We now have webspace through our internet provider and want to set up a cool, funky web site to represent our business.

Problem:-

a) we don't understand the deal with domain names and what you have to do to get one (we wanna .com).

b) we don't have the foggiest idea how to get a web site up and running.

c) We're too poor to employ a programmer to do it all in an hour, baffle us with horsemuck and charge us more than we earn.

What did you guys all do?

This is really depressing - I look at site like Dog n Pony's and think "oh gheez we're are just gonna look like fools with a rubbish website".

sob.........

Try out their tutorial stuff to get the hang of it, then in the meantime scour the Internet/friends for free information on how to build a more complex site like Dog's.

There you can put in your .com name and find out if it's available to register. If it's available, you can register the name through a company called NamesDirect for $14.95 a year with a two year minimum. Once you have the name registered, you used the free services of mydomain.com to redirect your registered .com name to your webspace through your internet provider.

(Example - when people put in your .com name i.e. www.greatkaraoke.com, mydomain.com will redirect those people to your webspace i.e. www.aol.com/~user/diamondfire/index.html)

b) you can use MS Word or other programs (even some free ones available on the internet) to create a web page. If you can use a word processor, you can create a simple web page.

There are free sites out there that have tools to help you build a web site.
I recommend www.20m.com

c) If you want to sing, you have to pay the KJ So if you want something fancy, you either have to pay someone or figure it out yourself.

You can check out what I did for my band using mydomain.com, www.20m.com, and built using MS Word at www.maxwellswitch.com

It's not fancy, but it's functional.

Your Inet provider can also assist you in securing and setting up your domain name (though it is usually cheaper if you do it yourself).

GOTO Internic.com for more info, to research which domain names are available, and to register your own name.

Do you currently have logo/graphics that you want to be using on your site?

Draw a diagram of what kinds of funtionality you want your site to have. What are the main menu items going to be and what do you want each section and subsection to do?
Schematics are very useful in both building the site yourself or giving to a designer and saying "here! Make pretty!"

Obtain WSSIWYG software (What you see is what you get). If you have MS Office, MS Frontpage is included, there are other packages available free or as trialware on the Net. Try: TuCows for some free downloads.
A WSSYWIG editor allows you to drag and drop elements into your website without all that mucky-mucky programming stuph - Great for beginners and usually pretty easy to get the hang of (not unlike creating drag and drop documents).

If you have some basic elements (logo/schematic/design ideas/color ideas etc.) email me...I'll see what I can do.

Pony

I'm about to go in and spruce the site up a bit with some basic Java stuff, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

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Kelly Alsip http://www.rexall.com/healthy-n-fit

[This message has been edited by KellyRSI (edited November 12, 2001).]

Get your domain name at http://www.buydomains.com

you are looking at $32.00 for 2 years. This will secure your domain name and give you an "Office" to manage that name and any additional names you may purchase.

They also give you the ability to redirect that name to ANY OTHER PAGE. So you could creat a website at Geocities and have your new name redirect to that location. They also offer email redirection so that ANY email that goes to yourname@whatever.com will be redirect to an existing email account of your choice. All these extra features are free.

If you are looking for hosting I would suggest HOST ROCKET.

If you pay for hosting for 2 years you are looking at only 9.95/month if you want to pay monthly it's $14.95 / month. They have a TON of stuff available that is more than enough for the average website. Unlimited POP Email, Unlimited autoresponders, 15GIG of transfer each month, Interchange Shopping Cart system, 350 Meg of storage, and on and on. So far from my experience the service is great and features are tremendous. And no this is not a commercial. I've just gone through MANY domain registers and MANY hosting comanys.

You can always check out TheBook This is where we have Sound Choice hosted and I have had NO PROBLEMS in the 6+ years I have personally been with them.

If you have any questions feel free to email me and I'll try to help you out best I can.