GoDaddy Customer Service C to D
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- GoDaddy seems to be going down hill very quickly. It was recently called to my attention that my GoDaddy Review was a bit generous in rating their customer service a C-. From all the feedback I have gotten from fellow GoDaddy customers I have decided to move them from a C- to a D-. The reason being for whatever reason it is now taking them several days in order to answer an email.
Upon, lowering their ranking I have been doing a lot of research online and have found some very interesting information on GoDaddy. For instance, one site that really caught my eye was NoDaddy.com. I like the name and I am sure GoDaddy appreciates it, as well. Anyways, this seems to be a site based on complaints on GoDaddy and their are several class action suits against their company (by their employees!)
Honestly, go to Google and type in “GoDaddy problems“. You will find pages and pages of filth on their company. I would highly encourage you to stay away from this web hosting company!
**Update on 7/25/11 NoDaddy.com was bought out by Godaddy. Yeah I know it strikes me as odd too. Maybe it is a move on GoDaddy’s part to improve their PR. I don’t know. I do like GoDaddy for their domains, but not for their web hosting 
Best Green Web Hosting – Wind Energy Moo-ves FatCow to Greener Pastures
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- “Green” has become such a buzzword; you hear it every which way you turn. This color that used to be just part of a set in a box of crayons is now the universally-used (and –accepted) term to describe everything that has to do with humanity’s effort to save Planet Earth. The realization of the extent of damage inflicted on Earth and our natural resources, largely because of the way we live, has prompted everyone to chip in and play a part in reversing the harm done – and most importantly, preventing further damage. It could be as simple as segregating your trash, bicycling to work instead of driving, or recycling. In all likelihood you would have also heard the term “green web hosting”. And just as likely, there may even be some that are wondering, “What has green got to do with web hosting?” Plenty.
Although it might not be visible and apparent (and you probably haven’t given it much thought either), hosting a website has a detrimental impact on the environment and leaves a huge amount of carbon footprint on its trail. Think about the energy consumption that running your website entails: a huge amount of electricity is needed to power up the web server; the server itself churns out a great deal of heat and because internal fans are not sufficient to cool off the data centers, cooling systems in temperature controlled rooms become necessary. This adds up to further burden in energy requirement/consumption.
As the World Wide Web expands (as much as twice its size in every year of its existence, for the most part), the required servers grow in number as well; and subsequently, more and more energy/electricity has to be tapped to keep the servers running. Despite increased awareness and the dramatic improvement in the energy efficiency of most servers, energy consumptions continue to rise because of the rapid expansion of the Internet. At the current rate, rough estimation shows that by 2020, carbon emission from powering the Internet would be as immense as that produced by the airline industry.
Given this ominous scenario, web hosting providers have started to come up with solutions to counteract the negative impact of the energy-intensive services that the industry offers. Green web hosting is the concept by which web hosting companies try to neutralize their dire effect on the environment; while also providing a terrific means for ecology-minded consumers to put their money where their mouth is. These same consumers can support the development of clean, renewable energy by buying green web hosting. But what exactly is Green Web Hosting? Is it for real; or nothing but just one of those fancy words that the industry coined to portray an environment-friendly stance?
How Does Green Web Hosting Works? The Many Ways to Go Green
The primary concern of green web hosting is to monitor and control harmful carbon emissions from data centers. This works along the principle that technology doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment. In recent days, there has been an increasing number hosting companies that adhere to the thrust of leading technology and quality service while also consciously making sustained effort to curtail the degradation of the environment and save Planet Earth from the irreversible effects of global warming brought by carbon emissions.
Any web host can become green – in more ways than one; but there seems to be a consensus that the most excellent way to go green is through the utilization of renewable energy. Simply put, this means creating energy by using the power of sun, wind and water. Renewable energy is sometimes referred to as the “holy grail” of the web hosting industry, that not only benefits the environment but the web hosting providers and consumers as well.
Some hosting companies that offer green web hosting set up their own facilities and directly operate their servers on renewable energy generated on-site; others purchase their utilities from certified renewable energy providers. By using wind mills or turbines, solar panels and dams, high energy resource can be generated to feed and keep the data centers up and running, without causing too much damage. However, this requires huge initial investment, and not all hosting companies can afford this transition. Fortunately, there is an alternative to this dilemma.
