Some of the things to look for are size of pipeline, space, and access to a CGI-bin, support and extra features.

Size of Pipeline
The host computer is typically connected to the Internet by T1 and T3 lines. A T1 can carry up to 1.5 mbs (megabits per second), while a T3 can carry 45 mbs. Small ISP hosts sometimes have ISDN connections to the Internet, or "fractional T1" connections (part of a T1). Look for T3 or T1 for a small site. The expense of installing an adequate pipeline is the main barrier to setting up your own server in your Business or Club.

Space
Web hosts will assign a certain amount of space for a specific price. Five megabytes (5MB) are plenty for a small site, but you should be able to incrementally add more space when necessary.

CGI-bin and TELNET Access
Your web site will be made of HTML files but also programs as well. These programs need to be in a special directory called the CGI-bin. These programs can do many things such as enable forms, counters, guest books, access logs and much more. CGI stands for Common Gateway Interface because it allows all computer platforms (PC’s, Mac’s, UNIX, etc.) to use a common interface. Most hosts will provide you with ready-made CGI programs. If your site needs custom programs, you will need your own cgi-bin directory as well as TELNET access. Most hosts allow you FTP access to a cgi-bin directory but not TELNET access. This will be a problem if you want custom CGI programs. Without TELNET you most likely have to rely on your host for CGI programs.

Support
It is very difficult to determine how much support a host will really provide. The best way to get some insight is by questioning others who use the service. A host should be willing to give you a list of other sites they host. Simply access the web sites and email the "webmaster" of the site asking them how happy they are with the service.

Extra Features
If you plan to make credit card sales over the web, you’ll need to have SSL Security. If you plan to display databases on your site, be sure to get an ISP whose operating system is compatible to yours.

What Does it Cost to Host a Web Site?
The typical six-page site with cgi-bin access and a T3 connection should cost no more than $18 to $25 per month with set-up fees running $50. If you need SSL Security, expect to pay $35 to $75 per month. Again prices vary, so do your homework. We maintain several sites at Hypermart and PC ETC (http://www.hypermart.com) (http://www.pc-etc.com) for considerably less than the "average" prices quoted above and have been very satisfied with their service.

Testing your Site
Once your site is on line you need to test the site. Go through the site, one page at a time and click every link to make sure nothing is broken. Before you announce the site to your customers or membership, sit down with someone who is unfamiliar with the site and have them navigate your site. Watch where they go first. Ask them what they would like to find but don’t tell them how to get there. See if they can find what they are looking for. Ask them for feedback as they are using the site. Often, what is clear to you is confusing to your viewer.

A big concern to web designers is making sure that web pages display correctly in all environments. There are significant differences between Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Netscape’s browser. Additionally, there are differences between various releases of browser's and among the PC, Macintosh and UNIX platforms. That’s why it’s critical to test your pages in as many different environments as possible. You will be surprised how different the same page can look on different computers.

Another variable is monitor size. Many designers work with larger monitors and sometimes neglect to design for the average user with small monitors. Feedback indicates that viewers don’t like to scroll left and right or up and down. Also, various monitors have different color reproduction. Graphics that are vibrant and crisp on a high-resolution monitor can be dull and fuzzy on a low-resolution monitor. A small number of users browse with the graphics turned off. Therefore, be sure that your site makes sense even when the graphics aren’t displayed.

To top it off, some browser's (notably Internet Explorer) have different capabilities of interpreting scripting languages (such as Java and Java script) and handling plug-in utilities (such as RealAudio). Again, it is important to platform test all the scripted features of your site to be sure you don’t exclude (or worse, crash) viewers with older computer systems.

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