Wanting to Start a Website for Personal Use

LLordeee on 19/05/2022 - 02:31

Hi everyone, I hope you all are having an awesome day!

I was just wondering, could anyone recommend me a cheap domain place and a website hosting site?
I can't be bothered to learn html and want something like google sites, wix etc where you can add textboxes in, videos, images, links etc.

It's for personal use, as I am a current student and I need/want a portfolio to look nice, neat, tidy and design to showcase my studies that I have done especially as I create games, I was thinking a .dev name but I don't know about it… It'll take a chunk of my budget especially as a student.

I hope this is okay to ask in here

Any feedback and suggestions would be really appreciated to me.

Internet

Comments

  • Hybroid on 19/05/2022 - 02:37
    +2

    Cloudflare.com/products/registrar/ offers at-cost domain names so pretty much cheapest. You may find some deals that offer free domains with hosting packages for first year then jack up the price for Year 2.

    Wordpress is usually the main starting point for people that want to create and develop websites. The vanilla package is highly customisable and there's tons of addons, themes, plugins and more to explore.

    Start with the free plan and develop your site before deciding to get a domain and dedicated hosting when you want to go live to public.

    • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 03:12

      I've thought of wordpress… Someone was telling me that wordpress is a pain to use and to setup.. They pay for pro and that's what they had told me cause they wanted custom css

      If I was to get a domain and start a free account with wordpress.. Can I change it later?
      Does cloudfare host wordpress? I'm not sure how to do it otherwise..
      In terms of the cloudflare registrar, is that usd and then you have to convert it to aud? Is it cheap to buy a domain for 10 years instead of 3 for example?

      I am a complete noobie in this stuff

      • geekcohen on 19/05/2022 - 06:12

        I've thought of wordpress… Someone was telling me that wordpress is a pain to use and to setup.. They pay for pro and that's what they had told me cause they wanted custom CSS

        Sounds like they are hosted on wordpress.com

        Does cloudfare host wordpress? I'm not sure how to do it otherwise..

        No. CloudFlare will allow you to register your domain, have the DNS managed and have some free security features.

        Is it cheap to buy a domain for 10 years instead of 3 for example?

        Some registrars offer deals for registering a domain for a longer period, but not all. I've found that there is no difference whether you do it for 3 or 10 years unless there is a special on. CloudFlare doesn't run specials.

  • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 19/05/2022 - 02:39

    I’d recommend using Google Sites as it’s easy drag and drop and looks pretty neat. (Also costs $0, you’ve only got to pay for the domain).

  • geekcohen on 19/05/2022 - 06:16
    +2

    Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss more. But here are some of my comments.

    It's for personal use, as I am a current student and I need/want a portfolio to look nice, neat, tidy and design to showcase my studies that I have done especially as I create games, I was thinking a .dev name but I don't know about it… It'll take a chunk of my budget especially as a student.

    I'd suggest going Wordpress with some sort of theme from https://themeforest.net/ which will have a builder and make it easier for you to customize. I would suggest getting your domain through CloudFlare and using a host like https://www.siteground.com/ to host it. Don't use GoDaddy or Crazy Domains.

    I started off with my own sites doing HTML and moved to Wordpress. Now have my own little blog, run my own sites on my own server and work as a Web Developer for a Digital Agency. I started doing this stuff when I was 15, I am now almost double that.

    I was thinking a .dev name but I don't know about it… It'll take a chunk of my budget especially as a student.

    I started off with a .info when I started and now have a fair few. A domain is cheap. About $20 USD for a .dev is not bad. A .com is like $14 USD, so there isn't a huge difference.

    • EightImmortals on 19/05/2022 - 08:10
      +1

      "About $20 USD for a .dev is not bad. A .com is like $14 USD, so there isn't a huge difference."

      I'm curious why the price difference between '.dev and .com'?

      • geekcohen on 19/05/2022 - 08:48

        Different domain level operators which set their wholesale price, then the domain registers add their fees which are generally a few dollars.

