There are many ways to create a website. For free.... well, that really depends on what you mean by free. You could take a crash course and learn html code. There are several apps, that will create web pages without any html. These usually retail anywhere from $30 to $80. Mac comes with an app, Iweb, that allows you to create web pages, but you can only publish it if you have a mobile me account.
You can get your own domain, which should only cost you somewhere between $10 to $18 per year. It depends on the domain name (.com .ca .net .org).
Hosting is usually a company that rents you space on their servers to allow people to see your website. The cost can be as low as $5 to several hundreds, depending on what you want. It sounds like you want a relativity simple site so your cost should be in the $5 to $10 range. Contrary to popular belief, your hosting company does not have to be in your area. It can be several thousands of miles away and in different countries. Isn' t the web wonderful, distance doesn't matter although I would recommend you keep it on the same continent.
You do have the option of hosting the website off of your mac. I would only recommend this to someone very experienced in the mac and the web. it takes a lot of work and knowledge to keep the hacking hounds at bay!
macmad
Junior Poster in Training
55 posts since Jul 2008
Reputation Points: 65
Solved Threads: 6
There is so many companies offering server access, the list is huge. Singapore is a very modern city and there are probably dozens you can choose from. Your situation involves a twist on searching for a hosting company. I am not sure if english is you native language and/or you site is in english. Should this be the case, I would recommend that the support staff/help desk be fluent in english. You are close enough to Japan or India, and should be able to find a good deal. There is nothing stopping you from selecting a North American site. Once you narrow down your choices, call up the help desk and see if it works.
A lot of hosting sites offer monthly and/or yearly rates. Considering that this is your first go, I would recommend that you take the monthly rate and if they work for you, then consider the cheaper yearly rate. You will probably notice that a lot of these hosting sites will offer a free domain. Watch this one, because it will trap you to their services for a year. Make sure that it is transferable and that it is registered in your name.
You are going to find out that there is a lot to setting up a website besides the webpages, but if you spend the time at it, grasshopper, you have taken a step closer to your geek badge. Keep in touch and any questions, you know how to thread.
macmad
Junior Poster in Training
55 posts since Jul 2008
Reputation Points: 65
Solved Threads: 6
