How to run a website?

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ZALMAN

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# 37435 13-Jul-2009 15:32

Hi
Im not 100% if this should go here but I couldnt find anywhere else to put it

My father inlaw is running a painting bussiness and he is interested in setting up a website
He has asked me to find out about and see what is required as im very new to running a website
I thort id try pick someones brain here first

First things first
so I would need to buy a domain?

then im about stumped

If anyone could give me a run down on whats required or point me to a good website on how to start going about this that would be great

Thanks

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BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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# 234765 13-Jul-2009 15:37

You can do a complete operation with iServe for example. Buy the domain, and host with them on a very cheap plan. I guess it's a small site with information about business, perhaps a blog or something like that?

Another option is the Telecom Business Hub.

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ZALMAN

259 posts

Ultimate Geek

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# 234772 13-Jul-2009 15:44

Thanks very much thats somewhere for me to start from. Im always keen to learn about anything techie so this will be another thing for me to learn about
Yes it will be just a small site with photos of previous jobs bit of a yarn about the business etc
Thanks again

zocster

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# 234774 13-Jul-2009 15:47

Dreamhost gives free domain with hosting, and I have no issues with them yet, been two months, compared to godaddy where I had my hosting, now only registrar. And you can either use wordpress or movable type for your site, easy and cheap.

ZALMAN

259 posts

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# 234779 13-Jul-2009 15:56

excuse my ignorance eg if I was to go with telecom inc domain and hosting
Does that mean you can acess and modify from any location?
and I do not need to have anything running from my end 24/7 ?

zocster

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# 234782 13-Jul-2009 15:58

ZALMAN: excuse my ignorance eg if I was to go with telecom inc domain and hosting

Does that mean you can acess and modify from any location?

and I do not need to have anything running from my end 24/7 ?

that's the service you're paying for a 'hosting' account means someone host that for you so you won't have to host it yourself.

ZALMAN

259 posts

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# 234787 13-Jul-2009 16:09

Thanks for your help ive got somewhere to start from now

ZALMAN

259 posts

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# 234799 13-Jul-2009 16:37

When you buy a domain does that mean you own it for ever?

tonyhughes

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# 234802 13-Jul-2009 16:44

No. You have to pay a yearly fee. Can pay up to 10 years in advance.
As long as you are not infringing a trademark, or lose the right to the name in a court case, you will pretty much have the domain as long as you keep paying for it. You can move it around to different hosts and registrars no problem.

Tohe

129 posts

Master Geek

# 235004 14-Jul-2009 07:40

ZALMAN: Hi
Im not 100% if this should go here but I couldnt find anywhere else to put it
My father inlaw is running a painting bussiness and he is interested in setting up a website
He has asked me to find out about and see what is required as im very new to running a website
I thort id try pick someones brain here first
First things first
so I would need to buy a domain?
then im about stumped
If anyone could give me a run down on whats required or point me to a good website on how to start going about this that would be great
Thanks

Hi Zalman

I thought I'd throw my 10 cents worth in.

First of all, you will need to purchase a domain name. If you are located in New Zealand, I highly recommend purchasing a .co.nz domain name and try to match it as close as possible to the business name. If the business name is Joe Citizen Painting Services, try and get joecitizenpainting.co.nz or even joecitizen.co.nz. A .co.nz domain name can be registered for as little as $23 a year and of course, is classed as a business operating expense, so make sure receipts are printed off for your bookkeeper/accountant.

Secondly, you will need a web hosting provider. As you have probably read from the wiki link that Zocster provided, a web hosting provider will basically give you access to a "computer" in their data centre that is switched on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The computer (server) will already have all the necessary software installed on it to run a basic website. I recommend a New Zealand based host with good support and I pay about $9 a month for mine plus GST. Again, this is a business expense so keep all receipts.

You can purchase both your domain and hosting from the same provider and in this case they will set up the domain to point to your website for you. However, you can normally get a better deal by hunting around and it's not difficult to set up the domain to point to your website yourself. Normally a case of logging into a website, changing 2 or 3 lines and clicking submit.

