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General discussion

Mac Friendly Web Host

Feb 14, 2006 5:26PM PST

Alright, I need to tap you brainiacs for a little information.

I used to know my $#!T when it came to websites and webshosting but it's been years since I played the game.

As I'm now looking around for a webhost to bring a domain name online that I've owned for years, I find myself daunted by the prospect. I looked at CNET's recommendations and Brinkster had a good rating. So I go to their site and see "Windows or Linux" under all the packages but no Mac OS.

Does this really affect me? From what I remember, websites are pretty much platform non-specific. I did a quick search and the name Dogbark.com came up for being a Mac friendly webhost. I love the cool and fun attitude that comes across from their self-description but what do I know them from Adam? So, why would it matter to me if my webhost is Mac friendly or not and if it does matter, do any of you know anything about Dogbark.com or have recommendations for other Mac friendly webhosts?

Thanks.

-Kevin S.

Discussion is locked

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oy, the difference...
Feb 14, 2006 5:37PM PST

So I'm comparing...

Brinkster: $5.95 a month (for 12 months) I'd get 1.5 GB storage and 35 GB web traffic.

Dogbark: $53.85 per quarter (over $200 per year) 100 MB storage and 2 GB traffic per month.

I'm hoping it doesn't matter if my webhost is not "Mac friendly" or that other Mac friendly sites exist that better compare with Brinkster.

The difference is ridiculickus.

-Kevin S.

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wow
Feb 14, 2006 5:42PM PST

go with the $6/mo option!!! $200 a year, thats way over the top!

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mac friendly?
Feb 14, 2006 5:38PM PST

well i don't know what mac friendly is but I do know that I'm a friendly web host. (sorry, self promotion coming up)

err the site that I use to sell hosting has kind of fallen apart but my hosting works - lockedbox.co.uk/group/hosting/ (just drop me an email or something)

(self promotion over (for now that is))

I guess it really depends what you need and want from your host, maybe we could help you better if we knew what you wanted?

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Well. There's always Apple's .Mac service
Feb 14, 2006 9:42PM PST

If all you're doing is hosting of some generic html, basic blogs, photos, and maybe a podcast; Then .Mac is very tightly integrated with your mac and the iLife apps.

If you need things like PHP, MySQL, Perl and the like; then better to go with some other hosting.

Scott

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hmmm...

Well. A friend hosts my site, and he runs Windows and I'm on a Mac. We both use Wordpress, and there hasn't been any problems.

Honestly? It sounds like a gimmick to me. I'm not exactly a web-hosting expert, but I think you should be ok. GoDaddy has some good hosting services.

Veronica

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sounds like I'm safe
Feb 15, 2006 2:16AM PST

... to go with just about any webhost.

Thanks for the tip about godaddy. I recently renewed my domain for 2 years through register not realizing I was an utter idiot for paying their ridiculous fee for two years instead of transferring registration to a place like godaddy. Like I said, I've been out of it for a while with the whole website thing.

Thanks also Ross and Scott for your tips/suggestions. I think I want to do a bit more research and settle on a reputable one in the states that is affordable and provides me with the most bang for the buck.

-Kevin S.

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Good idea
Feb 15, 2006 3:32AM PST

CNET's reviews of wenhosts are limited to big hosts because there are so so many out there.

IMHO it doesn't matter a hill of beans if a service is MAc-friendly or not. What matters is there uptime and customer service. You won't ever know or care what platofrm the site is hosted on unless it goes down.

I'll put in a good word for http://www.cornerhost.com/

They're small cheap great for bloggers and have excellent responsive service. Lately they've started to grow a little to fast for their own good, but overall I love them.

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Sad sad story (start the violins)
Feb 15, 2006 2:36AM PST

My church refused my suggestion to host our church website through GoDaddy because of the commercials with a certain woman. I tried to remind them that if we stopped doing business with companies that don't meet our standards of acceptablility we would need to uninstall all Microsoft products.

Hypocracy can be so much fun.

Scott

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Feel ya
Feb 15, 2006 4:01AM PST

Yeah, that kind of hypocrisy (times ten) shattered a friendship with my "best friend from high school." I'll just leave it at that.

Maybe ask your church elders (or whatever they're called) if they care to do an ethics check on every potential webhost and maybe they'll give up and let you go with godaddy.com.

-Kevin S.

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reccomendation
Feb 15, 2006 4:49AM PST

I'd go with site5.com, they're one of the best out there and their support is great.

I'm not a fan of godaddy, they were a pain to deal with when I had to transfer a domain away, I'm a fan of Dotster.com now. Cheap and great to deal with!

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Going Daddy
Feb 15, 2006 7:52AM PST

Just had a bit of time to investigate a couple of the webhosts and if only for the simple reason that I am fighting against fundamentalist hypocrisy by choosing them Happy I've decided to pick GoDaddy.com.

Their price/performance looks really good and they seem big and legit enough for it not to be a risk.

-Kevin S.

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(NT) (NT) LOL Stick it to the man!!!
Feb 15, 2006 7:55AM PST
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Agreed
Feb 17, 2006 9:19AM PST

I *heart* GoDaddy. Lots & lots of stuff for a VERY cheap price!

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Followup to godaddy choice
Feb 17, 2006 2:16AM PST

I finally signed up with godaddy.com last night as my webhost and I explained to them that I just stupidly renewed with Register.com for two years which costs about 4 times as much for the domain name.

Since I chose goddaddy.com to be my host instead of Register.com (who also charges 4 to 5 times as much for comparable webhosting) godaddy honored my 2 year payment with Register AND gave me a third for free. (For domain registration, not webhosting).

Anyhow, I thought it was worth a mention that godaddy is (so far) a very customer oriented company.

-Kevin S.

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Things You Don't Know Until You Start with Your Host
Apr 29, 2008 6:32AM PDT

Something to watch out for: in Safari, when customers click on adding something to their cart and it does not work...but it does in other spots on your site.

Then, technical support that says; "We can't duplicate your problem because we don't have a Mac to try it on."

We are looking into a new hosting company.

Please check, is our iPod and iPhone case</a> web site still working: http://www.gizmac.com ?