Question on Webspace, domain names & experimental e-commerce web development

flashcash5

PLEASE NOTE: I'm not looking for a bidding war on web hosting services, just advice..

I'm working on developing a php - MySQL -Apache web development project for college where i integrate my shopping cart script with a merchant payment system. The front end will obviously be HTML.
I'm currently running the setup locally on my machine and i wish to make the system 'work online' for a test period of about 3 months. What i mean is i want to be able to sell my product online on a temporary basis, hopefully with SSL support (if i get that far).

Obviously, i need web-space online. Can i get webspace that supports my system configuration for free anywhere? If so, where?

Also, i am thinking of buying a short .com domain name to link the website to and to use later on after my project is completed.

Should i fork out on a domain name on its own, or else a package that includes webspace, or can i go around things?

Please bear in mind i don't actually have a business and the things i will be selling will be limited, just to show that i can actually sell something online.

I'd appreciate any help on the subject.

Thanks in advance..

Ph3n0m

In relation to your "system configuration " - unless its radically different from what hosting companies offer hen initially there should be no problem

However - unfortunately without knowing the full specs of the product or your system configuarion - I doubt anyone can advise you to anything except contact hosting companies directly.

Any company that offers free hosting, etc do have limitations, etc.

Furthermore - without dampening your obviously enthusiastic spirits - this product of yours - the "a php - MySQL -Apache web development project for college where i integrate my shopping cart script with a merchant payment system" - unfortunately that is nothing original

Check out www.oscommerce.com for example - they do exactly what you are doing and are integral with multiple merchant payment systems

However that said, good luck

amp2000

flashcash5 wrote:

Obviously, i need web-space online. Can i get webspace that supports my system configuration for free anywhere? If so, where?

Also, i am thinking of buying a short .com domain name to link the website to and to use later on after my project is completed.

Should i fork out on a domain name on its own, or else a package that includes webspace, or can i go around things?

OK, 2 things, I doubt your going to get anything free with a mysql database, I could be wrong but I doubt it, even if you do find a free one I'd imagine you would have to host a banner or something.

Have a look at this place, the starter package for $3 a month might suit you if the site is under 25mb http://ravenwebhosting.com/
Have a look around though, you'll probably get cheaper.

As for your domain name, why pay someone else to do it, do it yourself, you can get a .com .net or .org name for $8.50 a year http://mydomain.com/
Again, you can register these with other places aswell, I'm just giving you what I've used so you have somewhere to start.

flashcash5

Cheers for the replies & i'm aware of how much this has been done before.

Thanks amp2000 , those links were exactly what i was looking for.

Adios

MakingMeMark

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=114211

Point 4.

rsynnott

What college? TCD, UCD, DCU and others have netsocs or equivalent, which usually give their users free or VERY cheap hosting for non-commercial sites. (http://netsoc.tcd.ie, http://redbrick.dcu.ie). These usually allow PHP and MySQL DBs.

Edit: Tut, tut, mod missed the naughty spammer's tagline above.
Rob

flashcash5

Not in any of those colleges but i'll enquire at mine, never thought of that really.
Its a commercial project though, could be tricky.
Thinking i'm gonna need alot more bandwidth than i thought though.

If i did get my site hosted on a college server, what kind of limitation issues would arise with this that you have heard of. For example, different interactive site features being disabled by college firewalls? Any you have heard of?
I know it depends on what policies are in place by the admins but just wondering..

mneylon

A lot would depend on who controls the network and whether they are willing to co-operate with you or not.
The best thing to do is ask.

flashcash5

affirmative

Sounds like a plan so

O yea look at this:

http://members.home.nl/saen/Special/zoeken.html

rsynnott

flashcash5 wrote:

Not in any of those colleges but i'll enquire at mine, never thought of that really.
Its a commercial project though, could be tricky.
Thinking i'm gonna need alot more bandwidth than i thought though.

If i did get my site hosted on a college server, what kind of limitation issues would arise with this that you have heard of. For example, different interactive site features being disabled by college firewalls? Any you have heard of?
I know it depends on what policies are in place by the admins but just wondering..

As far as Trinity's concerned, we don't let users do commercial stuff (sorry, I misunderstood you before, thought the goal was just a demonstration of what a commercial project might be like). No bandwidth limits, within reason . I suspect the no commercial stuff is a common enough policy . Same with free hosts btw. We enable most normal PHP features, along with CGI in any language available on the machine. Your best bet might be to have a look at cheap hosting in the US.

MakingMeMark

flashcash5 wrote:

affirmative

Sounds like a plan so

O yea look at this:

http://members.home.nl/saen/Special/zoeken.html

LOL! i jumped about 10 feet! Was listening to mellow music, and then, WHAM!
My post earlier was edited as being advertising: it is not. I can help you out with hosting mate. I've just left uni and am setting up a ecommerce project.
Email me at mark@makingmemark.com and we can talk about it. Should be able to give u free hosting. makingmemark@hotmail.com as well.

flashcash5

and this is why I am the MOD, thread closed