Renewable Energy Certificates/Credits (RECS)
In a nutshell, Renewable Energy Certificates/Credits (RECs), commonly called Green Tags, are certificates or credits purchased by web hosts from renewable energy producers (such as wind farms, for instance) to show that the electricity they use to power their servers and cover their electricity needs come from renewable energy sources. One REC is equivalent to the environmental benefits of 1,000 KWh (1MWh) of non-polluting energy produced from sources that can be easily replenished by the Earth’s natural systems (think wind, water and sun). Thus, a web host may still be using energy powered by fossil fuels; purchasing RECs indicates that it supports and helps expand the advocacy for going green.
More Options – How You Can Identify Green Web Hosting Providers
There are several more options for web hosting companies to go green. You can further determine if the hosting provider you are planning to sign up for is a green web hosting company when it utilizes these options to power its data centers and server farms in a more environmentally friendly manner.
Carbon Offsetting and Carbon Credits. Putting a price on carbon emission is another excellent way to make Earth a better planet. In carbon offsetting, green web hosts often engage in environmentally constructive projects to reduce (if not totally eliminate) carbon footprint of the servers. A very good way of doing this is through participation in activities such as tree planting and other energy conservation schemes. Carbon credits on the other hand, do not prevent carbon emissions per se. Purchasing carbon credits enables green web hosts to take the edge off the environmental impact of their servers’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by investing on alternative eco-friendly projects and helping to fund green initiatives occurring elsewhere. This theoretically cancels out their carbon usage and helps realize sustainability goals. Each carbon credit represents one metric ton of CO2 equivalent.
Energy-efficient Servers. Green web hosts see to it that the servers they run has the capability to cut down on power and energy usage. A specific technology known as “speed stepping” can considerably reduce the amount of voltage and heat that a server uses. Green web hosting efforts also include using propane gas instead of diesel for generators and backup resources.
Enhanced Data Center Design and Landscape. Green web hosting companies design their data centers and server farms in such a way that they can optimize functionality with the least amount of energy usage. Some of the most ideal green web hosting data centers sits on vast open space with plenty of room for tree-planting and are set up for proper ventilation. Data centers and server farms that use fewer energy resources for air conditioning and cooling system are always perceived as more eco-friendly.
Green Business Practices. Green web hosting involves more than just having carbon neutral servers. Web hosts that offer green web hosting also focus on energy conservation in the workplace itself by implementing less-energy-consumption strategy and other proactive steps with the goal of driving down overall energy consumption in nearly all aspects of operation. This is commonly observed in offices using fewer computers and other types of hardware, lighting, and other electronics. Employees are encouraged to recycle paper and other office waste (some even go totally paper-free), use green cleaning products and services, and allow some staff to telecommute.
Go Green with FatCow – The Greenest Web Host of Them All
Established in 1998, FatCow was designed to be a unique alternative from the very moment it was conceived. Since its inception, the company has grown bigger and better in its more-than-a-decade existence; yet, still exists by the code of delivering excellent value and best customer service hosting experience that website owners (especially, small online businesses) look for in their providers. FatCow is known for providing real business value and for making their services easy to own and easy to use.
In July 2009, inspired and encouraged by diligent employees and the customers’ positive response, FatCow finally decided to go green and announced the company conversion to 100% wind energy. This gigantic move propelled FatCow’s customer base to green web hosting with a much-reduced carbon footprint. The recently purchased 4,412,000 KWh per year of wind-generated RECs results to a mind boggling offset of approximately 2,260 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Now what could be greener than that!
But that’s not the only reason why FatCow is considered the Best Green Web Hosting in the industry. Apart from being a green web host, FatCow definitely knows its business and provides the pioneering one-price-plan philosophy that offers unlimited bandwidth and disk space along with fantastic features. But most importantly and even more impressive than all features combined is that FatCow truly provides authentic 24/7 customer support. FatCow has the most fabulous hosting plan that has everything you need to put your money for your own piece of the Internet – right out of the box!
