# Need Help: Webhosting
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 8, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061 "2004-07-08T02:29:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/1 "2004-07-08T02:29:58Z")
I would like recommendations on any webhosting sites that have HUGE space. It doesn’t have to be free. I just want a place that has a lot of space and is easy to use, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
I will be using it to host pictures. Also, can anyone explain what these mean, in laymen’s terms?
Unlimited POP3 Email
Unlimited IMAP Email
Unlimited Forwarders
Unlimited Filters
Spam Assassin
Webmail - NeoMail
Webmail - Horde
Webmail - Squirrel
**Scripting / Programming environment**
PHP 4+
Perl
JSP (Tomcat)
Apache::ASP
**Relational Databases**
Unlimited MySQL databases
Unlimited Postgresql databases
Oracle (extra)
DB2 (extra)
**Domain Features**
Parked Domains - Unlimited
Subdomains - Unlimited
**FTP Features**
FTP Accounts - Unlimited
Backup features
Password Protection Manager
Custom Error Pages
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### Author:  [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/2 "2004-07-08T02:34:35Z")
This is what I have now.
[http://ehostingbiz.com/hostmain.asp](http://ehostingbiz.com/hostmain.asp)
Remember that ease of use is a big issue with me. 😃
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### Author:  [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/3 "2004-07-08T03:25:47Z")
Okay, some uber geek will come along and more articulately explain all these bells and whistles, but I’ll give you my (semi-clueless) interpretation:
> [@LolaBaby](#):
>
> Unlimited POP3 Email
> Unlimited IMAP Email
> Unlimited Forwarders
> Unlimited Filters
These are all email related, I believe. POP3 email is cool, because you can set your own email account, like, for instance, “[Lolababy@yourdomain.com](mailto:Lolababy@yourdomain.com)” and then you set it up so you can send and receive email through Outlook Express or other email program. You could give a jillion email accounts to your friends, all with @yourdomain.com. Cool.
Forwarders, I believe, are when you set up a sort of dummy email account and when someone mails something to that address, it is actually forwarded to another account—your yahoo account, for instance. There might be other uses for forwarding as well. Never used it much.
I think filters are related to spam control. (Guessing.)
> [@](#):
>
> Spam Assassin
> Webmail - NeoMail
> Webmail - Horde
> Webmail - Squirrel
Don’t know. Just sounds like various web mail types.
> [@](#):
>
> **Scripting / Programming environment**
> PHP 4+
> Perl
> JSP (Tomcat)
> Apache::ASP
I only know a teeny weeny bit about this: PHP 4+, Perl, JSP and other scripting languages are sometimes used for forms (fill in the form, send it to the webmaster, etc.) and other more interactive stuff. I only learned enough to do a simple form in ColdFusion (another one of these kinds of languages).
> [@](#):
>
> **Relational Databases**
> Unlimited MySQL databases
> Unlimited Postgresql databases
> Oracle (extra)
> DB2 (extra)
Uhhh…databases are for when you’ve got a TON of information and you don’t want to hand-code a straight HTML page for each page or piece of information. So you set up a database with all the different things (pictures, paragraphs of information) and then people can search for the information and through some form of magic I don’t understand (using a scripting language like Cold Fusion) the page with the requested information is served up. This is way over my head, though.
> [@](#):
>
> **Domain Features**
> Parked Domains - Unlimited
You can buy additional domains and set it up so visitors will be sent to your main domain. So, you can set up [www.anotherdomain.com](http://www.anotherdomain.com) and it’ll be automatically directed to [www.mydomain.com](http://www.mydomain.com). At least that is my understanding.
> [@](#):
>
> Subdomains - Unlimited
[subdomain.mydomain.com](http://subdomain.mydomain.com). I think.
> [@](#):
>
> **FTP Features**
> FTP Accounts - Unlimited
This is cool. You can give ftp accounts to other people, so they can log on with WS-FTP (or Fetch, or whatever ftp program they want to use) and send up files to their FTP space. And others can download files from their space.
> [@](#):
>
> Backup features
> Password Protection Manager
You know as much as I do about this. Seems pretty straightfoward, though.
> [@](#):
>
> Custom Error Pages
You know those cool “404 Not Found” pages that are funny, colorful, have cute messages, and what have you? Well, you can do that. You don’t have to settle for the boring black and white plain text 404 page.
For simple image hosting, [www.pair.com](http://www.pair.com) has a simple plan for image hosting and I think it’s pretty cheap. Check their site for more info.
I also use [www.readyhosting.com](http://www.readyhosting.com), which gives 500 mb of space (which is plenty) and has a lot of the goodies (but not all—and different ones) than what you list above. I’m pretty happy with them.
To use most of these hosting services, you’re going to have to get used to using an FTP program to upload your files. WS-FTP for Windows is free, but I never liked it much. Fetch for the Mac has an old freeware version, and I like that much better. If you don’t know how to write or create web pages and you want to, go to [www.htmlgoodies.com](http://www.htmlgoodies.com) right now and start learning!
