right with the iPic and the PlayStation Portable Web server. Have any other strange servers you want to share?

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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Join Some Web Hosting Forums!

One of the easiest way for Web hosts to get themselves known to the outside world is to join and contribute to all the Web hosting forums you can find. Finding a forum shouldn’t be the hard part. Here is a list of some of the Web hosting forums I like to read:

Web Hosting Chat

Web Hosting Talk

BrowseHosts Forums

Host Hideout

Data Center Talk

All you need to do is find a place on these forums where you fit in. Don’t try too hard too hard to bring attention to yourself though. Try your best to fit in with the crowd, and via the forums you will make connections with both customers and other hosts.

Put Out Press Releases!

The guy who said, “No news is good news” wasn’t ever in the Web hosting business. Putting out press releases to talk about your newest additions is a good way to get attention. Most if not all of the Web hosting news Web sites out there love to get news in any way, shape or form. You might look into hiring a professional to write some of your press release copy as well. If this is how the outside world is going to get to know you, you want to make sure you sound as good as you want to look.

Expand Your Hosting Web Site!

If you think your Web site is a little on the small size, then don’t be afraid to expand. Remember that you want every page you run to be listed in all the search engines. Each time you get one in there, you are getting one more response to a search, and one more set of eyeballs on your Web site. I know some Web hosts who have gone as far to add help sections, just so that they would have new inbound links to their Web site via Google. Now I wouldn’t recommending growing for the sake of growing. I would say expand in the areas you really need to expand. If you happen to get a little boost in search engine results, then that is a side effect worth getting.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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Subdomains

So, what is a subdomain? It is a second level domain, some might say. You have probably seen one before. Think of mail.yahoo.com. That would be a subdomain of yahoo.com. They are used to break up your Web hosting account into different parts. Now, if you want one it shouldn’t be too hard to get one. Just about every domain name register and Web host out there offer them. It is just one more thing to keep in mind. One more screwdriver in your tool belt when it comes to planning the layout of your Web site.

Domain Name Acronyms

Now I am sure everybody knows what an acronym is. Just in case you don’t though, an acronym is a word that is formed by combining parts of other words. Web Hosting Show Fans’s Acronym would be WHSF. It takes the first letter of each word in the phrase and makes a word out of it. Now do you want to use acronyms when you pick your domain name? I would say maybe. I would rather you get the whole phrase first, and then pick up the acronym later on down the road. For example, www.ilovemashedpotatosandcheese.com might be a little too long of a domain name. In that case, it might be better to direct people towards www.ilmpac.com.

Price Comparisons on Domains

There are a lot of different prices and deals out there when it comes to domain name shopping. Maybe even more than you would get when shopping for a Web hosting account. You have to remember to be a smart consumer and comparison shop between multiple places. You won’t find the deal of your dreams your first time out. It is always a good idea to weigh the advantages and the disadvantages of multiple places before making your final choice. Decide which price and features is the best for you, then pick your domain name register.

Own Your Domain Name

The last tip I have for you today was suggested to me by a Web Hosting Show fan named David. You should always make sure that the domain name is registered in your name and not the name of the Web host or the domain name register. That way if you want to move to a different Web host or domain name register, the process isn’t such a pain in the rear. Want to find out who’s name your domain name is under? Just do a simple Whois search and you should be given all the details there are. Make sure you always read the fine print.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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I’ve told you about picking the perfect domain name and how to shop for that same domain name. What is next? We have to get that domain name and your Web hosting account talking to each other. We have to set up your new domain name so that when you go to it, it will lead to your Web hosting account. There are usually two ways this is handled. One is way is when your domain name register and Web host are the same and the other is when they are different.

When your Web host and domain name register are the same company, your job is usually a little easier. The reason this is an easier set up is because the domain name registrations and hosting are usually connected in one way or another.

For an example, lets say that you bought your domain name first, then your Web hosting. When you start putting in your information about your account while setting up the Web hosting, they will ask you for your domain name. When you do that, you are connecting the two accounts. Then when the Web hosting account is set up, the Web host has everything they need to get you up and running. Your domain name is already pointing towards your Web host’s DNS settings, so you have no more work here to do.

Now when your Web host and domain name register are different, then you might have a little harder time. When you sign up for your Web hosting, your Web host will give you some DNS numbers that you’ll have to give to your domain name register. These numbers tell your domain name to point towards the Web host’s servers. Once you have those numbers, you can usually sign into your domain name register’s Web site and change the settings from there. It is a little more work, but you can still get to the same destination no matter which way you go.

