HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
A Web Detour
Q:
Why is it called a “domain name”
rather than a “website name”?
A:
Because they are different things. If
you look at www.starbuzzcoffee.com, that's a
website name, but only the “starbuzzcoffee.
com” part is the domain name. You could
also create other websites that use the same
domain name, like corporate.starbuzzcoffee.
com or employees.starbuzzcoffee.com. So
the domain name is something you can use
for a lot of websites.
Q:
If I were going to get the domain
name for Starbuzz, wouldn't I want to
get the name www.starbuzzcoffee.com?
Everyone seems to use websites with the
www at the front.
A:
Again, don't confuse a domain name
with a website name: starbuzzcoffee.com is
a domain name, while www.starbuzzcoffee.
com is the name of a website. Buying a
domain is like buying a piece of land; let's
say, 100mainstreet.com. On that land,
you can build as many websites as you
like, for example: home.100mainstreet.
com, toolshed.100mainstreet.com, and
outhouse.100mainstreet.com. So www.
starbuzzcoffee.com is just one website in the
starbuzzcoffee.com domain.
Q:
What's so great about a domain
name anyway? Do I really need one? My
hosting company says I can just use their
name, www.dirtcheaphosting.com?
A:
If that meets your needs, there is
nothing wrong with using their name. But
(and it's a big but) here's the disadvantage:
should you ever want to choose another
hosting company, or should that hosting
company go out of business, then everyone
who knows your site will no longer be able to
easily find it. If, on the other hand, you have
a domain name, you can just take that with
you to your new hosting company (and your
users will never even know you've switched).
Q:
If domain names are unique, that
means someone might already have mine.
How can I find out?
A:
Good question. Most companies that
provide registration services for domain
names allow you to search to see if a name is
taken (kind of like searching for vanity license
plates). You'll find a list of these companies at
http://www.internic.net/regist.html.
Here's an
exercise you r
eally need to
go off and
do on your ow
n. We'd love
to persona
lly help, but
there's only s
o much you ca
n ask of boo
k authors (an
d
feeding th
e cat while y
ou're on vaca
tion is probab
ly out too).
DO try this at home
It's time to seek out a hosting company and grab a domain name for your site. Remember, you can
visit Wickedly Smart for some suggestions and resources. Also remember that you can complete the
book without doing this (even though you really should!).
My Web Hosting Company:
My Domain Name:
