Communication
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Web Communication
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Requirements
Everyone who is going to publish something on the World Wide Web, needs "web space".
After all, web sites consist of digital pages, and these pages need to be on the web in
order to be seen on the web. Makes sense. But are there any requirements web space has
to meet in order to enable efficient communication of what you want to publish?
How much space?
Ideally you get more than sufficient web space. Seems odd: Why should you take more than
you need? Simply because web sites seem to expand as surfer's demands increase. And as the
demands of web publishing techniques increase. A simple site with a few text pages does not
need much space. But add images, Flash animations etc., and you need a lot more space. In any
case it is safe to have a lot more space than you initially need.
What speed?
Does space have a speed? No, the space itself does not have a speed. But the web host (web
space provider) that offers the space does. Their servers and connections have a certain speed.
It varies, but a good web host manages to keep the speed high. And a better web host even
guarantees a minimum speed. Why bother looking at the speed? Because communicating the message
or information on your web site will not work if the speed is too low. The average web surfer
has little patience. If your site is too slow in loading, he will surf on and look elsewhere.
What is supported?
A crucial question. If you are going publish more than just a bit of text, chances are you
need support of: multiple e-mail accounts, spam blocking, FrontPage extensions, web site
statistics, personal CGI-bin, MySQL, password protected directories, anonymous FTP, SSI,
hit counters, site search engines, Real Audio/Video, URL redirection and forwarding, Java,
PERL, C++, TCL, Python, PHP4, etc., etc. Check with your web page
designer what you need, or you will be in trouble later. And here the same applies as above:
the more your host supports, the better. Even if you don't need it now,
you just might need it later.
How good is the user support?
If your web site is important to you, you need to look at the support the web host provides.
If anything is wrong at all, you will need fast and efficient help. Check what kind of support
is provided, and how fast. It might just save your web site!
How good is the security?
All kinds of problems can beset a web site. Its files can be corrupted, the server it is on
can become inaccessible, viruses are a risk, security "holes" can be dangerous, etc. etc.
Check what the web host has done about security. Regular back-up of their server contents is
essential. Firewalls and virus protection are an absolute necessity. And a host that has
chosen Linux or another non-Windows operating system for their servers, is bound to be serious
about offering security. The more security features they have, the safer your data is.
Additional services
Depending on who designs and maintains your web site, and how that is done, you might need
additional services. These services can range from registering and transferring domains to
offering and supporting the services of the host's business affiliates, like credit card
validation or web design services. Again, check what you need now, and take into account that
you might need more in the (near) future.
How much does it cost?
This is for your own benefit only. It has no bearing on what the surfer sees. But let's be
honest: You don't want to pay too much, do you? Although you may want to ignore providers of
free web space for reasons described above, you don't want one that is more expensive than
really necessary. A good example is NoMonthlyFees.com, which
charges only a one-time fee
for no less than 500 Megabytes and a host of the abovementioned features and services. (This
site is hosted by nomonthlyfees.com, so you are getting a good example of speed and quality
just by loading and reading this page - O.K., you're right: the speed also depends on your
connection speed and your internet service provider [ISP], but still...)
Good luck in choosing the
ideal web host and web space!
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If you want to publish a web site, do it right. Get a good host.
Ample speed. Ample space. Ample security. All the service
and support you might ever need. And don't pay too much. Good example:
www.nomonthlyfees.com.
Relevant read:
 
Secrets of Successful Web Sites: Project Management on the World Wide Web
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