For the very low regular price of $3.96 per month (only $2.95 per month with coupon), FatCow has put together an assortment of free green badges that you can add to your website to announce how you’ve already gone green. Clicking on the any of the green badges will show the FatCow certificate that authenticates and verifies that your website is powered by 100% renewable energy. Jump on the band wagon and start promoting your energy-efficient website with FatCow green badges today. To fully appreciate why FatCow is the Best Green Web Hosting provider on the market today, check all the outstanding features and services that the company offers in my Full FatCow Review. There is no better way to go green than signing up with FatCow – the greenest web host of them all.
Custom Error Pages – How To Create Them
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- You’ve seen it before: pages that say “Error 404 – File not Found” or something like that.
Often, when people get to that, they just click away to go elsewhere. What a pity—as it may mean a lost lead, sale, or newsletter subscriber. To minimize these errors, how can you encourage potential leads to stay with you with custom-error pages?
Many good web host services offer a custom error page function that is built into your account control panel. But if yours does not, what can you do? Here’s what to do for that custom-error page of the most frequent error we all get: “404 – File not Found.”
To begin with, you need FTP access to your website. If you do use it to upload files, you will find no great problem ahead.
Simply use your site template as your custom 404 error page, with the appropriate body text such as “Oops, the page you were looking for no longer exists, but there are pages on our site which may give you what you’re looking for.” Add some relevant links to that line, then save the page as 404.htm in a folder you can call “Errors.”
Now connect with your web host account through FTP, then upload the file. Search for a file in the root directory where your pages are stored called “htaccess.”
Download a copy of the file, making a point to save a backup copy in case anything goes wrong. If you find no htaccess file, a text editor such as Notepad can help you create one. This file will have no tail extension, and a “.” must come before the “htaccess.”
In the htaccess file, add this at the bottom:
ErrorDocument 404 http:// whatever.com/error/404 htm (Here you have to replace whatever.com with your domain name.)
There– simply save the file and upload to the root of where your website pages are stored, with your custom 404 error page now working. You can test it out by trying to access a page on your site which actually does not exist.
Custom error messages can be used for other error codes like the following:
• 400 Bad File Request
• 401 Unauthorized
• 403 Forbidden/Access
• 405 Method Not Allowed
• 407 Proxy Authentication Required
• 412 Precondition Failed
• 414 Request- URI Too Long
• 415 Unsupported Media Type
• 500 Internal Server Error
• 501 Not Implemented
To create pages for the abovementioned and activate them, you simply add more lines to your .htaccess file, this time replacing the “ErrorDocument 404” with the required error number, and the URL of the custom error page.
Best Linux Web Hosting – The Power of Dynamic iPage Hosting Experience
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- Linux web hosting is the prevalent and most popular hosting platform currently being utilized in the hosting market. There was a certain time, however, when Linux was exclusively used by particular groups, mainly on the academic level. This was the time before Linux was incorporated into the business environment mainstream and utilized in much the same way as UNIX. During that time Linux was perceived as too complex and intricate that only experienced administrators were able to thrive on the platform.
Linux OS continues to develop and has now become the most widely accepted web hosting platform in the industry, largely because of its availability and functionality. Its high adaptability and sturdiness makes it the most preferred alternative to such proprietary operating systems as Microsoft and UNIX. A huge number of software developers and programmers have utilized Linux’s source code and customized it to meet the users’ individual needs. Giants of the computing world like Hewlett-Packard and IBM have accepted and continuously support Linux’s dozens of current projects aimed at docking Linux to a range of hardware configurations and a wide variety of purposes that include software development, end-user platform and networking.
These days, most hosting providers and web developers have the necessary tools to make Linux OS as simple and as user-friendly as the Windows operating system. In fact, if you have adequate technical knowledge of the system, you can take full advantage of the benefits of Linux by controlling your site through its command line interface.
Moreover, its development as home and office desktop operating system is also gaining ground, even though it was basically adopted as a server platform. Linux is also being used in devices and appliances by direct integration into microchips through the process of “embedding”.
Although Linux is frequently perceived as an open source operating system and the source code remains available to everyone, it doesn’t mean that Linux is totally free. Some software developers and companies charge fees for the system; still, Linux is often considered as an exceptional, low-priced option to other costly platforms.
Making the Choice – Is Linux the Right OS for Your Website?
