Have you ever wanted to change to homepage to Google.com? And you just didn’t know how? Well the folks who created Firebug must be the smartest people around. Sammy decided it was time to revamp the google page. We rather like it now; the guys especially love the Hooters addition.
(click to enlarge)
If you have come to this site in search of web hosting, you are on your way to a proper presence on the web. But, in order to get a website set up there are two vital components left: web design and site development. Now, the most common problem isn’t to identify them, the problem for most of us is affording them. The hardship of getting a hold of a web designer and developer does not make things easier. If you know a friend or friend of a friend who can create and design your website, good for you! But if you lack sufficient networking skills and still require a cheaper alternative to expensive and blown up web agencies, listen up! I will give a personal recommendation of a web service through which you can get a professional website done for only a couple of hundred dollars.
I recently found myself having a, according to me, great idea for a website but not nearly enough fundings to hire a local web agency. Of course I requested proposals from a dozen of them and to little suprise got back figures that could buy entire countries. So I started looking for an alternative and cheaper web design and web development. After Googling till my fingers were bleeding, I found it. The cure to the thousands of lost souls who register hosting account only to realize they can’t afford to make their website dream come true.
A place where thousands of freelancing web designer and developers offer their services. An internaional dashboard for any skills that is connected to the web. Web design, programming, writing, distributing. You name it! The web service I am talking about is called Elance.com. Like myself, you will be able to create projects and invite providers that offer what you need. Within hours you will have proposals in your inbox, not exceeding more than couple of hundreds of dollars. I am currently using Elance to hire a team of Wordpress designers and developers in India, with excellent customer-ratings, that has agreed to mark-up my web design and implement it to the Wordpress CMS, for a mere $280 dollars. Any local agency would probably charge you $2000-$3000 for it.
The reason why these freelancers charge so little is the same reason multi-corporations outsource their factories. The cheapest online freelancing web designers and programmer can be found in India, the Ukraine and Rumania. And perhaps there is a moral dilemma here whether or not to use their services? But that is for another blog post. For know, visit Elance.com and you’ll find cheap web design and site development, finally being able to realize your website ambitions.
I have a cousin who, during her short but intense musical career, wrote a song called Che – what have you done for me lately?. This musical piece was inspired by the fact that the legend revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevarra has become a popular fahion icon, printed on cloths and worn by hundreds of thousands of people.But the reason this deceased political activist has gotten such recognition is hardly for his actions and achievements. No, the silouette of a man in a beret is simply a nice looking graphic design. At most a cool symbol of past revolutionary days.
So when I read about Steve Jobs and the speculations surrounding his leave of absence, I couldn’t help but sing Steve Jobs - what have you done for me lately? in my head. If people were genuinely concerned about his health, I would perhaps be less cynical. However, the fact that analysts already are asking the question – Can Apple stay on high without Steve Jobs?, worries me greatly.
As head of innovation, Steve Jobs has obviously contributed to Apple’s leading role on the tech-market. Regardless, if all that we love and adore about Apple truly depends on one man and one man only, what does that say about the company?
Maybe it is infact Steve Jobs and not Apple that has done things for me lately. Maybe Apple will fall to the brink of bankruptcy yet again if Jobs is forced to step down due to his alledged “health issues”. If that is the future of Apple, the rise and fall of Jobs, I will only say ask this; Apple – what have you done for me lately?
As I was finishing an article on Dedicated Server hosting it dawned on me. Call it a revelation, only not the one that results in entire reforms, thesis break-down or fundemental caos. No, what I realized as I was tampering on my keyboards, formulating words, sentences, arguments and observations is this: The Web Hosting industry as is, has been built on a foundation of compromises. Not for the hosting provider of course but for the webmaster, the average little webmaster guy who simply wants his money’s worth.
Lacking any mentionable insights on other markets I cannot say that this is not a general term regarding the business world. However, whether or not the customer is aware of it or is affected by it, not being offered all the potentialtechnology holds is according to my values, wrong! Shared hosting is here a prime example. Although tailored for the customer who do not need a lot i.e small website owners, compromising is a vague business concept. Especially when diffuse marketing terms like “Unlimited” already have hosting clients think they are offered an uncompromising solution.