        It varies a lot with different domains
        * .bio is $81 USD
        * .co is $30 USD
        * .voting $1,495 USD
        * .pictures $12 USD
        * .blackfriday $145 USD
        * .sexy $3,250 USD
        * .rich $2,150 USD

        Most are around the $30 USD mark, just depends on what you are looking for and interested in.

  • elgrande on 19/05/2022 - 08:25
    +3

    The world was a simpler place when you coded your website using notepad. All this wordpress configuration gives me a headache.

    • geekcohen on 19/05/2022 - 08:50

      All this wordpress configuration gives me a headache.

      Once you learn WordPress and how it works, it is great if you have the right plugins + configuration. I moved from an HTML site to a WordPress site, and it was great. Made design adjustments a hell of a lot easier.

      Wordpress has come a lot way and once you get a hang of it, its pretty cool.

      The world was a simpler place when you coded your website using notepad.

      I hope there was an upgrade to notepad++ at some point.

    • AustriaBargain on 19/05/2022 - 12:28

      Most of the internet is on Wordpress. A Wordpress site can look like any website and half your favourite websites are probably built on Wordpress.

  • Brotality on 19/05/2022 - 09:08
    +1

    I would seriously look into Squarespace. They have come a looooooong way since they first started.
    Over the last 10 years we (mid sized company with 1000+ visits/day) moved from ancient HTML crap to Joomla to Wordpress and finally Squarespace. Squarespace is the only one so far where random people on their first week can actually edit and move things around the website with no prior experience. Everything else promises easy editing but it's actually convoluted AF to someone without experience.

    • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 12:19

      I thought squarespace was expensive cause if you want annual on a personal plan.. it ends up costing $211.20 aud.. Surely there's other places out there that's a bit cheaper then this?

      Squarespace does look alright but it just feels expensive

      • geekcohen on 19/05/2022 - 12:24

        Its not that expensive when you consider the cost of hosting is on average $15 a month. Its $180 a year, just for hosting. That is on average, it can vary up and down depending on the provider and service level etc.

        So $220 isn't too bad which includes hosting + the builder.

        Personally, I hate Sh!tspace Squarespace. But that is because I work in the web dev space. It has its limitations.

      • Brotality on 19/05/2022 - 12:41

        geekcohen is exactly right. Not to mention that you would pay much much more if you need any kind of professional help with wordpress.

        @geekcohen I've had to do some custom stuff on our Squarespace and it really has come a long way. You can inject code into pages, play with custom CSS, put code blocks where ever you want. Considering it's current potential, I can't, in good conscience, recommend wordpress to people again.

        • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 13:04

          Is there a way you can pay for 3 years or so upfront?

  • Switchblade88 on 19/05/2022 - 10:29

    Register an ABN then get a .com.au for $14 instead

    Gives a much more legitimate feel to a visitor instead of any old domain like .com or .net etc that can be registered by anyone.

    • OzFrugie on 19/05/2022 - 23:11

      From where?

  • rektrading on 19/05/2022 - 11:41
    -1

    https://unstoppabledomains.com/

    Pay once and own it for life.

    • freefall101 on 19/05/2022 - 11:45
      +5

      Perfect if you don't want your site to be visible to 95% of people.

      • rektrading on 19/05/2022 - 11:50
        -1

        It's only a matter of time before Web3.0 is native to chrome.

        Unstoppable Domains Chrome Extension Lets Users Browse Ethereum-Based Sites
        Unstoppable Domains, the censorship-resistant web developer, has released a Google Chrome extension in its bid to open up web 3.0.
        By Danny Nelson
        Mar 6, 2020 at 5:51 a.m.
        Updated Sep 14, 2021 at 6:16 p.m.

        https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2020/03/05/unstoppable-doma…

      • rektrading on 19/05/2022 - 11:53

        https://unstoppabledomains.com/blog/brave
        Reinventing the Web with Brave Browser and Unstoppable Domains
        May 13, 2021·Last updated on May 13, 2021

        Unstoppable Domains and Brave integrate to enable 30 million more users to natively browse .crypto websites on Brave browser via Desktop and Android.

