20-Point Checklist on Web Hosting

When we begin our journey in the ecommerce world, it is easy to fall into traps by simply overlooking most important checklists in our decision making in regards to web hosting. It is easy just to consider the disk space provided when selecting hosting company and other less important features which we do not need in the beginning. All plans look impressive but do we really need those features on offer? It is best to consider the following factors when deciding on your web hosting packages:
1. Established Host
You would not want to get involve with someone not long enough in the business to host your ecommerce or simple personal website. What is more if you are running a full fledge ecommerce with lots of data to back up your operation. Time is of the essence in selecting your host. The longer a host has been around, the more likely the better it would be. You would not want to go down along with the host that also goes down. To sort things out will get real messy.
2. Reliability
This is an important checklist you ought to consider. Reliability is one the most important checklist as one would not want to engage a fly-by-night hosting company. Check the length of time on their response to your email enquiry. It is important to enjoy both after sales and technical services. Some big names with substantial customer base and length of operation may get complacent and not able to provide reliable services while small new companies will try their best to impress. You need to make your own judgment.
3. Space
You need to decide on your disk space requirement. However, a better planning for future expansion is also important so that you need not come back to the hosting company and being charge unreasonably. There is a saying, once hooked, forever hooked even if you do not like it.
4. After-Sales and Technical Supports
You never know what you need after the sales or even after the web is up and running. You like to feel comfortable that after sales and technical support are there, when needed. Time take in responding to email enquiry is a simple indication of the level of services the hosting companies are providing.
5. Up-Time
Most hosting companies offer a 99% uptime. You should select the one offers nothing lees than 99% uptime.
6. Recovery Time
Determine how fast the hosting company recovers from a downtime. Do they have back up procedures? What kind of UPS they use? Where are they located? Are they near any disaster prone area? These are the questions you need answers.
7. Bandwidth
Do not overlook bandwidth limit. Excess bandwidth uses accompanied by excess bill. Do not go over the allocated bandwidth; plan what you want to put in your site. Higher pixel images definitely utilize higher bandwidth.
8. CGI Bin
CGI is used to install scripts and programs; CGI comes standard with any hosting packages.
9. Perl
You must have Perl to run Perl Programs. Paid or free scripts are mostly written in Perl. Make sure you get the latest version or get to upgrade from time to time.
10. SSL
This is the most important criteria to consider especially when you are planning for a ecommerce. Make sure the SSL is included in your hosting packages. You may use third party credit card processor but the provider may not operate in some countries. It is also limited to electronic products only, not physical products.
11. SSI
Server Side Includes is used to minimize time in updating your site. You can edit you page or link section you want to amend without amending all the pages.
12. MySQL
Some scripts and programs require a MySQL database to run. Make sure the charges are not exorbitant and it normally comes with the hosting packages.
13. PHP
Many new scripts and programs require PHP support, and this feature is almost standard for all hosting packages.
14. Domain
You should be able to point your own domain name to the site. Other feature is to make sure you can control you domain because you may not stick with the same hosting companies but your domain remains yours.
15. FTP
Definitely you need a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to transfer file or make change to your web pages and uploading. You must be given unlimited and unrestricted FTP access to your site.
16. Control Panel
Main feature of hosting is availability of control panel. The level of use ranges from friendly to difficult. Choose the one that suit your technical capability and budget.
