GeoCities Hosting Calls it Quits
Written by Chad Bean on October 26, 2009 – 7:20 pm -It looks like GeoCities, the Free Web Hosting service owned by Yahoo!, is officially ending service to website owners today. I’m sure many of you have used their service at one point or another, so it’s kind of sad to see them go down with all of the web sites they hosted. My first web site was on GeoCities, complete with a looping, low-quality instrumental midi file, and animated graphics. Many other free web hosting services like GeoCities have risen and fallen over the years because the free hosting business model just doesn’t seem sustainable.
It’s amazing how many web sites with no business model or profitability sunk during the .com internet bubble. Internet businesses, like any other company, aren’t immune from the age old philosophy of “you need to make money to stay in business”. Now there are a few exceptions to this rule. It’s still possible to come up with a great idea for a web site and receive funding from a venture capital firm (read: Twitter), but for the everyday web business owner, they understand the need to make a profit.
Many GeoCities refugees have migrated over to HostGator, and we want to welcome you all with open arms. We can assure you that HostGator won’t have the same fate as GeoCities because well, we’re a profitable company.
If you have a site with GeoCities and need a new home, post a comment and we’ll try to throw you some free months worth of Hosting at HostGator.
Tags: geocities
Posted in Around the Web, Web Hosting News | 13 Comments »
Twittering All The Way
Written by Douglas Hanna on December 31, 2008 – 9:59 pm -
I’ve known about Twitter for a relatively long time, but could never see myself using the service. I just couldn’t grasp the idea of saying something meaningful in 140 characters or less, but as I started working at HostGator and our social media outreach programs, I found myself thrown right into the Twittersphere (if that isn’t a word already, I just made it up).
A couple of months later, though, I’m happily Twittering from the web and from my ever trusty BlackBerry. A majority of our presence on Twitter is aimed at addressing customer concerns and feedback in what is essentially real time, but our presence on Twitter is also about reaching out to customers through a different medium and in a unique way. We already reach out to those who blog or post about us, so Twitter seemed like the next logical step.
So far, it’s been incredibly successful. We have over 275 followers on Twitter (the number increases daily) and I have personally reached out to and helped a lot of existing and potential customers through Twitter. We’ve also gotten some great ideas and some excellent feedback that we’ve taken seriously.
To get an idea for yourself, check out our favorites and see what people have been saying. Some excerpts:
LOVE LOVE HostGator! Have hosted at many places. Couldn’t dynamite me out of HG! – WordPressWizard
Thanks for awesome customer service, that’s how it’s done. Will remember when someone is asking for a hosting company. – KatjaPresnal
Your help today convinced me to sign up for 2 years of hosting. Thanks again! I’m uploading now at ~1400kbps. Amazing! – steelopus
I REALLY appreciate that you care about your customers, even on twitter though. Impressive! – BenTremblay
I appreciate your presence on Twitter. It’s more convenient for me to read your tweets than it is to go to your site. – keithgoode
Well, Madame or Sir HostGator, you sure know how to solidify a customer with service that spoils. Major thanks! – Rich_Arnold
Of course, our own Twitter stream can serve as another example. You’ll mostly see me reaching out to and responding to customers, but you’ll also see some other personal tidbits and web hosting related thoughts as well.
Here are some other things you can look forward to seeing on HostGator’s Twitter stream in the near future:
- Survivor: HostGator Manager Editor. I am going camping for the first time with a group of my friends very soon and if my BlackBerry still works (which I am really hoping it will), I will be providing updates over Twitter.
- More quotes and interesting thoughts. I tweeted that it was time for our Twitter followers to see my inner-nerd (because I obviously conceal my inner-nerd well by working for a web hosting company) and I think interesting quotes and thoughts from some equally interesting people is a good way to show it.
- Web hosting tips. I’m going to begin posting some tips (technical and not) about how to get the most out of your web hosting account right on our Twitter account.
Check out our Twitter stream and if you like what you see, consider following us. And of course, if you have any suggestions for what we should do with our presence on Twitter, don’t hesitate to let us know.
Posted in Around the Web, Customer Service | 10 Comments »
iphone “to break or not to break” applications
Written by Justin G on March 21, 2008 – 12:31 pm - 
A lot of people from the get go thought the iphone was a piece of junk, while others thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Everyone has their opinions about iphone vs Nokia just like Mac vs. PC. So moving on then…
Since Mr. Steve Jobs had announced that there would be an SDK (software development kit) for the iphone, a lot of people have really been excited. Now that over 100,000 people have downloaded the developers kit whats next?
How many people will really switch over from having an unlocked iphone that can run tons of free applications to go legit with Apple and pay a fee for every application? The reason I even ask that is because the current developers kit doesn’t allow for 3rd party music applications. Isn’t music what people would likely use their iphone most for? Or would it be games?
It seems that Apple has decided to do things this way so sales on itunes are not hurt, but there will be an effect with upcoming players like Amazon music as well as Emusic which have compatible DRM free music for the iphone. Will Apple lose some ground with their Itunes music downloads?
One thing is for sure, and that is that Apple will continue governing and restricting their own products and applications like they have been for a while. I think the mentality of Apple which seems to be the ‘we control the product even after you buy it’ for all consumers is getting a bit old. The thing is, that the larger apple gets, and the more popularity that grows for Apple products, the hacking, cracking and unlocking will only continue to grow with it.
Will people be willing to blow their money on new applications approved by Apple, and made by the developer that had to pay $99 to publish that application. Thats right, you have to pay 1 dollar short of 100 to even be able to deploy your application if your a developer, and then if you are a consumer you can buy those applications straight off your iphone for a price, which Apple and the developer split for profit. This whole thing with new applications for the iphone has dropped from a hot boil to a mild simmer, and until Apple comes up with a better plan I’m going to have to say that the majority of people are going to go the free route.
Here below is just a little rundown of some of the FREE unlocked iphone applications that actually have some value. I’m not personally promoting them, but the fact is that they exist and Apple can’t stop it.
SSH For iphone – How to setup and install SSH for iphone.
MobileTerminal-vt100 – A Terminal emulator for the iPhone.
MobileTextEdit – Allows you to edit .txt files within mobilefinder.
Izoho – Full office suite to create edit and more.
Ruby on iphone – An iPhone Ruby interpretor which includes supporting libraries.
Stumbler Wifi Networks Locator – Lets you find wireless networks in your area.
BSD Subsystem – Unix Tools for the iphone.
Iphone Python – An iPhone Python interpretor including libraries.
Mobile Scrobbler – Lets you play music from Last.fm
NES Emulator – Play old school Nintendo games.
Ishare – Works with a Sendspace account to upload and download files.
Swapmusiclibrary – Allows you to sync with another PC without erasing.
Genesis4iphone – Lets you play Sonic and other Sega games.
Navizon GPS – GPS for the iphone.
TouchPadPro – Control your PC or Mac with Your iphone.
RocketShotz – Adds Icons So you never have to Type a Favorite URL to Browse.
Ispit – Acts as an http Server that runs from your iphone.
Funiculus – Guitar Tuner for iphone.
MobileChat – Instant messenger with all the extras.
Ifob – Social Networking application worth using.
iPhlickr – Easy way to browse Flickr Pics.
Expense View – Keep track of finances.
iPhoneDigg – For all the fanatical Diggers.
iPhoneTravel - Easy way to book flights and car rentals.
goMovies – Easy view of movie shows and times.
Google Reader – Clean and easy to use RSS for the iphone.
Iactu – Displays headlines from multiple newspapers.
Tags: apple, applications, iphone
Posted in Around the Web | 8 Comments »
