Ok, so I'm a programming major but over the summer I wanted to pick up and learn web design for some extra cash over the school year. I have books so I'm gonna learn the basics on my own. What I do want to know is where I should host.

I would like a full featured web hosting service, but also a relatively cheap one. If anyone could throw out suggestions it would be great.

Thanks

127.0.0.1

You don't need anything more than local tools while you're just learning.

Ok, that makes sence. I have been doing some stuff in notepad.
For future reference though, you know of any good places to host?

Member Avatar for diafol

You have to do your own research on this. Look at some of the bigger names or at least those that have been going for some time. CHeap, does not = better. There is a reason why cheap hosts are cheap. They often give you unbelievable 'unlimited' stuff, but the site may go down, be slow etc.

Localhost is OK for now, but you should have a remote server so you can check out your 'live' site.

Alright I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the advice.

It depends on the volume of users that you expect. (I use GoDaddy myself.)

For text and simple graphic sites with low volume, a shared server is sufficient. For large video files or high volume, you may want a dedicated or private server.

If you plan to host, then you really should be looking at a dedicated server. Here's why -

Using the tools at:
http://whois.domaintools.com

Look up any website, for example:
http://whois.domaintools.com/pmpicon.com

reveals this piece of data:
7,432 other web sites are hosted on this server.

Now, THAT'S a shared server!

Member Avatar for diafol

7,432 other web sites are hosted on this server.

Now, THAT'S a shared server!

Good idea. However as SM states - depends on your volume. If you're starting out and just want a presence or are just experimenting - go shared server first. Okay, it may be a little slower, but you won't lose your shirt. The cost of having a dedicated server could be crippling.

Just a few other random thoughts. Your choice of domain name may depend upon where you live, so .us, .co.uk, .eu etc are only available to certain natives. However you can have your site(s) hosted in almost anywhere, but there are certain advantages of having the site hosted in your own country.

As you're reasonably new to websites (although a seasoned programmer), you may find that you need a bit of support to begin with - especially if you are going to be using 3rd party apps, scripts etc - so check what level of support you can expect.

Mailboxes provision can be variable.
Are you going to use server-side languages? If so, php/mysql or asp/mssql?
Do you need cpanel? cron job control? The list is endless.
DO you need the ability to create subdomains?

You'll certainly need to know your stuff if you intend designing for payment as clients may want you to host their sites for them (extra money for you!).

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.