Innovative idea's...

[syanet]

I need them. I'm going to relaunch a free web host in the forseeable future and don't want to make the same mistakes I made last time.

What kind of add-on's would you want in a host? A support chat room? Preinstalled scripts? If so, which ones? Do you want a topsites for member sites, or maybe a banner exchange for hosted sites?

How about advertisments? Pop-up? Pop behind? Exit pop-up?Banner? Ad bar? I don't know, you tell me. Should they be user placeable? Or maybe forced in a frame?

Extra features? Is MySQL and PHP necessary? Would lack of those prevent you from taking on a chance on a free host? Do you want a online editor? Or should I just target experienced users?

What about a pay option to remove advertisments? What's a quality price? $4? $6? $10? Maybe more or less?

How much space and bandwidth is really necessary? Should you get a little with an option to upgrade later? Do you want it all at once? Is 20MB to little, but will 100MB make me a target for warez freeloaders? How much bandwidth does a site hosted on a free server need? Should sites be sgut off during a week they go over? Maybe shut off if they go over a months allowance?

Like I said before, I don't want this next project to fail like my first did. I need everything to be perfect and that's why I want everyone's opinions. Let me know what you think. I also want to offer a paid option to remove advertisments. How would you like to see that implemented?

[Edited by syanet on 03-05-2001 at 11:58 PM]

[Gayowulf]

It sounds like you dont know what you want. Tell us the base sort of thing we will be dealing with. I say keep it simple. maybe one of those pop behinds, or user placeable, or maybe a banner at the bottom. I think a topsites, and a banner exchange among member's sites would be cool; but only if it isnt too much work. maybe even the sites that make you the most money. FTP is a must. CGI would be good. I,personally, dont care about PHP or MYSQL. Pay for removing banners would be good, but only if its worth it. Its hard to quote a good price because i dont know what you will be offering.

Make your own decisions about bandwidth and space. Maybe have a starting point and increase it if it looks like you will be able to handle it.

maybe you should go for unlimited bandwidth and space

[Webdude]

Well, we're about to offer an option for $1 per month billed yearly to remove the ads..

And stay away from Plops...you will lose potential members using them. Many people wont even bother checking you out if they hear you have popups. Put an inline banner at the bottom, ones that pay CPM....and then offer your members a price per month option to remove the banners. If your sevice is good, you'll make more money from the $1 per month deal than you do off the banners themselves....plus your members will be happier....plus you will get a LOT more members just because the banner is at the bottom (-:

[Coolin]

Inline banners are a good idea. Making them user placable or placed at the bottom by default if not user placed would also be cool. Personally, I find SSI or PHP to be a must, since includes are critical to many sites, including mine. CGI would also be nice, but not too necessary unless you are targeting advanced users. PHP/MySQL is something that I would want, but I don't think many people would agree with me on that subject. Supporting that would also be nice, since there aren't many hosts that support MySQL.

[Chris]

Yeah, don't do that search deal again, that was so unprofessional looking.

[Zitech_Industries]

For your ads, make sure there is a way users can select a banner that has something to do with their site. That way we can avoid the problem of ads for femine hygeine products all over the place (dont ask). 50- mb is good. FTP. And throw in some good extras, like after a certain number of page views a day, give'em a domain name or upgrade their service.

[syanet]

I think I'll make avilable 5 different methods of placing advertisments. The user would select which on and where to insert the code. If they don't choose, they'll get pop-ups by default.

As for space, I'm thinking start at 50MB and with good reason upgrade to 100MB? Sound good? I'm looking into an automatic way to create MySQL databases so there's a very good chance that will be included.

Any other input?

[Nick]

Originally posted by syanet
What kind of add-on's would you want in a host?

Availability of space, bandwidth, and scripting languages.

Originally posted by syanet
A support chat room?

For people who need it.

Originally posted by syanet
Preinstalled scripts?

Only if they don't cut into my allowed space.

Originally posted by syanet
If so, which ones?

WWWBoard, Counter, FormMail, Date/Time, Countdown.

Originally posted by syanet
Do you want a topsites for member sites, or maybe a banner exchange for hosted sites?

Both are good, but only for sites who want to join. No automatic joining like the SpacePorts topsites.

Originally posted by syanet
How about advertisments?

None would be what I want, but I know it's unfair to ask for so...