Before you decide on which platform to opt for, the crucial, million-dollar question is: What kind of website are you planning to build and what is its purpose? Then there’s also the very vital question: What applications are you planning to use on your website? Here are some points to consider:
• If you are a newbie Webmaster that has yet to learn the ropes and your objective does not include generating profit or revenue, your website most likely consists of static HTML pages created from boxed software; in which case, Linux OS may be the best overall solution for you. Linux hosting is less expensive and you don’t even need to probe into the more advanced functions. Your server OS is not much of a big deal as long as you have an excellent web host.
• If you have a typical “brochure-ware” website, Linux server is a smarter choice. A brochure-ware site is the kind of site that offers information, which in the past was usually presented in the form of newsletters, data sheets or brochures.
• If you decide to have multifaceted features on your site, such as routine Ecommerce functions, online purchasing, members-only area, live chat/help and other similar interactive features, then the server OS may become an issue. These features require programs that can process your site visitors’ input and yield back coherent and useful information; thus, you have to consider the tools and scripting languages you plan to use. If you prefer Perl, MySQL or PHP, Linux is the best move to step forward.
The Advantages – Why Linux is the Most Preferred Server OS
• System Stability, Reliability and Security. As a UNIX-based solution, Linux OS has earned the reputation for providing the most stable and reliable hosting environment for your website. The main reason for this is because it doesn’t place high demands on server resources. Compared to other operating systems, Linux is known is best known for its capability to employ the full processing power of the hardware on which it is installed; thus, sustain supreme performance levels for amazingly long periods without having to constantly reboot for technical issues or even for maintenance. It seldom slows down or freezes and has consistent and continuous high uptime (at the rate of 99.9%) for hundreds of days. Because Linux is open source software, patches and repairs can readily be accessed, which makes it easier for any developer with sufficient expertise and know-how to amend or fix any bugs or glitches that your site might encounter. As for security, Linux hosting has always been considered to be one of the most secure operating systems and deemed safer than other web hosting platforms.
• Cost Efficiency. Not all Linux distributions and versions are free (although there are indeed distributions that are free, such as Debian, CentOS and OpenSUSE), but this hosting platform is remarkably a lot less expensive than solutions designed on other operating systems. Support cost for Linux hosting is essentially low, simply because support system for Linux OS is generally manageable even by the in-house support staff of the hosting provider. This makes Linux the most affordable and reasonably priced hosting solution on the market.
• Dynamic Functionality, Flexibility and Scalability. Most websites start with only a few pages of HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) but are expected to expand over a period of time, in accordance with customer requirements. Linux-based web servers make scalability a lot simpler without entailing a huge amount of design alterations. The high functionality of open-source Linux hosting allows you to access extensive range of applications and scripts and offers greater support for programming languages than any other platform. The combination of powerful components gives Linux-based hosting great flexibility, and creates data-driven and dynamic interactive websites that significantly exceed the limited functionality of traditional static HTML web pages.
Linux web hosting may be highly praised and recommended as one of the most reliable and stable operating systems; you must not forget, however, that other factors matters a lot in maintaining the system uptime. The output you get largely depends on premium hardware and underlying infrastructure; likewise, proper configurations and the hosting provider itself. Erroneous configurations of the programs could render Linux as vulnerable as any other system.
Some Inadequacies and Limitations
Linux hosts often rely on what is known in the hosting industry as the LAMP structure: Linux OS, Apache server software, MySQL database and PHP scripting. This potent combination offers exceptional power with a superior lineup of outstanding features, a wealth of amazing free utilities, and vast collection of web development tools that make for a spectacular web hosting experience. You would think that Linux comes pretty close to being able to do everything, but the fact is no operating system could ever be that versatile. There are special requirements that Linux is unable to meet – it can neither reproduce some proprietary multimedia formats nor run some advanced financial applications. Some specific niche applications are not suitable for Linux platform as well. The good news is these areas are quickly getting covered as Linux continuously expands its popularity.
