[lenjan]

Does anybody know about how much the average annual cost for a specialized domain name is? I want to put up a work-related site that I can put on my resume and direct potential employers to. I have a personal site right now that is inappropriate for that purpose.

[Perna]

I use register.com for my domains: http://www.register.com/product/hosting_details.rcmx because I've used it before and know it's reputable, etc.

There are various costs depending on what options you buy, etc. It's the hosting that costs the money, not really the name. The name is a one-time charge per year usually or places might throw it in if you use them to host it, etc.

You can get a name from any of the places and the name is "yours" and then you can have anyone host it but it's easiest if you get the name and host the same place, otherwise you can get all tangled up with server name transfer and just hope you understand what's going on. I've bought names and then hosted them later somewhere else or not liked a host's software (control panel) and transfered the host and that's a pain.

Beware too, some places sell subdomains instead of whole domains so you have to use a portion of their name (kind of like the blogs here at psychcentral? I'm perna.psychcentral.com, for example) that's a subdomain, psychcentral is the domain. So if you use another place (Go Daddy, say) make sure the name is registered to you and there aren't any "liens" on it by the person selling it to you, etc. (like you must host with them or the cost goes up etc.). There's all kinds of hidden stuff that can happen. I'm sure Register isn't the cheapest but it "works" for me. They have nice, relatively easy controls, have free template stuff if you don't want to do the web page design, etc.

[DocJohn]

$10 per year for the domain name (we use Godaddy.com for domains)

$43 per year for hosting a small website (on Godaddy.com)

https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/hosti...ng.asp?ci=8971

or

https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/hosti...te.asp?ci=8889

[teejai]

You'll get some good feedback about domain name providers at http://www.emaildiscussions.com/. Some very knowledgeable people there when it comes to email matters.

[lenjan]

Thanks everyone! Now: Any recommendations for picking a domain name? I know a lot of people just use their names -- I'm not sure how I feel about that.

[Perna]

I create names according to my projects. "Asynchronous-ed", "RelativelySavidge" (a Savidge family newsletter/genealogy site :-)

You can play around with names; type them into your address bar and you'll get a "does not exist" for those that aren't taken, etc.

How about: http://journalistextraordinaire.com/

[lenjan]

OK, I have to admit, all journos have at least a BIT of an ego -- but I don't know if I'd go THAT far. At least not for me. LOL

[Perna]

Darn, I'd never heard you all called "journos" so tried for links like that:

http://www.journos.net/

and a couple that someone "owns" but would love to sell you probably for a zillion dollars. Funny story, the company I worked for KCW Engineering finally got on the Internet and was looking for a site but someone bought their name so KCW was already taken but the scalper would sell it for them for some exorbinate amout but the owner/president don't play games like that and got pissed so they're kcw-et.com instead ("engineering technologies", their whole name) which, of course, was not taken.

http://www.candyjourno.com/ ?

[lenjan]

I have an email addy that is mujournalist@(whatever). Since I went to both Missouri and Marquette (both MU in their respective states), that might do for a domain name, I think. I don't really want to use my own name because nobody can spell it, but I need it to be something reasonably professional and neutral, since it's something I plan to point potential employers toward.

So what do you think of something like www.mujournalist.com?

[Zorah]

Everyone,
thanks for all that info, serendipitous, as we are in the process of building two small websites, for the first time.
one is for a small club & one is for us, & we have to arrange all that hosting stuff this time.

we do already look after another organisations website, but it had been up for years. all we do is small time updating & they pay for the domain name & hosting, so it's not our problem. They don't pay us or anything, lol.

Not trying to hijack the thread (((((candybear)))))

We think mujournalist sounds good & professional too

[lenjan]

ty (((((((zorah)))))) and no worries, glad the info helps you too

[Perna]

That does sound good. So, think I go buy it and then scalp it to you?

http://www.mujournalist.com

Most site hostings come with email accounts too so don't just base your name on already having an email account. GoDaddy gives you 500 it looks like :-) https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/hosting/shared.asp