So you want a website?

So you want a website?

What is involved?
Well the basic essentials are:
1. A connection to the Internet via a telephone number supplied by a firm called an ISP (Internet Service Provider).
2. Web space on which to put your site. Web space is space on one of the large "always switched on" computers (called Servers) which will store your web pages, and display them to anyone in the world who wants to see them. You pay for this web space annually, and is purchased usually in blocks of 10 megabytes or more, from the HOST company who provide the Server. This is sometimes provided free by your ISP. This is OK for a "fun" web page but it is not a good idea to make your commercial website dependent upon your ISP which you may well wish to change at some future date. It is much better to buy web space on a specialist "Server" supplied by a Web Hosting Company.

So your Web Host supplies space for your website.
Your ISP supplies a connection to the Internet.
Sometimes ISP and Web Host are the same - but not recommended.

Web space can cost anything from free (provided you don't mind your website spoiled by adverts) up to Ł500 per year from some firms. Thankfully there are some good deals to be had.*

3. A domain name. This is really like an address, so that people who want to see your website can find it among the millions of Servers, and the billions of web pages. To the computer this address is numeric - but for our benefit a name is easier to remember, thus there are addresses like "punchandjudy.com" and "punchandjudy.net" and "punchandjudy.co.uk" and so on. You can have any name you choose - just so long as it is not already in use by someone else. There are ways of checking this in advance. I could do this for you.

Domain names are paid for annually or biannually from various licensing authorities. Costs vary enormously depending upon how, and who you get your domain name from. The cheapest way will provide a dot com name for around Ł8 per year, or a dot co dot uk name for about Ł4 per year.

4. The actual web pages of text and graphics written in a special language which instructs the computer how to display the pages on the web. This language, or code, is called HTML (hyper text mark-up language) and can be written in any text editor (such as Notepad) providing you know this language. There are also programs you can buy which will write this code for you without your having to learn html - but you of course have to learn how to use the program concerned. Such programs can cost anything from Ł30 to over Ł100 for the best. However it is possible to download similar programs from the web which are Free for private use.**

5. An FTP (file transfer protocol) Program. This is a program which actually takes the web pages you have designed on your computer and uploads them, via your internet connection, to the remote computer or Server which is hosting your website. I use and recommend CuteFTP which costs a few pounds registration if you like it after a month's free trial. Find it by entering CuteFTP in "Google" or any other search engine. You can download free ftp programs for personal use.***
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*Currently (2005) I can offer you quality webspace at Ł25 per year. Because I have control of this I can build in various extras for you. You can pay for this by cheque.

If required I can also help you in getting your chosen domain name at the cheapest price.

If you choose to buy your own domain name and webspace you can do so. You will need to pay by credit card as that is the way with most internet business. As a result you will be sent an email with various technical details. If you just send a copy of that email to me I can set up the actual web space for you.

**I recommend Web Dwarf from www.virtualmechanics.com
***Try Freeway FTP from www.agric.za/freeway/

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So where do I go from here?

Well, either you do-it-yourself, or pay to have it done. I can design and build a website for you, and handle all the technicalities, for far less than the going rate commercially. Alternatively if you decide to have a go yourself then I can probably help you along the way, and get you out of any difficulties, free of charge.

1. Do-it-yourself.
Cheapest way is to do as I did - buy a book on HTML and teach yourself by hours and hours of trial and error. This is by far the best and most rewarding way. It also means that you can improve and alter your own website as you progress.

You could buy one of those web-builder programs. Some are very good. All have a problem in that they are not all easy to use for making alterations to your site when you discover a mistake, or when you want to update something.

Either way, before you attempt do it yourself work you really should have some basic skills. You should know your way around the keyboard - be able to type with reasonable speed and accuracy. You should also have some sense of design. If you cannot plan out an attractive web page with pencil and paper, then you won't be able to achieve much on the screen.

Also, since I am sure that you will want pictures on your website, it is essential to have some means of getting the pictures on to your computer. This means you must have either a scanner or a digital camera - preferably both.

You will also need a program on your computer which will allow you to re size and touch up photographs and prepare artwork for the web. I use PaintShop Pro, but there are both more expensive and cheaper alternatives.

2. Pay to have a site designed and uploaded for you.
There are many people and firms after your money for this. Go to someone who can prove they can deliver. Don't get a friend's son who is studying IT at the local tech to do it. Several puppeteers have gone down this route - and then come to me because they were dissatisfied with the amateurish results, and I've had to virtually re-write the site which is harder than working from scratch. Your site must match your professionalism if you want to use it commercially.

If you want me to "do" a site for you it will cost between Ł80 and Ł400*** depending upon what you want. Ł80 will only get you a basic site - perhaps a couple of pages with two or three photographs - but it gives you a web presence and is a starting point on which to build. A middle of the road site with much more content would be something like http://www.prestopuppets.co.uk or http://www.peterpuppet.co.uk and a more elaborate site would be something like http://www.cornishretreat.co.uk
In all cases the price would include a small amount of updating during the first year or so. It would also include the initial submitting the site to the various search engines (but this is a job which ideally should be done on a regular basis by you).
***There might be extra cost involved with a commercial site where you are selling a product, or any other site which involved me licencing a 3rd party program to use on your site.

So what now?

Well let me know what you intend - by email or telephone. If you want me to do some work for you the best bet is to telephone initially and then we can sort out just what you have in mind. Call on 01492 548166, 10am to 10pm - if I'm in I'll answer, or you'll get the answerphone.

Same applies if you are going it alone, and you want some help, Click to Contact me by email
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