We have all seen the top 10 lists out there for Web hosting providers. On today’s show I’ll teach you how to read between the lines and figure out which ones are honest and which ones are just in it for the money. Also we’ll cover a few more of your frequently asked questions, VPS hosting and bucket loads of Web hosting goodness.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 102!
Running Time: 13 minutes | File Size: 5.76 MB

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

• What Exactly is Virtual Dedicated Hosting?
• Get Some Free Web Hosting Company Layouts!
• Your Most Asked Questions - and my Answers!
• Who’s Top 10 Hosting List Should You Trust?
• Are Domain Names About to Get More Expensive?

Nobody should have to stress themselves out when it comes to the Web hosting industry. Sure there are a lot of confusing topics, but that is where this podcast comes into play. I do my best to teach you the basics so that you can go into this area of the Web with a little more expertise under your belt.

Link of the Week: 5 Most Popular Hosting Podcasts!

Now I am a little ashamed to admit this, because it is the first time it has happened to me. We are all friends here though, amigos all around - right? I got an E-mail from a guy who wanted to know if I knew of a good place to do a little podcast hosting.

The problem? While going through my inbox - I lost his E-mail so I did not get the chance to reply. I am sorry for that - deeply sorry. I will let you know my thoughts though on this matter.

Now, as it is with any Web host shopping that you do, you need to find a Web host that delivers what you want and what you need. With podcasts, you are going to be dealing with a lot of large audio files, so disk space and bandwidth are a big “must have”.

You will also need a place that will support the posting back end that you wish to use. Now I would suggest WordPress myself - but there are a lot of CMS and blogging software suits to choose from out there.

The folks at libsyn.com have been a big force since day one and I would suggest you give them a shot as well. They specialize in podcast hosting and they have been doing it well almost since the whole podcasting revolution started out.

One thing I like that they do is the price model is based on what you need. If you aren’t very popular yet - you don’t pay much. The more you grow in popularity though - the bigger your bills will get.

This gives folks who are not sure about the whole podcasting experience a chance to get their feet wet without putting down too much for a Web hosting account.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 96!

Taking a peak at what is going on in the Web hosting industry’s news division, the WHIR is reporting:

Domain registrar and Web hosting provider Go Daddy announced on Tuesday it has expanded its sponsorship advertising agreement with Internet television network Revision3 to include all of Revision3 Internet television shows.

I am happy to see that GoDaddy realizes this is a big market that has an audience and it just looking for somebody to toss money at them. Of course, since Revision3 has a few more A-listers and Web celebs, I bet they are getting a better deal that the one GoDaddy tossed my way a few weeks back.

All and all though, I think this is a very good thing for Web content. It is also a big check mark in the ol’ alternative advertising world as well.

“We’ve been happy with our podcast advertising,” says Barb Rechterman, executive VP at Go Daddy. “Promoting Revision3’s new TV network is a natural extension for us. These guys are onto something big. At Go Daddy, we recognize the importance of innovation and the folks at Revision3 are leading the pack.”

This is an audience that is captivated enough to download a show and watch it. They are not going to mind one or two ads jumping in there from time to time. I think it will be only a matter of time before you see more companies like GoDaddy jumping in for this type of marketing and advertising.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 96!

When it comes to picking the right control panel for your Web hosting business or for your Web site back end - what should you look for? I have my top three favorites picked out and ready to share.

Also tune in to hear about GoDaddy’s deal with Revision3, how to find a good podcast host and our free Web hosting account winner! The Web Hosting Show is on the air.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 96!
Running Time: 13 minutes | File Size: 5.98 MB

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

• Next Week the Web Hosting Show Turns Two!
• What Are the Top Three Control Panels Out There?
• You Should Be Looking for What in a Podcast Web Host?
• GoDaddy’s Advertising Deal with Revision3 - Interesting or Not?

Can you feel it? Can you feel the excitement? We are only outside of a week - seven days away from the Web Hosting Show’s big two year anniversary and I can not wait for it to happen. Over the past two years I’ve had midgets, I’ve had hosting news, I’ve had interviews with the top industry professionals and I’ve helped out the common Joe and Jane on the street.

Link of the Week: Is Your Mission Critical?