17. Statistics
For adjustments on your marketing programs you need a good statistic program. Excellent statistical program enables you to monitor visitors, collect email, and so on so forth to fine tune your marketing programs. Get advanced statistical program from third party if the hosting is not able to provide one, provided the program can be installed.
18. Site Development Software
If you are not a webmaster, or a programmer it is best you consider package with software offered to build you site. Some hosting companies provided this free while other charge a fee.
19. Slow down and take time
Some hosting packages may look excellent but if one feature that is required according to your needs is not offered, then the package may not meet your requirements. Take your time to compare all the features that are on offer. What is good for someone may not be acceptable for you. The important thing is what is your criteria and can the hosting company meets your needs?
20. Last big Step
The following table lists some of the criteria that are normally offered by web hosting company. Do not be alarmed by the long list. As it was mentioned, some features may not be required when you start and it is good to know that those features are offered. You are always ready when the time is up for expansion. At the end of the day, what is important is the hosting that meets your budget and your expectations.
Pricing & Setup (Choose your billing cycle) Setup Fee N/A Option 1: Pay Monthly 34.95 USD (e.g) Unconditional Money Back Guarantee 30 Days Setup Time 30 Seconds Quota Allotment Summary Disk Usage 5000 MB Summary Traffic 150 GB Default Disk Space Quota (Adjustable to suit your requirements at no cost) 5000 MB Domain Resources Multiple Domain Hosting 10 Domain Sub Domain 100 Sub Domain Third Level Domain 100 Third Level Domain Stopgap Domain 100 Stopgap Domain Domain Alias 100 Domain Alias Parked Domain (DNS Hosting) 10 Domain Parked Mail Domain Alias 10 Mail Domain Alias Web Services & Tools CGI with Custom Mapping Free Own CGI-Bin Directory Free MS Front Page Support Free ASP Free ASP Secured N/A NET Framework Free ASP.NET Free Server Side Includes (w/ custom file extension) N/A PHP with GD (Latest stable version) N/A Perl with GD (Latest stable version) Free Cold Fusion MX 6.1 Free Redirect URL 100 URL Custom Directory Indexes Free Pre-installed Commonly Used Components / DLL Free Custom DLL Components Free Server Side Image Map N/A PhpMyAdmin / PhpPgAdmin Free Web Shell (Advanced File Management Interface) N/A Password Protected Directories Free Site Studio Software (Best Selling Website Creation Tool, WYSIWYG plus tons of templates and features!) Free PHP BB 2 Forum Software Free Custom Error Document Free MS SQL Server Manager Free Transfer Log (Access Log) Free Referrer Log N/A Agent Log N/A Error Log N/A Webalizer Site Statistics Free Mail Services & Tools Web Mail Free Mailbox 1000 Mailbox Default Mailbox Quota (Adjustable to suit your requirements at no cost) 10 MB Email Auto Responder 100 Auto Responder Catch All Email Address Free Mailbox Alias 100 Mailbox Alias Mail Forward 100 Mail Forward Mailing List 10 Mailing List Own SMTP Server Free IMAP Support Free Ecommerce Dedicated SSL Module Free Shared SSL Free OS Commerce Shopping Cart Free Databases MySql User 3 User MySql Database 3 Database Default MySql Database Quota (Adjustable to suit your requirements at no cost) 50 MB MS SQL User 3 User MS SQL Database 3 Database Default MS SQL Database Quota (Adjustable to suit your requirements at no cost) 100 MB PgSql User 3 User PgSql Database 3 Database Default PgSql Database Quota (Adjustable to suit your requirements at no cost) 50 MB Advance Features & Others Anonymous FTP Server 3 Server FTP Sub Account N/A Virtual FTP Server N/A ODBC Service Free Custom DNS Records Free Shell Access N/A Crontab N/A Dedicated IP Address 3 unit Daily Backup Free
The author, Abdul R Mohamad is the webmaster at http://www.webhostingplanners.com and http://www.alt88.com. He has many interests ranging from internet to software devlopment and entrepreneurial development both in the virtual and real world. This includes food and hardware retailing. A veteren of 22 years in oil and gas industry, he is now retired from the industry and concentrates on building his base on the net and off the net.
You may re-print this article or re-publish on the web site or ezine.

