2) Server installed programs

a) 'Website builder'

This is often a great way to get started. NetRegistry offers an 'Instant Website' product, which is a server-installed program that you access via a webpage. Once you are logged in, creating a website is only a few clicks away.

Like many technology solutions, what you gain in simplicity, you lose in flexibility. We often see clients who've created a nice starter site that they are in the process of building on. They invariably get to a point where they want to do something that is outside of the framework that is available in the site builder.

All in all it's a great starter tool (and it's included with all NetRegistry hosting packages), but depending on what your future needs are you may hit a ceiling where you end up needing to redo your site in an authoring tool.

b) Content management systems (CMS)

This is like a site builder that is user installed within the hosting space for a single domain. So in theory you install the software on the server, and then configure it. Once done it sets the framework and architecture for your site.

Common examples of software than NetRegistry clients use are Joomla, Mambo and Drupal. As a word to the wise, if you are a beginner, then these are not the right tools for you today. Typically we find that a developer might install one of these, create a great looking and functional site for a client. However, the client is then left with administration of the content going forward which is done via a secure login to a web page. One of the great things about CMS systems is that you can have different people responsible for the content on different sections of the website.

The examples I've listed here are all free, though there are non-free enterprise versions available depending on exactly what your requirements are.

So there you have it, the world of web site creation and publishing. A few last minute items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I transfer my files from my computer to the server?

Once you've created a page or pages, you need to publish them to the server where they are viewable by the rest of the world. Of the four tools that I listed in the user installed programs section, all have a publishing function. You enter the address of the server, your username and password and make a connection. Once connected, you can publish new pages, or simply update the site for pages you've modified. You can also delete old pages. It's a very simple matter.

If you have pages you want to upload but don't have a web authoring program, then a simple FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program will do the job. Some are free others not however they all do the same basic job. Filezilla is a great free tool that I recommend to many clients.