Website help.

StilTeg

If I get you right, you are looking for a web hosting company that offers versatile templates and a good storage capacity ...

solo

yes.

Csaba suggested I use wordpress (whatever that means)...okay.

What happens to my email? I need my email to stay as it is because my customers have only that to contact me, this scares me.

I see this place has the highest ratings: http://www.hostmonster.com/

so cheap (what's the catch?) I pay $24 per month at Microsoft.

StilTeg

I am hosting a site on 1&1 (http://www.1and1.fr) but I have not checked wether they have English interface ...
Great sevice, fast, and they deal quickly with domain transfer ...
You mainly have to take care of who actually owns your domain name, and how you can transfer it to the new host. Then you need to back up your complete content, and if your new provider offers the same services, you can quickly transfer your files ...
It will be the same for the e-mail ... You will have to reconfigure your e-mail software to the new POP data, but as long as you have transfered your domain, you keep the adress linked to that domain ...

Gaieus

Yeah, that's what I PM'd you last, Pete. Hopefully your domain is indeed yours (some companies register the domains for themselves and when you want to move, they either do not let you or overcharge you).

As for WP - I suggested that as I understand you are website illiterate. That's an easy to use thing and a "blogging" kind of a cms system is perfect for somebody who keeps adding things to an online portfolio.

StilTeg

CMS are nice to use ... concrete5 have nice features ... (c5host.com) or wix.com also have nice templates

solo

这一切听起来中文网站对我说话。<-- this is how all the website stuff looks to me.

solo

How do I find out if I own my domain?

Gaieus

I told you: call those dudes at that hosting company you dug up to check it themselves. I am almost certain you do own it as can be seen in the whois data:
http://whois.domaintools.com/solosplace.com

The name servers are currently at officelive.com but that can be changed. It's the new host's task to move it, not yours.

solo

I checked and saw this:

Domain Name; SOLOSPLACE.COM
   Registrar; MELBOURNE IT, LTD. D/B/A INTERNET NAMES WORLDWIDE
   Whois Server; whois.melbourneit.com
   Referral URL; http://www.melbourneit.com
   Name Server; NS1.OFFICELIVE.COM
   Name Server; NS2.OFFICELIVE.COM
   Status; clientTransferProhibited
   Updated Date; 16-sep-2010
   Creation Date; 18-sep-2007
   Expiration Date; 18-sep-2011

WTF? Status: clientTransferProhibited

Alan Fraser

Looks like it's yours Pete. Link
Pre FormFonts...when I was running my own sites...I always used Freeola. The rates are much less than that of Microsoft. I'm sure there must be a US equivalent. My daughter currently has a site on Freeola. She put this together herself using one of the supplied templates. How hard can it be?

Gaieus

@solo said:

WTF? Status: clientTransferProhibited

I don't know where you got that actually. Maybe it means that the client cannot be transferred not the domain location.

solo

http://www.whois.net/whois/solosplace.com

StilTeg

That seems to mean you do not have the right to transfer your domain ... So you should ask the registrar to release it so you can claim it back !

StilTeg

anyway, if there is any trouble and they do not want to let you transfer it, you should be able to claim it back in Spetember the latest ... make sure then to have found your new host so they can help you do whatever necessary to reclaim your domain

solo

See, this is why I hate website mumbo jumbo, I'll take root canal before website stuff.

So, I own the domain but I am not allowed to transfer it? who is the registrar and how do I talk to him?

Gaieus

Well, it says the same for sketchucation:
http://www.whois.net/whois/sketchucation.com

And as you can see, it is now "owned" by SketchUcation (in Ireland) not by Coen as it used to be so even the owner has changed. And we are just about to start thinking of changing hosts, too, and there should not be an issue with that either.

StilTeg

Basically, talk with the new host, and they will be very keen on helping you transfer your site, as it is their main interest ;o)

Gaieus

Indeed, See about 5 or 6 posts above!

Alan Fraser

I think MelbourneIT is the registrar...presumably Microsoft are sub-hosting it through them. You are the registrant; the site is actually registered to you...through them. At least that's how I think it works.

Gaieus

Yes, it's not like everyone can register a domain; you have to get a registrar to do that (just like a barrister to take your case to court). But they register it on your behalf and for you.