So there you have it, two of the most popular ways of setting up your domain name to work with your Web hosting account. Next week we will cover a few more domain name tips and tricks I might have left out in the past three weeks. Remember to check out WebHostingShow.com to catch the other domain name specials!

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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Before you even start shopping online, you need to stop and think. Let us say you already have your Web hosting for this domain. Now the first question you have to ask yourself is do you want to buy your domain name through your Web host or through a separate domain name register.

Now the advantages of buying a domain name with your Web hosting company is that all your eggs are in one basket. You can go to one place to manage both your Web hosting and your domains. Keeping track of your payments might be a little easier as well, since you are doing it all with one company.

Now the disadvantages of buying a domain name with your Web hosting company is, once again, all your eggs are in one basket. What if you end up, six months down the road, very unhappy with the entire experience? What if you really like a Web host’s hosting services but hate how they manage domain names? What if you want to cancel and move to another Web host? All of these might be a little harder to achieve or do if you are registering your domain name and your Web hosting with the same folks.

Which one is right, and which one is wrong? I’ll leave that much up to you. Some people like to have their eggs scrambled and others like to have fried eggs. It is all a matter of what is right for you.

If you are going to select a domain name register than is not your Web host, here are a few places to choose from:

GoDaddy.com

BlueRazor.com

Moniker.com

eNom.com

So now you know what questions you should keep in consideration when shopping for a domain name. Next Thursday I’ll be letting you know my thoughts on how to set up your domain name with your Web hosting account. What is the best ways, easiest ways, I’m just here to make your life with domain names better.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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So how do you pick the perfect domain name of your dreams? Well a lot of that has to do with what you want your Web site to be about. Some people might argue with me on this point, but I am a big believer in having keywords in your domain name. Keywords that are associated with the idea behind the Web site.

For example, lets look at WebHostingChat.com. When you read that domain, you already know what you should be getting. You have already been told that the subject is Web hosting and it is some sort of chat. Now chat is one of those words that could mean a lot of things. It could mean a chat room. It could mean discussions. In this case, it is referring to the fact that WebHostingChat.com is a set of forums about the Web hosting world.

Now lets say the domain name for WebHostingChat.com was FunkyForumsR.us. At the domain name, you would already be confused as to the reason or purpose of the Web site being up. With that domain, you would expect some odd things happening. Not a bunch of hosting gurus talking about the hosting industry.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Stay away from hyphenated domain names. Sure, some search engines might like them more because it makes your keywords a little easier to see. As far as human use goes, it doesn’t make it very user friendly. So if you can stay away from it, please do so.

Another idea that you might want to keep in consideration when you are domain name shopping is buying out your domain name with the word “sucks” after it. Why would you want to do that? You would want to buy it out to keep it from falling into the hands of somebody who doesn’t like you very much.

So that is it for your first of four lessons from the Web Hosting Show. If you have any questions, or you’d like to tell me what you think drop me an E-mail at mitch@mitchkeeler.com. Next Thursday we will be talking about how to shop for a domain name. Till then, may your hosting be happy and your account stay running.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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4. I wish for GoDaddy.com to offer a better Web hosting experience.

I have been nothing but disappointed with my hosting experience at GoDaddy.com. I had heard good things from folks in the past about it, so I had to try it out to see what all the fuss was about. I will give them a little credit, as far as bandwidth, disk space and uptime goes, I am very happy. Where I have a problem is the control panel and missing features. The control panel that GoDaddy.com uses sucks, there is no denying that. It is one thing to rule a market, it is another thing to be the best thing in the market. GoDaddy.com might be on the way to ruling the virtual Web hosting world, but they are by far not the best option out there.

3. I wish for Web hosting jargon to become more simple for folks.

Ok, so maybe this wish isn’t so easy to achieve. I just feel like a lot of people are scared off by the idea of Web hosting because some of the words are confusing. To really master and learn the ins and outs of the Web hosting industry, one has to almost learn a different language. POP3, FTP, MySQL, these should be services that work – but I shouldn’t have to know them by such confusing names. As I said before, this wish probably won’t come true. It somebody can do it though, they will have my total support.

2. I wish for more competition within the Web hosting industry.

Well, there are hundreds, if not thousands of Web hosts out there today. Maybe competition isn’t the problem. I just wish more folks would realize that there are more choices other than the top names in the business. I hope that a few more of these smaller companies get a stronger grab onto the Web hosting market. The more top companies there are, the more they will be competing for your business and your money. That is definitely a good thing.

1. I wish the Web hosting industry would catch up to the rest of us.

When it comes to innovation, the Web hosting industry isn’t exactly number one. It seems like with words like RSS and Web 2.0, the world of Web hosting is in the dark ages. As somebody who jumps often from the leading technology stories to the leading Web hosting stories out there, I am disappointed. I am disappointed that more Web hosts and hosting related Web sites aren’t trying something new or something different. You can only release press releases for so long before the public gets tired of you.

Do you have any holiday hosting wishes you’d like to address? Make sure you send them to me and I’ll be sure to let everybody know all the best ones I get.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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We have five Web site to take a look at this time around, so lets go ahead and get things started.

Htmlarea.com

Htmlarea.com is one of the best and easyiest to use WYSIWYG editor directories out there today. There’s no clutter and no mess, they just get right to work with letting you know what choices are out there today in the WYSIWYG world. They also have a selection of color selectors, date pickers, menu builders and more. Htmlarea.com now showcases more than 150 WYSIWYG editors, content managers, and portal software. Htmlarea.com also offers a forum for developers to discuss the positives and the negatives of the various WYSIWYG editors and to help with problems that arise. If that doesn’t qualify it for the award, I don’t know what else would.

Freewebs

There are a lot of Free Hosts out on the Net, but few can offer the same things that Freewebs does. Blogs, polls, ecommerce, site promotion, photo albums and collections, site builder tool, web form builders, and a lot more are but a small taste of the things that Freewebs includes with their free hosting plan. Freewebs has been around since 2001 and has the experience and longevity few Free Hosts can claim.

StartLogic

With an overwhelming assortment of Web Hosts on the Internet today, StartLogic stands tall. StartLogic’s hosting solutions come with an impressive list of features along with plenty of data-transfer. Toll-free phone and email support is available 24/7 and technical support is knowledgeable. StartLogic provides a complete and powerful hosting service with the right amount of features and excellent support.

Our Media

Vlogging, or Video Blogging, has become a very popular medium for Web enthusiast around the world. Our Media is a Free vlog Host that provides a full set of features to include RSS player, Site Publisher, and more. Our Media is not just a free vlog Host however, they also allow free photo gallery and music hosting as well.

eLineStudio

eLineStudio’s Site Composer is a browser, control-panel based Site building tool. Site Composer uses the ASP programming language to organize your Web sites contents based on multiple content categories, to share and collaborate on documents found on your Web site, to build a self-maintaining Site map, and a lot more. Site Composer is a comprehensive site building and managing tool.

The Web Host Magazine and Buyers Guide Editors’ Choice award is something ever Web hosting or Web developement Web site should strive to get. It really is the only “mark of excellence” the Web hosting industry has right now. It is something any Web site should be proud to show off as well. How do I know? Well, the Web Hosting Show is a former winner of this award as well.

The editors also love to get suggestions, so if you have a Web site that you think deserves to get praised, let them know about it.

Make sure you tune in next Monday for a brand new edition of the Web Hosting Show. This podcast has been supported by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat, your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Remember, if you want anymore Web hosting interviews, videos or podcast go check out WebHostingShow.com.

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I got an E-mail from a Web Hosting Show listener the other day. Shane wanted to know what I thought about Web server collocation. When you should do it, when you shouldn’t do it and so on. So here we go.

When a Web host collocates the servers that it owns, that means that it rents out space in different data centers that are not anywhere near the central base of operation. The good thing about this is if something bad happens and disaster strikes then you are not left with every server a Web host runs going down. The bad side is that most of the repairs, upgrades and monitoring must be done through a third party, the folks that own and run the data center the sever is in.

Now I’d say this system is alright for about ninety percent of us out here. The other ten percent would be big corporate companies or very demanding Web sites that need a quicker response time when things go bad. Sometimes it might be better to sign up with a data center on your own, leaving the standard Web host out of the equation.

That way you are cutting out a middle man when it comes to those support upgrades you need. If you do this though, you must make sure that you have a system in place with sever administrators and folks that know how to do the dirty work with the server. In my case, I would probably be pretty lost when it comes to running a Web server by myself. I’d need to find some folks that had run a server before. That is some of the experience that you are loosing if you cut the Web host out of the deal.

So hopefully that answers a few questions about my thoughts and opinions on Web server collocation. Remember if you have any other questions you’d like to hear me answer, just drop me an E-mail at mitch@mitchkeeler.com.