I have watched this little challenge I guess you could call it make its rounds around the Internet and wondered when it would get to me. Well it has hit (or tagged as the kids say), so I guess I will play along and share with you all. I am a pretty open book, so coming up with five things that you do not know about me is kind of hard.

1. I have always been obsessed with recording myself. When I was a kid I used to make mixed tapes of songs and do little radio DJ type segments in between. Of course back then it was only for my own entertainment. In high school I did color commentary (I was the voice of the EAW) for our backyard wrestling federation. Now I record a little podcast that a few people listen to.

2. If I had not gotten my first job in the Web hosting industry and had not gone down that path, I would probably have either turned to something more artistic or professional wrestling. I have been drawing as long as I can remember and a wrestling fan even longer. All is not lost though, because I get to live out one of my dreams through my good buddy SB-1.

3. I am totally addicted to music from Final Fantasy. One of my prized possessions is the soundtrack from Final Fantasy VI. I have always been a fan of the series, but I do have to say I think Final Fantasy VI was the best of the best thus far. I never really got into everybody else’s favorite (Final Fantasy VII).

4. I have been both a customer service manager and a customer service director for a Web hosting company. No, I still do not know what the difference is between the two.

5. I am far from being a know it all about Web hosting. In a lot of ways, I am trying my best to learn about the business every day, just like you. One of the misconceptions with this show is that I am some sort of Web hosting genius - but I wouldn’t call myself that. I am a fan. There is a lot of stuff I do know, but a lot of stuff I am still learning with the rest of you as well. The day I stop learning about it will probably be the day I retire or the day I die.. which ever of those two happens first.

Alright, so now I have to find five other folks to tag? I’ll pick the Web Hosting Finds Blog (because it is awesome), Matt Hartley (because he’s a cool dude as well), Inside ISPCON, anybody who wishes to at Lunartics, and the Web Hosting Geek (to prove to me he is still alive).

I hate idiots as much as the next person, and sometimes these idiots are able to slip by the Web hosts and get Web sites. Now is this the Web host’s fault? No. No matter who the Web host is, they can not do a background check on every person that wants to host a Web site with them.

This recent story, ripped from today’s headlines though is a welcome early holiday gift to those of us who hate these morons out there in the World.

Web hosting provider HostGator has recently been asked by the Tampa-Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations to drop one of the Web sites it hosts that supports calls to kill Muslim children.

Now not to get into politics, because I refuse to cover them on a podcast about Web hosting, this is just wrong and I am happy to see that HostGator has taken these folks down. Here is some more of the story I’d like to share.

Under the headline, “Love Your Kids? Fear For Their Future? Kill All Muslim Kids,” the Web site”s owner, who lives in the Tampa area, wrote, “Makes sense to me. After all, if Muslims are raising their little crumb-snatching, curtain climbing, ankle biting rug rats to strap on bombs in order to kill us, it is logically correct to assume that in order to stop that from happening we need to kill all Muslim kids. Starting now.”

This type of content on the Web should not be stood for. I know some people out there might speak up for free speech in this situation.

Hate speech is not a protected right though. Also, other people have the same right to say this type of content is just wrong.

The moral of the story is that if you see a Web site that might seem a little fishy to you, you should always try to hunt down the Web host and ask if they know they are hosting such content.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Podcast 89!

Well it looks like there are a few domain name extensions that are going to visit that big DNS server up in the sky. A few of them are on the chopping block and I’ll let you know who they are and why they are. Also, it is the holiday season, so how can charitable organizations find free hosting? I’ll let you in on that industry secret too right here on the Web Hosting Show, podcast 88.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Podcast 88!
Running Time: 15 minutes | File Size: 6.79 MB

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

• Knowledge Base Software to Help Your Web Hosting Company
• Some Domain Extensions Are Going to the Old Folks Home
• How to Find and Why You Should Give Free Hosting for Charities
• Time to Clean House, You Are Not the Perfect Web Host

If you are looking for the sewing hour with Aunt Betty, I am afraid you have tuned into the wrong show. Now if you are looking for a podcast that sneaks you under it’s coat so you can get a look at the inside workings of the Web hosting industry - you folks can stay.