Fantasy Web Design | Hughson California

Things you should know ahead of time.

We have run across a number of questions over time, so the following is here to try and briefly explain a few things to clear up any confusion.

Each of the following items , is completely separate from the other items. Please note that they can be combined, but normally are not.

ISP - (Internet Service Provider)

This is the company that provides you with the means to access the

internet. An ISP can have the ability to host sites, but for the most part they supply the internet connection for your computer system. They maybe small local companies or large companies like Softcom, Earthlink, MSN and AOL. They all give you the ability to surf the web. Typically a reocurring monthly fee unless paid quarterly, annually or the like.

Web Design

The actual design and construction of the web documents that

when placed online, will be accessible to the web world as your web site. The fee for the design part of a site is usually the biggest fee when it comes to a site, but it is a one time fee and other than maintenance if it isn't included would have no additional fees unless a major change on the site was needed.

Domain Names

Domain names are the www.this.com and www.that.com that you

see all over the advertising these days whether in print or the TV. It stand for Universal Resource Locator and also by another name but whatever it is referred to it is basically a way for computers to make numbers human recognizable. In reality, all URLs are strings of numbers like a phone number in a way. It would be hard for we humans to remember them. So to make it easy, a way was created to change names into these numbers automatically so we as hmans can simply remember real names rather than numbers. These domains names though are limited to one only, so if the one you want is already taken, you will have to try additional choices till you find one you like that is available. This is an annual fee, and usually at first time registration you pay for the first 2 years up front. After that time, it can be renewed annually.

Web Hosting

The last thing on this list is web hosting. This is where your web

site will be located so the world will be able to access it over the web. Like everything else, web hosting has a number of things to be aware of. How much bandwidth are you aloud before they charge extra. How much hard drive space do they give you for hosting of your site before you either have to upgrade to a larger account or pay extra for the overage. One of the most important items is referred to as up time. You are looking for 99.9% uptime, meaning the server your site is hosted on is up and running and your site can be viewed on the web 99.9% of the time. This is important to you and your business, anything less than this is not really acceptable at this time. Web hosting is another of those services that charge a reoccurring monthly charge, again payable usually by the month, quarter or annually, depending on what you wish to do.

A few definitions of terms you have heard.

Bandwidth - Think of this as a pipe or hose and how much water can flow through it. There is a point when it finally reaches a maximum or full point and no more additional can be added. The term bandwidth is used on the internet to explain how much data can be handled or what will flow through a particular connection to the web.

Transfer - Transfer is usually referenced to web site hosting. You add up all the file sizes (html, graphics, sound files etc.) on a given page. When someone visits that page, the browser calls all the files (you don't see it, the web browser does this automatically and then renders the page for you.), the total of all the files it took to make what you see is called transfer then. Servers keep a running total of this and most these days allow you so many gigs of transfer per month. If you exceed your total allowed, they charge extra, but for most people this should not be a worry.

Megs of space - The server your web site is hosted on uses a hard drive like your own computer does. A hosting account will give you a set amount of space to work with. If you exceed it, depending on the hosting company you either pay additional charges for the overage or upgrade to a larger account.

Hosting server - A computer system that is accessible by the web where web sites are hosted. You can build your site on your own local computer, but you need a hosting server to allow it to be accessed from the web.