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« An all round self-skilled web site is the need of the hour for many people. Today the root businesses of many companies are on the shoulders of those sites, which have interactive quality to get a mob of people and can produce the business. Automated features can also play a “behind the scenes” role, by generating the qualities in one’s site like making it easy to use, smooth running and promoting online sales and password protection.

There are several ways by which one can generate such type of automation in his/her site, but all the processes engage either client side or server side scripting. There are several programming languages present specially designed for the web; such programming languages are used for writing scripts. Generally, customer side scripts are written in one of the best web programming languages i.e., Java. But some functions are to be accomplished through the scripting on server side; however, frequently used programming languages on this side are PHP, PERL, and CGI. PHP and PERL are fresher and are on every mouth in the market but one can’t ignore the mother of all web-scripting languages, CGI due to availability of features suitable to it.

Shopping Carts

No one can say that the online sales site is complete without a functioning shopping cart and generally best among them have been written in CGI script. CGI web hosting is ideal for shopping cart scripts because of it’s better interaction with majority of databases, which includes popular MYSQL and MS Access databases, it can be applied with simplicity of similar range on the servers like Windows, UNIX, LINUX, and MACOS, thus simply configured for sales tax and shipping cost calculations. In the market, PHP and PERL are used to apply on the newer shopping cart scripts, but the first choice still prevailing is the use of good old CGI web hosting scripts.

Password Shielding

There are several sites, which require some sort of registration and entry of a password for the user to enter the site’s features. One should need to do it due to the boundations of several reasons like simply a desire to pathway visitors for marketing reasons, like to allow postings on message boards and ensuring that users have paid any required fees associated with use of the site. One should apply the CGI scripts for the automated registration process and in the process of issuing user name/password and generally it is done in this manner only.

Form Managers

There are several people who don’t know about how the forms, they fill out online are handled. They must know that such forms are handled by CGI webhosting. When a user fills in that form and hits the “submit” button, a CGI script takes over and sends the contained data via Email or writes it to a database where the site’s administrator is able to access it later on.

Thus the above mentioned are some of the uses of the uses for CGI scripts on today’s web sites. Like these there are many more and if there is possibility for doing anything on the website, surely it can be done with CGI. PHP and PERL are gaining popularity due to any reasons, but CGI was the one since beginning with the user and is even not going anywhere. So as long as there are web sites, CGI web hosting will remain the Jack of all trade.

There are many people who are not switching to new web host due to fear of old web host and so are bound to suffer from old web host. The users are even ready to pay any amount which can be even ten times more than what they are paying just because of fear of switching over process which they think is quite complicated can even lead to loosing of their website.

The new entries of the customers in this web world will themselves presume that expensive and branded names such as yahoo or MSN or MasterCard can definitely provide the best service.

But there is need to think again.

One should never choose the hosting plan only in terms of money whereas he/she should opt the plan on the basis of return he/she is getting from it.

One can easily find sufficient space for his/her site with all the required features for a mere amount of less than $10 per month – with discounts for paying quarterly or yearly.

The following are the aspects to be looked at while choosing a hosting company-

SPACE: There are several websites, which uses less than 100 Megs of space. However 50-100 megs of space is quite sufficient even if one is planning to build a large community or upload entire albums of photos. By keeping this point in mind one should be able to upgrade with no additional charge.

EMAILS: One should check for a new host that can at least offer 10 Pop3 emails. If one is running a home based business, he/she needs at least 10 addresses or even more if there are many members like own staff or family and friends who would love to use email address and effectively advertise for him/her every time they send out an email. The new host should also offer web-based emails, so as to enable to check emails anywhere.

SUPPORT: One should check if the new host could answer to questions within 24 hours. If this facility is not available then surely it is not the right choice. The host to be selected must offer some sort of live chat capability during regular business hours as well, and a 24-hour a day help desk where one can email in questions. One should also check before signing the contract that proper physical address and phone numbers are available. To ensure one must Email their support or use their chat live capability before agreeing to their service. Thus support is another feature to be taken as serious issue before signing a contract.

USER FRIENDLY RATING: Most important feature to look at is the kind of control panel new host is providing. One should also ask for a demo and should also check if he/she is having a free 24-hour FTP access so as to make modifications as per choice when required. Also it is necessary to have a site builder, bulletin boards, or chat rooms so as to enable one to interact with his/her customer using a new host’s services. One more thing to check is that, if one is having access to popular features such as PHP, CGI, ASP, Java scripts, Perl scripting then will the new host can handle all this?

Now after deciding to shift to new host, there are still some things to take care of like firstly one must make sure that all of the files that have created his/her current site are on his/her computer so that they can be moved. If one has created own pages using something like FrontPage or Site Builder or Dream weaver, then surely he/she is having these files. However if one uses a web based builder, then there is need to download each and every page of his/her site along with their dependent files to a folder on his/her PC.

It seems to be a complicated process but it is not so. One can either use an FTP tool to download files or can download them using the “File – Save As” method outlined below. If one chooses to FTP own files down to own computer, all what is required is just availability of an FTP tool.

In case one opts for another method i.e. to choose the “File – Save As” method, then the following steps must be followed-

The first thing is to do is to go to one’s own browser can be Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, or Mozilla. Thereafter find the toolbar and look for the “File” button, as this will be required. Now simply one should go to the first page in his/her website. After it is fully loaded, one must click on “File” then “Save As” and save the file and all dependent files to a folder on his/her website. This procedure is required to be done for every page. After completion of that the possession comes in the hands of owner. It is always advisable to keep one’s site backed up to his/her own computer in a separate folder, as well.

Once one is having all the files the second thing is to make sure that any other files on one’s web host are backed up. In case one is using web-based mail, then he/she should forward emails to an ‘off-network’ email address or even should archive emails to the computer’s hard drive. As soon as user switched to new hosts his/her all mails get deleted. Deleted. Now it’s required to upload all of the new files to the new host’s servers. Also the new host should provide with the FTP info needed and to do this and/or live support one should keep in mind the following things in order to play safe. The next thing to do is to create an email account to match each email account from the old web host. If case one is having 3 email accounts then it is must to have matching accounts on the new servers as this will prevent to have bouncing emails later when the switch goes through. Now one can change the domain name’s name servers and for this the new host will give the

information. Thereafter one will probably have a primary and secondary name server.

If a user is registering own domain name then the registrar should have a management area. However if one registers his/her domain name through the current host, then one must make sure that he/she is having the access to change these items once.

It will take around 24-48 hours for the name server change to propagate so that the domain name is pointing to new servers instead of the old ones. Now one must make modifications as early as possible lets say within a week time else he/she have to suffer from a long waiting period problem. Before canceling the old host one must allow at least a week so that one can make sure that everything works properly on the new host, all the files and email accounts are there and to check if the new host is working as per expectations or not.

However one has to be very careful if he/she is leaving the current host before next billing cycle, as if the cancellation date falls after the normal monthly billing cycle date, then he/she will be billed again for that month’s service and worst is most of the hosts do not give refunds for less than a month of service.

Now after knowing all the pros and cons of providers and the problems that one can face while switching to new host there is need to remember all the above points to remain safe.

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January 13, 2010 - 9:07 pm No Comments

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