There are a huge number of Linux-based hosting plans on the market that offer all sorts of packages, from the cheapest – even free – basic service to the more advanced hosting with secure Ecommerce capabilities, multiple databases and various support for a broad scope of applications. So how do you choose the best Linux web hosting? The ideal provider should be able to cater to all your hosting requirements, which should also include more than enough bandwidth and disk space, easy-to-use web-based control panel, ample e-mail accounts, Web Mail, FTP access, and support applications for discussion forums, blogs, photo galleries, live chat and many more.
iPage – The Most Recommended Best Linux Web Hosting
With thousands of web hosting companies that offer Linux web hosting; only a small fraction can truly provide the best value with quick and steadfast support. In the competitive world of web hosting, identifying the Best Linux Web Hosting provider can be quite tricky. So why iPage? What makes their Linux hosting plan stand out from the rest?
The iPage team has been hosting personal, social, non-revenue and business websites for over 10 years, which makes the company quite an authority in web hosting and the distinct needs of every hosting customer. iPage offers feature-rich web hosting with a great deal of flexibility and without overcomplicating matters. With only $2.99 per month plus add-ons of $150 worth of free marketing credit and free software valued at more than $400, iPage is authentically the most affordable hosting plan on the market today.
Needless to say, the iPage control panel gives you access to incredibly flexible and intuitive tools to create and enhance your website. The iPage customer support system is focused on the three most vital aspects that you are so concerned about: your website, your online security and your e-mail.
With iPage you get a lot of options when creating your website that gives you the freedom you require to build your online presence that displays your business personality and brand. The iPage NOC (Network Operations Center) is designed to quickly detect any breach in security and the whole network is fully and tightly locked down for any security holes as soon as they become apparent. iPage understands that e-mail is the lifeblood of any business communication, so the company goes the extra mile to ensure that mails are sent and received at the quickest possible time and the spam filters in place are truly effective.
Worried about uptime and reliability? No need to fret about that. The company’s two data centers located in Boston, MA are fully equipped with technologically advanced and secure networks. iPage’s pool of redundant servers provide faster load times and fewer interruptions. iPage uses the most up-to-date and powerful Dell servers, which when combined with around the clock, 24/7 monitoring and daily backups absolutely guarantee a 99.9% uptime.
When you try to contact iPage technical support for any issues or concerns, you are 100% sure that one of their agents will be in touch in less than two minutes. Everyone in the support team is certified knowledgeable and has even passed all sorts of expertise test to ensure that they can give you the quality service you deserve.
Not all Linus web hosting companies are created equal and iPage is definitely a breed apart. Ipage does everything first class and the iPage Linux hosting plan is no different; the iPage Linux servers and all its features are totally top-of-the-line.
These are but a few of the great reasons why iPage is the Best Linux Web Hosting provider any customer could ever ask for. If you aren’t fully convinced that they are perfect for your Linux hosting needs, check my iPage Full Review – and you’ll realize that hosting with them is the smartest investment you will ever make for your online business.
Drupal: CMS Benefits?
Drupal CMS
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- After you have started a website and your business grows, you will need to continually update and make changes to the site. Nowadays when nothing is free, if you find a good content manager which will save you hiring extra staff and the resources to update what your site offers, you’d be glad you did.
Drupal is a content management system made not just to create websites, but also to build e-commerce sites. With its credible community support, you can focus on your web design as it offers all the flexibility you’d need and more.
Aside from that, Drupal, as a leading content management system, offers these 7 features:
1. Effective editing. Drupal helps you change or update content into your web pages easily and professionally. It also provides you a content management kit that makes it simpler to organize content, supporting your requirements.
2. Large number of modules. Equipped with many modules you can go back to, the user can develop, manage, and organize website content with no great trouble.
3. No Technie Requirements. You do not have to be high-tech, studying all about advance programming or HTML, as you can move about even with basic browsing skills.
4. SEO-friendly. Drupal is search engine-friendly, meaning it lets you be in charge of your URL. If you customize your web content, you will be quite visible in search engines.
5. Community. Drupal is a large community, so you can load images, post news, articles, and stories, and expect a large feedback from polls and surveys too.
6. Dynamic. PHP, a programming language, is compatible with several operating systems, so you can better develop your website.
7. Revert mode. If you find it’s still rather complicated for you to manage, Drupal allows you to revert if you do not find you’re happy with your newer version.
What sets Drupal apart from other content management systems is, whatever difficulty you find yourself into, it has a large community that can quickly give support. Drupal gives you a complete e-commerce web development program you cannot experience with other software.
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