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Running Time: 3 minutes | File Size: 768 KB

Well that was then, and this is now. The new quick way to keep up to date with your Web hosting ways is Web Mail. Web mail is an a way to check your E-mail without ever leaving your browser of choice. Looking much like Hotmail, Yahoo Mail or Gmail, Web Mail is usually offered as a part of your Web hosting package at purchase of a Web hosting plan.

Some Web hosting companies may offer several different programs to choose from. The most popular Web mail clients are: Horde, SquirrelMail, and NeoMail. All three have what you could expect from your basic interface and look much like the Hotmail or Yahoo Mail systems. You will have your inbox, sent messages, drafts and any of the other standard folders as well. It is worth mentioning though that these programs do not work well together. Just because you create a folder inside Horde that does not mean NeoMail can see it. The best thing to do is find which one you like the best, and stick with it.

How can you tell if your Web hosting plan has a Web mail account? That it easy. Login to your control panel your Web host offered you, then look under your mail settings. For my control panel (cPanel) it is located on the first page under “E-Mail”. Depending on your control panel or Web host it might be located somewhere different. You might also ask your Web host if they provide it, if you are not sure where to look.

What are the advantages of using Web mail? Well now you can check your mail on the go. If you happen to be at a friend’s house you can get on his computer and check for new messages in just a few seconds. Also, there’s no need to install any new programs or software yourself. The beauty of Web mail is it can be run from anywhere with an Internet connection and a standard Web browser.

Web hosting is a difficult and confusing business to get yourself into, but sooner or later just about everybody thinks about starting a Web site for themselves. No mater if you are starting up a Web site for your child’s baseball team or for your own corporate business, the things you need to look for to succeed are them same for all.

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Running Time: 6 minutes | File Size: 1.42 MB

Here are a few things to consider asking any Web hosting company you feel is worthy of having you as a client.

What is the Web hosting support like?

Depending on the force behind the company, your support could be anything from great to horrible. Get a good feeling for how quickly they can get to you by sending them a few pre-sales questions. How in depth are they with the answers they give you? A good support team will give you enough information so that you know what the answer is and give it to you in a way that even the dullest could understand. How quickly did you get answered?

Most Web hosting companies will get you answered within twenty-four hours. If you have to wait longer than that, then it is time to worry.

What services do they promise to provide?

Receiving a boat load of services, promises and gimmicks are not a rare thing in the world of Web hosting. Often you will receive several pre-installed scripts, control panels, and other things that could be helpful to your Web hosting experience. The two things you want to pay the most attention to though would be bandwidth and space. If your Web site does not have enough bandwidth then you might loose your Web site till the limits are reset the next month.

You also need to make sure you have enough space. If you don’t have enough space, then you will not have the option of expanding your Web site or growing it any larger. It is always good to buy a little more than you think you might need in both areas, just to stay on the safe side.

How many customers are they serving per server?

Depending on the Web hosting plan or the Web hosting company the server that your hosted on might be a little more packed than you might think. A responsible Web hosting company will not overstuff the servers they own or collocate.

Most of the time, sharing a server with several different companies is not a bad thing though. However, you do need to ask your Web hosting company about the numbers. If you are shopping around for Web hosting, you need to ask each company about the client per server ratio. Go with the company that fits your other needs, and has the least amount of clients per Web hosting server.

How are the servers systems run?

What type of operating system is your Web hosting company using? Depending if they are using a Linux or Windows based server, you could or could not be able to install some scripts. Not all scripts have versions for both server types. Have a good idea what type of scripts you might need for the server you are on.

What other questions should I ask?

There are obviously more questions you can and you should ask a Web hosting company before you sign on with them. The thing to remember is to not be intimidated, and that if they do not answer your questions, they do not deserve your business.

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Running Time: 3 minutes | File Size: 1.51 MB

The thing that separates PSPad from all of the other text editors and FTP clients out there is that it is one program that does both! Yeah, you heard it right, this bad boy both edits Web pages and uploads them to the server as soon as you save.

Now in the days before PSPad, if I wanted to edit my Web site, MitchKeeler.com I would have to edit the local version I have saved onto my Web page in a text editor. Then I would have to open up my FTP client, upload the files that were changed, then refresh the Web page in question that I was editing.

With PSPad all I do is open it up, edit the page in question, and hit save. That is it.

Check out these links for more information on PSPad:

Download PSPad for free!

View Screenshots of PSPad in action!

All “finder’s rights” to this program belong to Chris Pirillo. I heard him mention the program on last week’s edition of The Chris Pirillo Show and had to try it out. After 30 minutes of playing with it, I just felt the need to drop Chris an E-mail thanking him for introducing me to PSPad. It really is that nice of a program.