Good luck to you! 🙂
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### Author:  [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/4 "2004-07-08T22:01:27Z")
Thank you very much! That was very helpful and helped me to understand a little bit more. 😃
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### Author:  [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/5 "2004-07-08T23:31:39Z")
> [@LolaBaby](#):
>
> I would like recommendations on any webhosting sites that have HUGE space. It doesn’t have to be free. I just want a place that has a lot of space and is easy to use, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
[Jaguar LLC](http://www.jaguarpc.com/index.php?loc=hosting)
Currently whom I am with , while price is important , service is equally as important , no matter who you sign up with , research the host.
[One place you can do this , is here](http://www.webhostingtalk.com/index.php?s=)
> [@](#):
>
> I will be using it to host pictures. Also, can anyone explain what these mean, in laymen’s terms?
> Unlimited POP3 Email
> Unlimited IMAP Email
> Unlimited Forwarders
> Unlimited Filters
> Spam Assassin
> Webmail - NeoMail
> Webmail - Horde
> Webmail - Squirrel
NeoMail , Horde, and Squirrel are all web based email clients , no different from hotmail or yahoo or even the new google interface.
Unlimited pop accounts are useful if you are running a BB like Straight dope and offering email services , so something like [lolababy@straightdope.com](mailto:lolababy@straightdope.com).
> [@](#):
>
> **Scripting / Programming environment**
> PHP 4+
> Perl
> JSP (Tomcat)
> Apache::ASP
Scripting services , in combination with database programs like SQL , allow you to run Buletin board services and other applications. If your just planning on initially hosting pictures , a php based photo gallery would be just the ticket.
[mysite, click on gallery for an example](http://www.manticore.ca)
Other than the backups , the majority of your first webpage is likely to not require the balance of what this company is offering , however it is very scaleable in terms of capabilitys
My advice if given the choice between a windows server or a linux server is to go with the Linux one. Your future host will advise you on the differences.
Declan
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### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/6 "2004-07-08T23:36:28Z")
I would recommend [ipowerweb](http://www.ipowerweb.com) - they’ve got all of that, and varying pricing platforms dependent upon bandwidth and storage.
I use them for several sites (DISCLAIMER: I have NO business relationship with them apart from using their services, nor do I gain anything from recommending them) and I’ve been very happy with everything.
P
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### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/7 "2004-07-08T23:41:25Z")
I’m currently with [Angel Networkz](http://angelnetworkz.net/new/). They’re great, and I think they have a few programs with a lot of space that don’t cost too much cashola.
How much space are you talking about anyway?
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### Author:  [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/8 "2004-07-10T12:34:22Z")
> [@Slacker](#):
>
> I’m currently with [Angel Networkz](http://angelnetworkz.net/new/). They’re great, and I think they have a few programs with a lot of space that don’t cost too much cashola.
>
> How much space are you talking about anyway?
Just to pretty much host pictures I post, and for smileys that I use on my message board…not a whole lot.
I just want space so IN CASE I store other stuff.
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### Author:  [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/9 "2004-07-10T12:36:54Z")
> [@Declan](#):
>
> Scripting services , in combination with database programs like SQL , allow you to run Buletin board services and other applications. If your just planning on initially hosting pictures , a php based photo gallery would be just the ticket.
>
> [mysite, click on gallery for an example](http://www.manticore.ca)
> Other than the backups , the majority of your first webpage is likely to not require the balance of what this company is offering , however it is very scaleable in terms of capabilitys
>
> My advice if given the choice between a windows server or a linux server is to go with the Linux one. Your future host will advise you on the differences.
>
> Declan
When you are talking about “scripting services”, is that like having to actually know HTML? Or actually building a page from scratch?
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### Author:  [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-webhosting/254061/10 "2004-07-10T13:56:16Z")
You should define what “HUGE” space means. Are you talking 500MB or 5 gigs? I’ve used [Westhost](http://www.westhost.com/) for several client sites without any problem. But, probably like most hosters, cost goes up the more you space you want.
You should also see if there are bandwidth limitations, and whether or not this will cause you any problems (like, getting charged extra). My guess is you’re mainly just putting up a personal site, and shouldn’t have to worry about it.
On a related note, any hoster worth their salt will let you change account types whenever you want (especially if you need more space), so you could start with 500MB or 1G and go from there. Add up the number of pictures you have or will have (in filesize) and see what you think you’ll need. Note that you don’t want to store original uncompressed files on the host server, those you’d keep locally (most likely).
Lastly, I’d be willing to bet (without taking the time to search) that there are a few free- or shareware programs out there for doing relatively sophisticated photo galleries that you could install without having to worry about php or MySQL. That being said, if you’re going to host lots of pictures, taking the time to actual use a database-system (such as a php/MySQL setup) will do you well in the long run. And I’d also be willing to bet there are plenty of free php-based image gallery tools out there as well.