      • rektrading on 19/05/2022 - 11:56

        https://blogs.opera.com/desktop/2021/04/opera-web3-support-u…
        Opera adds Unstoppable Domains support to desktop and iOS browsers, providing you with seamless access to the decentralized web

        Julia Szyndzielorz Apr 28, 2021 7 comments
        Opera is the only browser to natively support Unstoppable Domains and Web3 on Windows, Mac and Linux, as well as Android and iOS

        • freefall101 on 19/05/2022 - 11:58
          +1

          Thanks cryptobro.

          Most people in the world don't use Opera or Brave, and OP kind of wants a website now not in 5/10/500 years.

          • rektrading on 19/05/2022 - 12:02

            @freefall101: Web3.0 is coming and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

            https://time.com/connect-crypto-wallet/

            Enjoy.

            • freefall101 on 19/05/2022 - 12:15
              +5

              @rektrading: Web3 is a catchphrase for idiots. The internet but powered by blockchain! Because what could go wrong? It doesn't actually mean anything though nor does it mean any product being flogged right now is any good.

              Sign up rektrading.crypto and all it takes is browsers dropping Unstoppable Domains for their own product and suddenly your NFT of that domain is completely worthless.

              Wake me up when more than 5% of people actually use a blockchain product, then I'll be interested. Otherwise it's like making sure you get the username you want on every new social media service that pops up.

              • rektrading on 19/05/2022 - 12:25

                @freefall101: Samsung already ships native Web3.0 on their Galaxy smartphones.

                It won't be long before Apple does the same.

                • freefall101 on 19/05/2022 - 12:59
                  +1

                  @rektrading: "Ships native Web3.0" doesn't actually make any sense as a statement. You sound like someone saying "we need to shift the paradigm to the cloud", it's just spouting catchphrases.

                  Do you actually know what Web3 is? It's a generalised term for using blockchain in web technologies, there's nothing "native" about it required by the hardware. Apple had to ban dapp platforms from their app store because every computer can already run anything considered Web3. Samsung also aren't a major player in the browser market, which is where the support needs to be.

                  It's highly unlikely that there will be a mass movement away from DNS anytime soon on a large scale. This is a novelty thing and adoption of new web technologies takes years. If it does get taken up, a new standard will likely be developed by Apple/MS/Google rather than simply hacking Unstoppable Domains support into their browsers because the security implications are massive if this is going to be widely adopted.

                  What does "ships native Web3.0" actually mean to you? Because to me all it means is they support dapps, that's entirely unrelated to a replacement DNS system, it doesn't mean you can use a blockchain DNS on your phone. That already works perfectly fine without support.

                  Just to add, the idea of having a custom DNS is not new in the slightest. You can set one up without using blockchain and NFTs right now, companies do it all the time to create internal network URLs. There is zero interesting technology behind this at all, it's all being driven by hype and cryptobros who don't actually understand how it works.

    • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 12:23

      I don't have crypto or anything…

      As I want to use it for professional use, I don't want "websitename.nft".. that just sounds werid and would turn people off from clicking

      • rektrading on 19/05/2022 - 12:27
        -1

        How about Lordee.888 or Lordeee.X?

        These domain names are pay once and own for life.

        People can also send payments directly to the domain without a payment gateway or a bank.

  • TooSerious2 on 19/05/2022 - 13:29
    +1

    I've just started down this path, but I'm a middle-aged man trying to learn new things. I'm learning from this post, so here's my 20c contribution. If you're developing games, Lordee, then this might be well below your skill level.

    I signed up for a year's hosting through Obble for $35 on this OzBargain deal. I paid them another $20 for a .com domain, plus a few bucks for the "privacy feature" (this shows you my level of knowledge). I think I could have gotten the domain name cheaper, but this was convenient and I hope it makes things easier. $57.65 was the invoice.

