Web site creation from scratch!

[#1]

HI,
I have been using Plusnet as my ISP for  few years.
BUT I now wish to use my 100mgb free webspace to create a web site to promote and sell a book I am publishing in April.
I have registered a domain name on 23.reg but do not want to pay their monthly fees for web hosting.
SOME QUESTIONS
1. Doe Plusnet provide a good reliable web hosting service or should I look elsewhere?
2  Is there a bandwidth restriction? I'm only publishing info & (hopefully) accepting orders.
3. If I obtain a Paypal business account can I use this with my Plusnet webspace?
4. Can anybody recommend free WYSIWYG editing software for use on my  Apple Mac with OS10?
5. How do I get started, find my web space & upload my pages? What FTP software should I use on my Apple Mac?
I would be grateful for simple clear non techie answers to these questions.
AND any other advice / information which would help me get started.
Bill Forster

[#2]

Hi Bill
1) yes it is up 9.1% of the time.
2) 250 mb bandwidth a day.
3) Yes.
4) Sorry carn't help with this one.
5) have a look at Help & Support For Beginners for geting started
For PlusNet to:
Upload ftp://username:password@ftp.plus.net/htdocs/  for using your web Browser such as Internet Explorer v6
Web Site http://www.username.plus.com/
Try FileZilla Client for FTP

[#3]

Quote from: Midnight

1) yes it is up 9.1% of the time.

Surely that should be 99.1% ?
BTW, I believe that you should have 250MB of space.
As for editors, the only thing I can think of on MAC OS is MS Word.
Gerald.

[#4]

Quote from: geraldholdsworth

As for editors, the only thing I can think of on MAC OS is MS Word.

Urgh
Have a look at http://net2.com/nvu/ for a free one, also plenty of paid for applications.

[#5]

Or <a href="http://www.kompozer.net/">Kompozer</a> is a slightly more up-to-date dev of NVU.
Gabe

[#6]

Quote from: geraldholdsworth

BTW, I believe that you should have 250MB of space.

Depends on the product the OP is using; as he said he's been with PN for a few years, it may be a legacy product with the small non-ccgi allocation (such as BB+)

[#7]

Thanks to all of you who responded to my request for help in "starting a web site from scratch" - especially to "Midnight Caller".
I have a Boadband Plus Account which gives me only 100Mgb of web space and a 100 Mgb "daily allowance" (bandwidth).
If I limit the number & size of images & stick to text I think this OUGHT to be enough for people to log on & decide if they want to buy the book I am publishing about HMS VENOMOUS from launch in 1919 to scrapping in 1948.
BUT if I develop a Forum (unlikely but not impossible) then it might be far too little.
But that's advanced stuff from where I am now.
YOU RECOMMEND;
1. As editing software nvu or Kompozer.
2. File transfer FileZilla Client but what about Cyberduck?
3. At present I use a domain name on strato.de for mail (personal) but need a business mail address to work with my registered domain name (parked on 123.reg) and am baffled about how this will work.
Will welcome further guidance & advice.
Bill Forster

[#8]

You can keep your domain name with 123-reg, but you will need to change the nameservers to:
ns1.force9.net
ns2.force9.net
You can do this in your 123-reg control panel.  Then you will need to let PlusNet know that you have pointed your domain at PlusNet's servers by Opening a Ticket with Technical Support.
Then if all gos well with in 24h your domain will point to your PlusNet web space, plus you will be able to send & receive emails with your domain name.

[#9]

Quote from: forsterbalcke

2. File transfer FileZilla Client but what about Cyberduck?

I use both, but a I tend to use Cyberduck only occasionally, when I need one of its bells or whistles, and generally just use Filezilla. The Filezilla interface does look a bit Windoze 3.1 (turn round three times and spit) but I find it easier to work with - just a personal preference. If you prefer the site-manager approach, Kompozer has built-in FTP. For SFTP (not that relevant to Plusnet at the moment), Fugu is another option.
Gabe

[#10]

Good advice before - but maybe do what you best and leave things like a web page to someone that is more knowledgeable.
Either find a friend, relative etc to do the web site  for you - I've seen so many poor attempts for something as important as a sales tool.

[#11]

I am still undecided on what to do - despite the good advice received.
I am now aware that there are lots of web hosts offering "managed services" ie you pay to access software on their server to create a database.
Some like 350.com are quite cheap. And offer a free trial. And thy have templates which simplify the creative side.
But what is to stop you creating a site on their server with their server tools ad then downloading it and transferring it to free space on Plusnet?
Is that legal? Or can they sue you for infringing copyrite in the templates they have created?
Or, alternatively, do they have some techie way of blocking you from downloading & putting your web site on a free server?
Bill

[#12]

To get that sort of think working on another server would require more knowledge than would be required for you not to need that sort of service - if that makes any sense.
Edit: and yes, there's almost certain to be copyright content: images, etc.
Have you thought of using something like Amazon Advantage?
Gabe

[#13]

The reason for having my own web site is two fold:-
1. To get the full price of the book (less p&p) instead of giving Amazon Advantage 55%
2. To communicate with the families of those who served on HMS VENOMOUS and add the name of their family member to a list of those who served on the ship with links to tuff elsewhere on the web eg unithistories.com
I am a retired publisher and hope to get my money back but am really doing this because my father was the Lt(E) on HMS VENOMOUS in 1944-6.
I do have a distributor to the book trade (bookshops, wholesalers, etc) but it would be nice to 'wave the flag' for the book myself on the web.
Bill

[#14]

I have just spotted a lot if very confusing stuff about web hosting at:  http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,70034.0.html
This suggests that Plusnet also offers subscription based web hosting with software tools for creating a web site as an alternative to the DIY approach I have been considering with comes free with my ISP BRoadband Plus account.
Would somebody please tell me which I should be using???
Or at least the arguments for & against?
Bill

[#15]

there seems rather a lot on the web already about HMS Venomous