Homepage hosts

I’d like to build myself a homepage as a way to learn HTML, but I don’t know much about the current state of free hosts. I have an HTML book and I’m planning on doing the encoding myself, rather than using a Wizard. I’d like to find a place that gives me a lot of storage space, with minimally intrusive ads, that will give me a webmaster email, and that allows me to do my own encoding. I’d also like it to be a reliable site that won’t shut down in the forseeable future. Tall order, I’m sure, but I’d appreciate some advice/opinions.
Thanks dopers.

I posted this last night, and no one cared to answer, so I’m posting again to bump it back to the top of the list in the hopes that someone will answer today. After that, I give up.

I’m afraid I don’t know much about the free hosts of today…

We used to use the hosting capabilities that came with our net access. In college they gave you a bit of space and all the dialup/DSL/cable connections generally come with some space.
I’m not sure how you end up on the net but usually that access comes with some space (unless you don’t connect from home)

When I have tried free places they are usually pretty restrictive and to make their money have annoying banner/popup ads that I refuse to have on my pages.

Right now in addition to our DSL connection we registered our own domain and have it hosted by a company called Crystaltech (I may be spelling that wrong) They have a variety of pricing structures and we’ve had good luck with them.

I think you want a little too much from the free services … especially now… you probably could have found all that 5 years ago but now even hotmail has a pay structure… the free mail sucks and to get any quality you need to shell out the cash.

Try www.angelfire.com

I have a site on Fateback. Pretty good, in my experience. Can’t comment on the e-mail they offer, as I’ve never used it, but the website stuff is good.