By : Abddul R Mohamad

7 Websites to Make you Think

We are constantly told to reflect on the changing nature of the web; as a web content creator I feel I should be updating my view of what makes a 'good website' about, say, ....hmmmm, every month. In reality, it's rare that I get a chance to do this, but I've had a recent excuse to do so and would like to share the results with you.
I was lucky enough to get hold of a transcript of a talk by Lauren Parker (curator of contemporary programmes at the V&A). Coupling this with thoughts raised by the recent D&AD awards and Alexa Web Search's list of most visited websites, here is my idea of seven websites to make you think.
1) Myspace seems a good place to start. In the vanguard of 'Web 2.0', it's a website that has massive awareness with a core demographic and a fanatical fanbase - but also many critics for its often lurid design and lack of accessibility.
The thing to really make you think is: What if all of the web was like this? Surely, however, it won't ever be, AS the ConStanT jumping between page styles is just toO Bruising. Myspace is the best possible raison d'etre for web developers, and (like most innovators) myspace will find the market tough over the next few years.
2) On the subject of huge customer loyalty (which myspace certainly has) it's worth mentioning 'avatar' websites - by which I mean gaming sites where players adopt online characters which interact in an online world. World of Warcraft is the most popular and an interesting concept: It immerses users in a virtual world and reminds me of the early predictions (like William Gibson and 'The Lawnmower Man') of how the web would turn out.
3) I won't dwell on the networking side of the web, but will now look at a contrasting emerging trend: online magazines. It's worth having a look at thisisamagazine.com. Although the page style is almost as 'in your face' as in myspace, this is a feature of deliberate design and there is at least a constancy of function and design through the website.
Magazine type sites (see also F magazine) are an emerging trend due to the penetration of broadband and the increasing sophistication of Macromedia Flash (which is making great strides in accessibility). They are challenging the notion that quality, thought provoking content and great design are only the realm of the printed press. In my opinion the sites I've seen don't quite do it. They still feel cramped and clunky in comparison to an actual magazine.
4) Despite the confines of the computer screen some websites are taking an innovative approach to use of space. Leo Burnett Canada recently won a D&AD design award ("the black pencil") for their website. Once immersed in this insteractive space, perceptions of how a website works (and should work) are altered: the pointer is now a pencil, the site reveals itself by zooming in and around giant cursive letters playfully, rather than through conventional navigation. It's an unfettered and delightful vision.
5) Sites such as Leo Burnett are made possible through Macromedia's Flash technology, yet there are enough clunky flash sites out there to convince that this it should be used sparingly. The Design Museum website is a confusing mishmash of HTML and Flash. Users are expected to express which rendering they prefer when first entering the site, but the options bear little relation to the journey that follows. If even this venerable institution can get it so wrong, perhaps it???s safer and better with HTML , XML and php (at least for the moment).
6) Speaking of simplicity, a visit to craigslist.org is a real step back in time. It's the web as first perceived by geeky scientists, a graphics-free information exchange portal.
7) I'd like to end with my personal favourite website: The Arts Council website. Wholly accessible, packed full of useful information and unassuming with its branding. It would be a mistake to think this website is simply offering information. It's actually selling an idea and a brand throughout, but doing it a respectfully low level. I for one would love to see an Amazon or an eBay realised in this style.
This article is by Rishi Coupland. Please leave any comments on www.humblemasterpiece.com
Rishi Coupland develops content for websites in the UK. Read more at http://www.humblemasterpiece.com

8 Important Elements for Small Business Web Sites Design

Key visitors to your commercial pages include web robots that crawl the internet and catalog your content. Having proper HTML source code, plus the right combination of text and graphic presentation, is just one secret to success. Proper code may mean higher robot ratings, and the "look" is equally important. Once a new prospect finds your web site, you have 5 seconds to get them to stay.
As a small business web site owner, you may have asked "Why don't we get any hits?". Did you know web pages can load and appear correct with improper or deprecated HTML code? A browser may ignore your mistakes, and display what it thinks you meant, and it may look great. Web robots may not be as forgiving.
Following is a list of 8 basic elements for good search engine placement that need to be considered in your design and web site promotion. For details on code issues from the worldwide authority, visit the World Wide Web Consortium to view DOCTYPE and other quality standards.
1. DOCTYPE Statement2. Page Title3. Proper HTML Code4. META Description5. META Key Words6. First Paragraph of the Home Page7. An Extra Page of Just LINKS8. Backlinks (Links to your pages)
These 8 key items are either missing or poorly designed in 85% of all web sites. Some search engines may only list the other 15% in their directories. In other words, as few as 15% of the 6 billion web pages online ever make it into some search engines. Even worse, there are mistakes that may result in your page being blacklisted, and the search engine web crawlers may never come back to see if it's corrected. This could explain why you "never get any hits".
Web sites can be simple and professional without using fancy software to create your pages. Veteran programmers hand code and many create the HTML in NotePad. Web authors who choose to use flash, frames, or the latest software may be losing a significant portion of new visitors (customers) because the visitor may lack the technology or newest version of browsers. If they are turned off and leave without giving your site a fair viewing, it could mean lost profits.
Most designers use prepackaged software to create web pages. If the software leaves out any of the key elements, the code is hidden, and you'll never know your site was not optimized for search engines. The designer may not know, or care, about these items as long as the page looks attractive. Note: Search engine algorithms vary by company, so some elements such as "an extra page of links" may not be as important today with some search robots. Backlinks refer to marketing your site and getting other web sites to link to yours.
Finally, business visitors want information. They do not visit your home page to be entertained. Most have a need (problem) and want a fast answer (solution), so designs should be created to minimize the use of music or video unless that's your core business. Anything that distracts from a positive first impression may violate my "5 Second Rule".
Jim Degerstrom offers custom web site design at http://www.jimdegerstrom.com with 100+ examples of custom artwork for marketing in print or online, plus a 5-star directory of 200,000 truly free stock photos.

By : Jim Degerstrom