Friday, January 22, 2016
Here are some of the terms and resources we covered today in today's VMW Toolshop: Making Your Own Website.
Domain Names
A domain name is an identification string that represents an IP resource, such as a website. These names are formed according to the rules of the Domain Name Systems (DNS). Domain names are often compared to phone numbers, but they are also kind of like personalized license plates. Domain names can generally be purchased from a variety of registrars and hosting services. This does not include the hosting required to mount a website.
Name Servers & Domain Name Systems (DNS)
The name server translates the more human-readable domain name (http://yourwebsite.com) into the more computer readable IP address (http://123.456.789.1234). The server component of a DNS is one example of a name server. It provides a distributed naming system for computers, networks, and Internet resources.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP is a standard network protocol that transfers files from a computer to server or network. If creating your own site files, you can use free FTP services like Filezilla or Cyberduck to transfer files from your computer to your host.
Hosting
Hosting is a service that provides the storage space for your website files. Hosting services provide space on their servers for monthly or annual fees beyond the cost of the domain name registration. The host assigns the DNS address for your site files to your registered domain name. (We talked about Reclaim Hosting.)
Website Files
This is the content that populates the hosted space. These will often be MySQL or PHP files that make up the back end of the website's structure. Many hosts have easy one-click install options for popular content management systems. (We talked about Wordpress, Omeka, Drupal, Scalar.)
Basic Steps Involved
Research available hosts/compare rates
Research software - see what other comparable websites are using by looking at the footer or View Source
Purchase domain name
Purchase hosting plan
Install content management system
And consider coming to our next toolshop Friday, February 12 at 10:00am to learn about Curating Your Online Presence: Beyond the Website to further discuss content and social media.