Beyond Fiction

OK, so maybe that is a weird title but I just wanted to opine on some things that have been on my mind. I know that everyone has opinions about things and these next few lines will simply be my opinions. If your opinions differ then feel free to leave some comments!

So, what’s on my mind is what is the best way to do things for your research. In essence, it basically comes down to how are you going to establish your web presence! Do you simply choose free or are you willing to pay? Which is the best way? Well, that question will probably be able to be answered a million ways. Here are my thoughts on some of these subjects.

Web Hosting

Which is best, free web hosting or paid? I guess that all depends on what you are planning to do. I had a site for a long time on GeoCities and was happy with it for a time. There came a time when it was no longer appealing to me. When I decided to get serious about my web site I opted to buy a domain name and host it on a paid server. There’s just something about it when you go to a site that has pop-up ads and banners all over it. I’ve never been in this for the money and my web site shows that. There are no banner ads of any kind on it! I’m not interested in making money with my web site, I’m interested in making connections! I know that there are many who say that they can’t afford it but, really, everyone can afford having their own site! I just renewed my domain and hosting for one year and it cost me roughly $60.00 for my domain registration, private domain and hosting. That’s $5.00 a month! Most folks can burn that at their local hamburger joint!

Blogs

OK, here’s the touchy subject. I know there are many people who have a blog on Blogger or the free WordPress and a lot of those are folks who are on my Blog Roll! Honestly, I believe that blogging is something that you can do on a free site and not have to worry. However, for me, the best option is choosing a free software, uploading it to my server and having total control of my content. That is one thing I enjoy about paying the small amount I do. Total Control. Yes, there is a learning curve sometimes but for me it is well worth it. There are a number of free blogging softwares available. I use WordPress on this blog and have recently began using Serendipity on my new blog. Both work well for me. I find WordPress is a little more powerful and easier to customize. Serendipity does have some good points about it also. I’m still learning it so who knows what may come of it.

Forums

Forums or Message Boards are something that most folks don’t worry about. I really don’t get much action on my forums but I do want to try to have it available because you never know which tool might generate a lead! This is one part of my web experience that I have chosen to go with a free host on. The main reason is because I became frustrated when trying to set up the software when I first started! The one I have now is easy to use, easy to set up and very customizable. It is hosted on ProBoards.

Email

Well, this one is simple. I have several free emails available with my hosting package but because I have had a couple of emails that I have used for years, I continue to use GMail for my email. I grew tired of Yahoo and their limits on space and all the ads and such. I also didn’t like that you had to pay for Pop Forwarding. GMail can be obtained easily through my Outlook Express. So, for me, free is good here!

That’s just a few things on my mind right now. I may elaborate on them more in the near future. I’ve always enjoyed having conversations about what ways folks are able to make their web presence and hearing about which free services are good and which ones are better off paying for.

Please, feel free to leave a few comments and share your views!