# Should I use Geocities Pro to host my website? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604 "2008-04-23T21:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/1 "2008-04-23T21:44:31Z")
I have had a Geocities website for a long time. (Here it is.) On Geocities, it is advertised that for 8 dollars a month, you can have your website hosted, have your own domain name, more storage space, et cetera. I’ve heard about other services, like Godaddy, but I have heard a lot of bad things about Godaddy also. In addition, Geocities Pro lets me keep using PageBuilder to design the website. I like the PageBuilder interface a lot, and for the simple website that I have, it is a perfect tool to use. I’m not looking to do anything fancy at all - just look at my site and you can tell. I don’t need or want to learn how to use a different program to make the site. I’ve been using PageBuilder for years. So, I’m inclined to upgrade to the Geocities Pro account. Has anyone else had experience with this? Is it a good service? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/2 "2008-04-23T22:32:38Z")
If you’re happy with the service and you think the price is fair, why not? You can always cancel if they suddenly piss you off. The only thing I can think to be careful of, is whether they register the domain in your name or theirs. If they register the name under Geocities, if you ever want to move you’ll have to get a different domain. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/3 "2008-04-24T00:07:12Z")
Hm…I’ll have to figure that out. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/4 "2008-04-24T02:37:05Z")
GoDaddy is a better deal. You can get hosting for 12 months at $4.08/month, and $9.99 a year for a domain name. I use GoDaddy for several sites and have never had any problem, and I really like their customer service - call any time day or night and get a nice, English-speaking person who knows what they’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/5 "2008-04-24T04:27:42Z")
But if I used GoDaddy, I would no longer be able to use PageBuilder to make the page. Right? Or does GoDaddy have some kind of page making tool similar? It’s probably obvious but I know nothing about making webpages. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/6 "2008-04-24T04:53:58Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] But if I used GoDaddy, I would no longer be able to use PageBuilder to make the page. Right? Or does GoDaddy have some kind of page making tool similar? It’s probably obvious but I know nothing about making webpages. [/QUOTE] GoDaddy does have a tool, but it costs extra… HOWEVER, why not just use a free web site building tool such as [Nvu](http://nvudev.com/index.php). This seems to be the most popular one out there… Check out their site for details, such as: > [@](#): > > ``` > * WYSIWYG editing of pages, making web creation as easy as typing a letter with your word processor. > * Integrated file management via FTP. Simply login to your web site and navigate through your files, editing web pages on the fly, directly from your site. > * Reliable HTML code creation that will work with all of today's most popular browsers. > * Jump between WYSIWYG Editing Mode and HTML using tabs. > * Tabbed editing to make working on multiple pages a snap. > * Powerful support for forms, tables, and templates. > * The easiest-to-use, most powerful Web Authoring System available for Desktop Linux, Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh users. > > ``` > > and > > What is Nvu? > Nvu (pronounced N-view, for a “new view”) is a complete Web Authoring System that combines web file management and easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) web page editing. Nvu is designed to be extremely easy to use, making it ideal for non-technical computer users who want to create an attractive, professional-looking web site without needing to know HTML or web coding. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/7 "2008-04-24T05:00:05Z")
Also, with GoDaddy, you can automatically install a bunch of open-source, free apps like the blogging app [WordPress](http://wordpress.org/), and photo galleries [Gallery](http://gallery.menalto.com/) and [Coppermine](http://coppermine-gallery.net/). It’s really easy and you don’t need to be technical at all to get your own blog or photo album up and running. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-use-geocities-pro-to-host-my-website/446604/8 "2008-04-24T05:04:11Z")
I always recommend [Tigertech](http://www.tigertech.net/cgi-bin/referhosting.cgi?aa-elks1743.com) webhosting. For $75/year (or $6.95 per month, if paid monthly) you can have a HUGE webspace, plenty of bandwidth, 100 email addresses AND your domain name is included in that deal. You own your domain as well - and if you feel you must cancel before the year is out, Tigertech will refund any unused money. You really can’t go wrong with that. I’ve been using Tigertech for years and have nothing but good things to say about them. No, they don’t have a “site builder,” but there are many free programs out there. Nvu is a good one. There’s also [Arachnophilia](http://www.arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/). If you need any help, feel free to PM me and I’lls ee if there’s anything I can do to help you get on the web. But my advice is get your own website - don’t use Geocities.