    There were some nice posts for the company on the deal, the price seems good, the discount is lifetime and good for upgrades. Hopefully this means it's future proof and I can upgrade when I might have the need.

    I've had a play and thrown a page together on WordPress. It looks workable once I get my head around it. I have some experience with publishing/pagination software but little with Adobe and the like. Hopefully I'll learn. The Obble deal post has some tips.

    I will also need to learn about cPanel, which, as I understand it, is how you interact with your site. It has a lot of buttons on its home page, so it looks like there's plenty to learn :)

    I've created an email address for my domain and forwarded it to my gmail, but I'm still working on how best to access and use this email address. The first bit was simple.

    Please correct any of my misconceptions. I note I'm one of 12 subscribers to this post (never checked to see how many is normal), so any ideas will help a few people out. Ta.

  • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 13:39

    Another company that uses cpanal is mochahost (https://www.mochahost.com/) but I am not sure if they are any good..
    Don't you have to use git or some fancy things to make cpanal work with wordpress? I am not too sure though

    • TooSerious2 on 19/05/2022 - 13:53

      "Plug-ins", apparently, do the work between WordPress and cPanel. I believe plug-ins do lots of things. If you're coding I think you can add a bit of git to do some boring repetitive job. I think plug-ins do the same, but are easier when you have a shallow understanding and just want things to work.

      I suspect you have to pay for plug-ins, or some of them anyway, but they can do tasks like work the till, keep track of stock, send out messages, etc

  • ForkSnorter on 19/05/2022 - 15:36

    Tumblr. It's free, and if you choose the right template, it's simple and elegant.

  • dylanando on 19/05/2022 - 15:46

    The no code space is coming up nicely, check out something like Webflow or bubble.io slight learning curve but a ton of freedom.

    • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 15:48

      I've never heard of those before!

      • dylanando on 19/05/2022 - 18:53

        Webflow is more user friendly, for sure take a look.

  • kusama on 19/05/2022 - 15:58

    You can get cheap hosting - $3USD/month paying for multiple years up front and it will have cpanel or something to install wordpress.
    From my experience, my site has gone offline for up to a day every few months.

    Cloudflare is best for cheap domain registration.

    • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 16:00

      could I have a link or something?

      I think mochahost does this but do you buy web hosting or word press hosting? assuming you go for word press hosting if I want to use wordpress?

      • kusama on 19/05/2022 - 16:08

        Yep, there's probably better ones out there but it's cheap and if you don't need 100% uptime it's ok, research a few more before jumping in.
        I'm with Hostinger (on the premium plan) https://www.hostinger.com/pricing

        You buy hosting and use the 1-click tools to install wordpress

        Browser found coupon DARREL, to make it cheaper

  • Benoffie on 19/05/2022 - 16:33
    +1

    I use vetra IP for hosting and domain. Just run WordPress.

    However, for dummies stuff, nothing wrong with Google Sites (I use that for work).

    As a games creator though, I would personally want to invest in something that showed off my talents. If this is the space you're living in, learning HTML, CSS etc might be an investment.

    • Lordeee on 19/05/2022 - 17:01

      ^^

      I want to show off my stuff..
      I have a simple itch page that has all of my projects I have worked on but that doesn't seem professional. Thing with a portfolio is that I can talk about the things I did too and how it was done etc etc

      I do use google sites but no domain name or anything but you can't use css with it.. Whereas if I knew and maybe would learn some css then It's customable to me and everything else but for starters just to have something, i have a google site but it's so plain as but I want something more professional looking and to have a website for myself

  • CantonasKungFuKick on 21/05/2022 - 00:08

    WordPress is daunting when you google but it's very simple.
    You can get a bog standard hosting plan from someone like ventraip. Then as advised just pay a small amount for a simple themeforest WordPress theme and that is all you need. I recommend the Avada theme, it's got everything you need and support are awesome. You can import a demo theme they provide and tweak by drag and drop

    You don't need custom CSS for what you're after so ignore that. If you're building games you can build a WordPress site

    Reach out if any questions, happy to help.

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