Can we have a section for website owners??

blue_monkey_2

I wondered if there could be scope for a section for people who have websites already? Maybe within the Tech or Small Business forum.

I am having a nightmare at the moment with my site and would love to have people to ask about their hosts, costs, help with html etc... these are all things moneysaving too and there are loads of us who have websites but that need help such as html without us having to pay a small fortune for it.

Although I mention things about work I do not like to openly advertise the site but at the same time it would be nice to have other MSE'rs to speak to and get their feedback if they have websites too.

I've just been quoted 6k by a web designer, it would be nice to know that I could ask others what options others took when going for design, hosts, etc... without worrying if it has been posted in the correct place.

Any chance of this at all?? Thank you.

lofielectronic

6k seems pretty steep dependant on what your site needs to do.

This place is ok for advice, its quite a new forum I think. There are of course hundered of tech forums out there too.

marleyboy

I think that having a website board, could open the doors to spam and abuse, certainly a misuse of MSE,

blue_monkey_2

Do you not already think there is no spam on these boards? You should check the Uggs site, that is spammed every single day now, as do many other threads. It does not have to discuss specific trades but things like how to get the best out of your site, SEO's, etc...

The reason for posting this message was because I needed a new host as I was tired of mine as they would not give me what I needed yet would not let us go elsewhere for site design. However, I have since found another host, which although it costs me more gives me more for my money and gives me a good look, but it would have been nice to get some feedback from other people who host with certain sites to find out what things like customer service and tech assistance is like and just to offer some personal advice.

I am happy with the one I have found though but I already think that there are tons of people spamming this site - a lot of people do not realise though and do not give it a second thought. That is what the report button is for and I regularly use it!!

geekinaseat

Hi blue_monkey, I'm an owner of a couple of sites myself and an IT manager by trade so I'll be happy to help in any way I can, pm me if you like and I can certainly help you out with questions about hosting or development costs.

I do agree that this site isn't really a technology forum but I see no reason why we can't have a thread discussing best buys regarding developers or web hosts, what do you think?

blue_monkey_2

Well this is what I thought. I signed up with Bluepark now and I've spent too much time on the site to consider changing it. I spend most of my time on this site if not working or looking after the kids - it is all about money savings and making sure you get the right thing for your money after all.

marleyboy

blue_monkey wrote: »

Do you not already think there is no spam on these boards? You should check the Uggs site, that is spammed every single day now, as do many other threads. It does not have to discuss specific trades but things like how to get the best out of your site, SEO's, etc...

I already think that there are tons of people spamming this site - a lot of people do not realise though and do not give it a second thought. That is what the report button is for and I regularly use it!!

Hence why we cant realistically have a website board, as you admit yourself, there is enough spam in the threads as it is, the fact you can report them should indicate to you, that MSE doesn't approve of them, but it doesn't stop them getting through, imagine what a website board on MSE would be full of if we allowed that.

blue_monkey_2

marleyboy wrote: »

Hence why we cant realistically have a website board, as you admit yourself, there is enough spam in the threads as it is, the fact you can report them should indicate to you, that MSE doesn't approve of them, but it doesn't stop them getting through, imagine what a website board on MSE would be full of if we allowed that.

Marleyboy, I do not think you really understand what I am talking about here.

What has talking about website hosts got to do with advertising our own sites? A host does the same as your broadband supplier - it supplies a service to enable you to run a website. I have not said it is for advertising, I have said it is so we can discuss our hosting issues, support and services? As I said, I needed to change mine so I wanted to know who was using what service. This is no different from someone asking what electric/phone/moble/supermarket/toys shop someone else uses except for it being about hosting a website. There is never any need to disclose your own website details. However, Martin has recently let us do this anyway on another thread, did you know that?

To discuss hosting I do not need to disclose my website, nor my business, in fact, click on my name and choose 'blue monkeys homepage' and my business is there for people to see - there is a field for it when you fill your details in. Go to the eBay board and people always talk about what they do without advertising who they are or what their business is called. I need to speak about the services website hosts offer - in the same way I could go to the utilities board and ask what people think about eon.

Indeed I have signed up with a company at £60 a month I have no idea on, I do not know if they are reliable nor worth the money. They host my site, give me templates, give me payment gateways on the site, how the orders are processed, etc... and it would be nice to have somewhere to discuss what the best option is for this. Likewise, who the best payment gateway is with. Maybe the title should be different. If I want to get a new utilities or broadband supplier we can discuss this and ensure we are getting the best for our money. This is exactly the exactly the same thing. And nothing to do with Spam!!

marleyboy

Im not having a pop at you here, I have no doubts that your intentions are honourable, but the next person might not be so honourable. Maybe if we had a "website" tips board, it could prove beneficial to many users in your position, reducing the risk of blatant advertising and\or spam.

I can see your point and I stand corrected and apologise if I have misread your post, if its discussions about who provides the best "web" servers, would that not be best posted in the "internet" thread, sub board of the "telephones" thread?

blue_monkey_2

What I usually do at te moment is ask on the eBay board as many of the eBay store owners usually have websites. The Internet board is for people looking for stuff to do with their internet connections rather than hosting. I also tried the Small Business board but many people do not look on their either. The reason for asking this initially was because I had been quoted 6k for a website design I wanted. After picking myself off the floor I told the company no, could not afford that and the host I was with was not really intested in trying to give me what I needed - not wanted, needed - so my customers could search what they wanted.

I trawled for a bit and found a company hosting but it was double the price I was currently paying - however, the people I was hosted with managed to get me in the top 3 of Google so do I risk losing that, so this was why. So many questions, it would have been nice to have somewhere to turn to and to people that I had already got to know through this site (as happens).

It is all about moneysaving at the end of the day, even if it is to do with running a business, but it was more being able to give, and being able to ask opinions. Like payment gateways for example, I do not know who to ask what the services are like, but if there was a set area for being able to do so then this would be great.

Yes, can we have an area for 'website tips and advice' is a better way of putting it