Once you have both of these sorted, you can get on with building the website. Don't be too overwhelmed with it, if you break it right down to the basics, it really is just like "Several fancy word processing documents that are linked together".

I would be happy to help you further if you have any questions, get stuck on something etc. Feel free to send me a private message.

Ka pai!

zocster

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# 235011 14-Jul-2009 08:42

Just an FYI, you can get a wordpress app for the iphone, a bit jealous as the BB one is not as good ... and you can run a wordpress page as a static business page or have a blog running with it to give advise on some DIY painting may be.

ZollyMonsta

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# 235015 14-Jul-2009 08:52

zocster: Just an FYI, you can get a wordpress app for the iphone, a bit jealous as the BB one is not as good ... and you can run a wordpress page as a static business page or have a blog running with it to give advise on some DIY painting may be.

Wordpress works well if you are like me and don't know much about creating a website. You can also easily add new/updated info to the website. Take a look at my wordpress-based site www.thecheese.co.nz
It's using a theme which allows 'widgets' to add different things to the side menus etc. A good way to get started quickly. You need a hosting provider which supports PHP and SQL for Wordpress, but the majority (if not all) provide SQL databases and PHP support these days.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz

zocster

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# 235016 14-Jul-2009 08:59

ZollyMonsta:
zocster: Just an FYI, you can get a wordpress app for the iphone, a bit jealous as the BB one is not as good ... and you can run a wordpress page as a static business page or have a blog running with it to give advise on some DIY painting may be.

Wordpress works well if you are like me and don't know much about creating a website. You can also easily add new/updated info to the website. Take a look at my wordpress-based site www.thecheese.co.nz
It's using a theme which allows 'widgets' to add different things to the side menus etc. A good way to get started quickly. You need a hosting provider which supports PHP and SQL for Wordpress, but the majority (if not all) provide SQL databases and PHP support these days.

Lol getting OT here, but hey that theme is the bomb, and it's free, compared to the thesis theme everyone else is seems to use. Awesome support forum too, but way too many functions for my liking lol.

ZALMAN

259 posts

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# 235027 14-Jul-2009 09:14

hey thanks guys for all your input and help

So who does everybody recomend to get the domain off and host the website?
I see that telecom has online software to help start out the website do others have this aswell
Or is it just as easy to grab a program off the net create something and upload it to the host? (even possible?)
just keen to get something and start from there once I get started I think more things will become relivant to me.

Tohe

129 posts

Master Geek

# 235040 14-Jul-2009 09:24

ZALMAN: hey thanks guys for all your input and help
So who does everybody recomend to get the domain off and host the website?
I see that telecom has online software to help start out the website do others have this aswell
Or is it just as easy to grab a program off the net create something and upload it to the host? (even possible?)
just keen to get something and start from there once I get started I think more things will become relivant to me.

Personally I recommend Webbase (www.webbase.co.nz)

Domains are reasonably priced ($29.95), although not the cheapest out there. Hosting is under $10 a month and has multiple software available for installation such as Wordpress etc.

They are NZ owned and operated and have free 0800 number support unlike many hosting companies.

You can use a web authoring program and upload it to the site, but I think it's much easier to use Wordpress or something similar

ResponseMediaNZ

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# 235044 14-Jul-2009 09:30

ZALMAN: hey thanks guys for all your input and help

So who does everybody recomend to get the domain off and host the website?

I see that telecom has online software to help start out the website do others have this aswell

Or is it just as easy to grab a program off the net create something and upload it to the host? (even possible?)

just keen to get something and start from there once I get started I think more things will become relivant to me.

Hi Zalman,

Justin here from the Telecom Business Hub Team,

Our Easy Site Creator is a great bolt on and very easy to use if you are looking to build a basic site.
Also with the Domain Name and Hosting options they are charged to your Telecom Account so no need to worry about having another bill come in.

Heres the link to the our EasySite Test
http://www.hosting-telecom.co.nz/sandpit/

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