Help Me - I am an Idiot

johnfás

Well the thread says it all so you know the level of competence you are dealing with here! But hopefully some of you might be able to help me.

Right. I would like to create a simple website and I have various bits and bobs, yet no sellotape or scissors if you will! It has been suggested to me that I download a template from http://www.oswd.org. Ok... I do that - from here on in my question is then what!

What software (free and simple) do I download which I can copy what I presume is html from what I download on that site into and edit (I've tried it and when I click preview all I get is a load of meaningless random words, no proper webpage looking thing). Thereafter how do I upload it to the web onto a .tk address.

Thanks

Adam

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if it's the free .tk addresses you're talking about, you can't upload anything to them, you just login and use the control panel to select a design and layout.

johnfás

Mirror wrote:

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if it's the free .tk addresses you're talking about, you can't upload anything to them, you just login and use the control panel to select a design and layout.

Hmmmmmm, in that case I guess I'd have to upload the site somewhere else - can someone verify this point and also if anyone has any idea about the more general queries?

aidan_walsh

Mirror wrote:

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if it's the free .tk addresses you're talking about, you can't upload anything to them, you just login and use the control panel to select a design and layout.

I'm not sure bout now, but you used to be able to register a free .tk address and point it towards a third party host. In that case, you would need to use either their panel to upload the files (bad hosts) or have the option to FTP them up (everyone else).

Dodge

dot.tk addresses will only redirect to already hosted sites

if you address os www.geocities.com/mycoolsite you can point www.mycoolsite.tk at it

It won't do anything else


EDIT: LOL, someone has registered that .tk address

CoNfOuNd

The paid .tk domain ($6.95) gives you DNS control (you can point it to any webhost you like) and also removes ads. However IMO .tk domains have a bad reputation as a free TLD. I wouldn't pay for them.

New .info domains are cheap at the moment from a lot of companies, but the renewal costs next year will probably be the same as a .com.

Also, quite a lot of companies will give you a free domain when you buy hosting from them.

Have a look at these free WYSIWYG html editors:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/webmaster/htmleditors.shtml#wysiwyg
(I haven't used any of them so I'm not much use!)

You could just edit the template text using Notepad..

mneylon

CoNfOuNd wrote:

New .info domains are cheap at the moment from a lot of companies, but the renewal costs next year will probably be the same as a .com.

Affilias seem to be pushing .info hard with their registrars. I've seen them going for as low as $1, but I'd question whether they are worth it, as they are far too attractive for spammers and phishers. For brand protection - yes, but for an actual site I'd go with a .eu or another TLD instead of .info

Eoin

blacknight wrote:

Affilias seem to be pushing .info hard with their registrars. I've seen them going for as low as $1, but I'd question whether they are worth it, as they are far too attractive for spammers and phishers. For brand protection - yes, but for an actual site I'd go with a .eu or another TLD instead of .info

Here's an article about the .info and .tk TLDs.

Some excerpts:

A survey of 265 top-level domains by McAfee, dubbed Mapping the Mal Web, revealed large differences in safety from one domain to another. The worst haven for malware belonged to the the tiny Pacific island of Tokelau (.tk), where 10.1 per cent of websites contained dodgy content.

The survey - which aims to provide a guide book of the net's most dangerous top level domains - also looked at generic top level domains. It found that .info is the riskiest generic domain, with 7.5 per cent of its sites rated as risky followed by .com, with a 5.5 per cent population of dodgy sites.

WeeDiddly

(This is my first post on this account, but I had 500posts on another account, but no password )

.tk domains are very very bad. Full stop.

I, being a 15year old, began web design when I was 13, and I wanted to start on a free domain name and free hosting. I have much experience of your situation, and I understand it is hard to find a domain name that is useful, and convenient.

.tk have a malicious reputation, and there have often being sites that stopped .tk level domains linking to their images, etc. Basically, they are seen as the scum of the earth domain name.

I suggest, that you visit http://www.freedomain.co.nr. It works basically the same way as .tk does, except with a better reputation, and better service. All you have to do is sign-up and answer three questions, to prove that you understand english, and that you will be able to obey with the T&C.

.co.nr has no pop-up ads but instead requires you to put a link back to their site. Your domain will be www.MyWebsite.co.nr

As for hosting, this is a tough one indeed. And it is one you must be careful with.. they offer no guarantee, and they could dissappear in the morning, so keep a copy of all your files on your computer if you decide to go down the road of free hosting. This one looks pretty good for a free host, but I have little experience with this host(where you will be storing your files for people to use): http://www.agilityhoster.com/

Good luck!
Nev

(Edit: Had to correct a mistake)

Ph3n0m

WeeDiddly wrote:

They have absoloutley no forced advertising, but they require you to put a small 50*50 link back image to their website.

Sorry but if thats not forced advertising, then what is?

WeeDiddly

Ph3n0m wrote:

Sorry but if thats not forced advertising, then what is?

Sorry, I said that a little bit wrong. What I meant was "forced pop-up advertising". Sorry about that! Thanks for pointing it out!