Domain name and website

[anapuni808]

Re: Domain name and website

As to alternatives, I will say that while GoDaddy is a major player, they're the last company I'd recommend. I've blogged about problems friends have had with them since 2006. Beyond the sketchy advertising, the relentless upselling, the iffy customer service, and mediocre prices... the basic service they provide can be provided by dozens of other companies for less, and with more competence.

PZ, you are definitely worlds beyond my meager tech skills! But, I used GoDaddy for 5 different websites that I built/hosted over the last 6 years. I've never had a problem with them & their customer service has been EXCELLENT! I've always been able to get immediate help & answers from their phone reps. Yes, they don't have a toll free number, but its a small sacrifice to get one on one personal service. besides, most of us have free long distance now anyway. Their pricing has been more than fair (at least as far as my cheap clients have felt ). I would highly recommend them to anyone who is just starting out.

[Mattias]

Re: Domain name and website

I'd stay away from GoDaddy.

For hosting I'd recommend Hostgator.

If you want to register your domain and host with the same company then take a look at 1and1.com - uber cheap!

Personally, I have a virtual private server at Knownhost.

[anapuni808]

Re: Domain name and website

what is the problem with GoDaddy?

[pzarquon]

Re: Domain name and website

I'm sure Mattias can answer for himself, but I noted briefly some reasons above, and linked to NoDaddy.com for more information. Of course, GoDaddy would have to be successful and popular to be able to run ads during the Superbowl, so surely there are millions of happy customers. IMHO, though, most people go with GoDaddy because that's what they know... the same reason millions of people continue to be fleeced by Network Solutions on the registrar front.

Whenever I take on a new website client, the first thing I do is extract them from GoDaddy if they're using them.

Of course, once you start with a company, momentum tends to keep you there. So I'm just advising that if you've got to choice to start off on the right foot, go somewhere else.

As for Mattias' recommendation, I have used 1and1.com, and didn't have many complaints, except for a couple of billing snafus that came from my accidentally ending up on the UK-based side of things. I'm now using two webhosts for my own stuff and handling stuff for other people on a couple more, but left 1and1 rather than trying to sort everything out.

[anapuni808]

Re: Domain name and website

I guess my sites must have been too small to generate many problems. or else I'm just really easy to please . I will certainly keep all this info in mind should I ever again need web hosting.

I will say about GoDaddy that I found a lot of their advertising to be very offensive. The "Hooter's Girls" type ads were especially offensive - and I did complain about it rather loudly. Of course, it didn't do any good but I felt better for having made the complaint!

[Mattias]

Re: Domain name and website

My problem with GoDaddy is clutter and confusing control panel. Such a simple thing as changing email address has to be done in several places and even so I still get emails to my old address for some reason.

The best registrar I've used is www.Loopia.se in Sweden. They have good prices and tax free for anyone living outside of Europe. They offer DNSSEC for their domains, which ads some security. They have an English control panel but I don't know how to enable it.

[Amati]

Re: Domain name and website

Wow, so many conflicting opinions. It is almost as hard for me to choose what to do as it is to choose .... about politics!