In final words, I guess I have to suggest dedicated server hosting; the least compromising hosting plan with most freedom and user-control. Now if you have a small website you want hosted, shared hosting isn’t all that bad. However, if you have any kind of hope, future plan or strategy to make it grow, in size and traffic, you might as well get yourself an entire server for yourself right away.
According to an inaccurate story by The Times of London, a poor physicist has been center of attention of CO2 emissions by data centers.
The article states ” Performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea, according to new research.”
True? No, not even. No one knows where this figure came from, not even the physicist, Alex Wissner-Gross. He admitted to making statements that Google, as well as other data centers, leave an environmental footprint. As to how much this impact is on a personal level, such as visiting a website or doing a google search, remains to be quantified.
So 7 grams / search isn’t the right but maybe we will find out the environmental cost of a search one of these days.
Hey everybody!
Just finished an article on Obama’s announcement of the new energy and environment team this Monday. Secreatry of Energy nominee Dr. Steven Chu brings hope of a DC powering reform of the datacenter market, including all major hosting providers. As active director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Dr. Chu has been involved in research of alternative energy for a long time. And as LBNL just released a report in March regarding the Demonstration Project of a new DC Powering solution for future datacenter.
This is exciting stuff as a new government is formed and new ways for a greener US is being explored. May more energy-efficient datacenters and a green Internet be one of these ways?
You’ve probably been pounded with this question by numerous hosting provider ads, bloggers and smart-asses already. So I’ll keep it honest, short and sweet.
You get what you pay for and in many cases in the hosting industry that isn’t a whole lot. WebHostingSearch.com knows this and makes sure that the “cheap hosting deals” that is listed actually has reliable and usefull hosting features to offer. Cheap, affordable and economy hosting often times equal a simple shared hosting.
And even though you might not have much of a website, in order for it to prosper and grow, the most basic hosting plan will only take you so far. Hosting is a vital part of any successful website – so don’t feel bad if you choose an hosting plan with a more costly price tag. Chances are you won’t regret it. Plus, the difference between bad and good in web hosting nomally isn’t more than a couple of bucks a month.
For my personal favorite hosting providers send me an email to brian at webhostingsearch dot com andI’ll be more than happy to share some industry insights 
~Brian
This week we saw the release of Google’s Chrome, a new browser. During the first day, people noticed that well, Google is not all about the ‘do no evil’ mission statement. Section 11.1 of the EULA stated that:
“By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services.”
Basically, Googled owned your ass, mine, and everything else your browser might cough up. Why such a blatent error? Google PR calls it a honest mistake of cute and paste. But are lawyers really that stupid? Who knows.
At least they came to their senses and rewrote Section 11.1:
“11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights that you already hold in Content that you submit, post or display on or through the Services.”
While bloggers and teckies are snickering that the chrome has been tarnished, Chrome is quite exciting. But will this new browser make life even more difficult for developers and designs? As if there isn’t enough trouble with the IE family of browsers, we now add one more to the mix.
What’s the take?
So I didn’t post on the 30th as it was a busy day to close out the conference. I did not attend any of the sessions, although there was one I really wanted to attend. The exhibition hall was slow and it provided a good opportunity to speak to the company representatives on a more personal level. We were quite excited to find out that some of the companies want to work with us on future media and press information.
And now, some interesting tidbits from the conference-
If you have questions, feel free to post comments. We appreciate what you think.
So there were enough complaints about the AC yesterday, that the convention center is more temperate today. Good news that some people consider ice boxes an uncomfortable environment.
The exhibition hall opened today and it was filled with people, goodies, and new ideas. Microsoft, Parallels, and Google served as the traditional powerhouses but there were many other companies to take note of. We met Ratepoint, ARIN, ICC, Limestone, DNA Mail, dotnetpanel, MailChannels, Parallels, and Drupal. We are excited that many agreed to be interviewed and we look forward to asking some tough, and fun, questions about their company, product and outlook on the industry.
We also met some hosting providers and will be expanding our selection soon. Stay tuned because you will have some new options. Woot!
The day is about to close but on a fun note, there were neat prizes given away. I received a Nerf toy (from MailChannels), a couple USB storage devices (ICC and Comodo), and may hopefully win a plasma tv. Okay, that’s just a long shot, but who knows. Oh! And I got a $2 bill…prize or souvenir?
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