The best part about it is it is totally free! So try it out and be sure to let me know what you think. If you have a standard Web site out there that needs some editing, there is no better free tool on the market.

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Running Time: 60 seconds | File Size: 236 KB

Google is a great news source. Sure it has a few problems, but what doesn’t these days?

For those of you who don’t have a minute to spend listening to me, here is the walk through:

1. Go to the Google News Web site.

2. Find and Click on News Alerts (Should be on the left side of the Web page)

3. For the search term, type in “web hosting”.

4. Set the other preferences to the way you want them.

5. Hit the “Create Alert” Button.

There you go! Now wasn’t that easy? This is just one of the many ways I like to stay on top of what is going on in the world of Web hosting. Have a news reader? Then grab the RSS feed for the search term “web hosting”.

Google News – Web Hosting RSS Feed

Plug that into your favorite news reader, and you don’t have to bother with creating the Google alert!

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Running Time: 7 minutes | File Size: 1.64 MB

Our first question comes from Dominick via Hotmail:

Great show! I was wondering what you thought about ads on Web sites. I want to start up my own site but don’t know if I should put ads or not. Please, let me know your thoughts.

Well Dominick, even though this isn’t really a Web hosting question, I’ll be happy to share my thoughts on it.

Now if you are talking about the ads that have my punch a monkey for a free Playstation Portable, I hate those. I hate flash ads, I hate ads with sound, I hate annoying ads. However, in the last few months I have become a big fan of Google’s AdSense ads.

Why? Well because unlike the “punch a monkey” ads, they are usually relevant to the content on the Web site and they usually lead to real Web sites. Not Web sites that ask me for $20 and a referral to five friends before I can see the Web site in question.

So in my opinion, if you want to play with ads, give Google’s AdSence a try.

Our next question comes from Bobby via Hotmail as well:

Mitch, my web host has an affiliate program, should I sign up for it? I’m not sure what it is for, but I do like my host so I would like to get more people to sign up there. Thanks.

Well Bobby, first let me give a little description about what an affiliate program is.

When a Web host or any company has an affiliate program, that usually means that they are looking for their clients to refer folks (using ads) back to the Web host itself. In return, you might get paid money or some other reward for doing so. I think from both the Web host’s point of view and the Web hosting client’s point of view, this is a great idea.

If you like your Web host, you want to tell others to use them. So you are getting rewarded in one way or another just for spreading the word. I would say make sure you read all the legal stipulations first, and then if it still sounds good, then give it a shot. If an affiliate program still kind of seems scary to you, then you might just put a link on your Web site back to your Web host yourself. Maybe a small text link at the bottom of the Web page. Either way your Web host should be happy.

Our last E-mail question comes from Hunter via GMail:

Dude, you need a cohost or something man. You can’t talk right by yourself and the sound of your voice gets annoying after a while. Get somebody else to host the show and I will listen again.

Well Hunter, thank you for your opinion…

Every so often I get an E-mail like this, and I have to answer it. I make a promise to answer all the mail I get, so this one.. just like the other two, deserves an answer as well.

When I first start this podcast, I heard a lot of comments like this. Not everybody, but a good amount of folks thought I should bring somebody else in to co-host or host the show. Now I’ll give my answer one more time.

Unless somebody offers me millions of dollars to buy out my show, or I am unable to do a show because of one reason or another, you will never hear anybody else hosting this show. Jimmy down the block isn’t the voice of the Web hosting world. Bob down the street isn’t the voice of the Web hosting world. That title falls on my shoulders and my shoulders alone.

As long as there are people out there with questions about the way the Web hosting world works, I’ll be here. As long as there are folks who want to know what I think about Web hosting. I’ll be here. As long as at least one person is listening to this show each and every week, I will be here. I make it my promise to each and every one of you listening to this right now that I will always be here to help you with the way the Web hosting world works.

Well that’s it for this special E-mail edition of the Web Hosting Show. Have a question or a comment you’d like to make? Make sure you send it to me at mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll be more than happy to answer it for you right here on the show. I am Mitch Keeler, and you have been listening to a special edition of the Web Hosting Show, the voice of the Web hosting world.

Download the Web Hosting Show 15 Second Promo!

If you have a podcast out there and you enjoy this show, feel free to play this promo till your face turns blue on your own podcast. I might even be willing to plug a few more podcasts on my show in return. So there you have it, my 15 seconds of plugging my child of love, the Web Hosting Show.