Originally posted by syanet
Pop-up?

No.

Originally posted by syanet
Pop behind?

NO.

Originally posted by syanet
Exit pop-up?

HELL NO.

Originally posted by syanet
Banner?

Yes, has to be placable.

Originally posted by syanet
Ad bar?

Show me...

Originally posted by syanet
I don't know, you tell me.

[Placeable] Banner.

Originally posted by syanet
Should they be user placeable?

Of course.

Originally posted by syanet
Or maybe forced in a frame?

Adframe bad.

Originally posted by syanet
Extra features?

Lots of them.

Originally posted by syanet
Is MySQL and PHP necessary?

Sure as hell is.

Originally posted by syanet
Would lack of those prevent you from taking on a chance on a free host?

Sure would.

Originally posted by syanet
Do you want a online editor?

Nope

Originally posted by syanet
Or should I just target experienced users?

Target experienced users.

Originally posted by syanet
What about a pay option to remove advertisments? What's a quality price?

$4-5/mo.

Originally posted by syanet
$4? $6? $10? Maybe more or less?

$4

Originally posted by syanet
How much space and bandwidth is really necessary?

20MBs to start with, upgradable via support for valid reason. 4GBs Bandwidth, also upgradable for good reason.

Originally posted by syanet
Should you get a little with an option to upgrade later?

Exactly.

Originally posted by syanet
Do you want it all at once?

Nope. Keep away warez.

Originally posted by syanet
Is 20MB to little, but will 100MB make me a target for warez freeloaders?

20MB is good if upgradable for good reason.

Originally posted by syanet
How much bandwidth does a site hosted on a free server need?

Pesonal: >1GB, Fan Site: 1~3GBs, Education Site: 1~1.5GB (w/o graphics, just text), popular sites; message boards; etc. 5+GBs

Originally posted by syanet
Should sites be sgut off during a week they go over?

NO.

Originally posted by syanet
Maybe shut off if they go over a months allowance?

NO

Originally posted by syanet
Like I said before, I don't want this next project to fail like my first did.

Good to hear.

Originally posted by syanet
I need everything to be perfect and that's why I want everyone's opinions.

You just got mine.

Originally posted by syanet
Let me know what you think.

Follow my direction and you can't go wrong .

Originally posted by syanet
I also want to offer a paid option to remove advertisments.

Good idea.

Originally posted by syanet
How would you like to see that implemented?

You get other things with paying that really mean nothing but look good. Example: HyperMart will give you extra space if you get ad free opt.






Damn, that took a while .

[Canuckkev]

Here's an idea. Give users an incentive to stay with you. Like say that when users are with you for 3 months, give them something like more space, pre-installed scripts or something. I find that I am hoping areound from host to host too much. Maybe with a reason to stay, I will.

[syanet]

Nick... Nice post. It's all been taken into consideration. I think the base starting point will be 20MB and 3GB.

Canuckkev... One thing I was contemplating was giving more space, bandwidth, databases, etc to the sites with the most hits. It only makes sense since one, the make me the most income, and two, they'll make me even more with more space. So what about an incentive program? Could that work?

[Coolin]

Oh yes, to upgrade to a higher quota, please make it a form instead of email. Not only is it much simpler for the user, it makes the user feel happier. Email is really intimidating for some. (Me included, I dunno what to write.)

[syanet]

Originally posted by Coolin
Oh yes, to upgrade to a higher quota, please make it a form instead of email. Not only is it much simpler for the user, it makes the user feel happier. Email is really intimidating for some. (Me included, I dunno what to write.)

Would have to be a form-email deal then. I don't want to automatically upgrade available space without reviwing the site first.

[jiminsd]

All good ideas above... I might of missed it but having a domain option is a must for me. I'd go to a pay host before going with a pop-up or a non ftp free host. You might study Netcabins... they started off looking great but I think they lost credibility by not having it right in the first place.

[BiteTheBugByte]

.. you should give an option to host an adult site... then the members would have to display a bigger banner (or more than one) for you to cover the traffic costs that come with it.

[JacklePoP]

I would really love if users had upgrades to their space allocation, after a period of time. I'm constantly hopping from host to host. But currently, i'm with F2S.

About banners, user placeable banners would be really nice, as we could intergrate it together with our site layout and stuff. Yup. Most of the stuff have been said already...so...