I am proud of the web hosting service I provide. I have been web hosting since 1994 when I started my own business in order to stay current with the emerging web technologies. I built web pages and web applications using CGI programs written in C.

Web hosting was not as simple then as it is now. There were few options for web servers. There was the Unix option of various flavors, mainly the BSD UNIX platform, as well as the emerging Windows NT OS. Microsoft didn't have any Internet software at the time, not to mention a web server. Growing independent Internet Service Providers (ISP) were the main providers for hosting web sites. Slowly, others emerged who concentrated strictly on web hosting with expensive communication lines.

I researched and decided that running O'Reily Website Server on a Windows NT 3.5 OS was the best solution for me, as I didn't have the time to maintain a UNIX server. The options for UNIX weren't as plentiful as they are now. Web hosting on a Windows NT OS was the easiest, cheapest solution. I bought the box, the web server software, and e-mail server software. I had an ISDN line installed into my home, subscribed to my local ISP to tie into their network, and I was up and running.

By 1997, Microsoft had acquired enough companies to offer Web Server products such as Internet Information Services (IIS), Front Page, and a few unmentionable products. The landscape had changed with a huge emergence of Netscape on the scene. Netscape was dominating with their web server products and web browser. Sun had launched their Java solutions and world was going crazy with many standards and a scramble for domination of the online world.

Meanwhile, I had discovered co-locating. This is a service where you place your own server on a rack at a local ISP. The cost was better than that of the ISDN line combined with the subscription for the ISDN service offered by the ISP itself. Web hosting was becoming much easier. I no longer had to worry about power outages and burglary of my servers at home. With PC Anywhere I could control my server from most anywhere in the world. Web hosting was catching on by thousands of others just like me. The competition was becoming quite fierce and the disinformation spreading had begun.

Web hosting is still a very competitive business. Companies spring up every day, offering these discount packages with unlimited bandwidth and unlimited use. If all this were possible then Yahoo could run its web site for $5 / month. This has to make you stop and think. Someone has to pay for the disk space and the huge phone line. There are many things to consider when offering services as well as buying.

As a consumer of web hosting services, you have the short end of the stick in most situations because you don't understand how it all works. Hosting web sites is not rocket science for those of us who understand the technology. Hosting E-mail services is where the challenge lies today. With the onslaught of SPAM and virus attacks, protecting the consumer from an inbox full of SPAM is a challenge in itself. More than 95% of the incoming messages to mail servers are junk. This is also a real burden on the performance of the mail server as well.

Web hosting by companies like "me" use Dedicated Servers. A dedicated server is a server box on a very well managed, protected, secured network at a large company that just runs networks for people like me and some big companies as well. Why run a web/e-mail server on your premises when it can be run in a safe place, away from the dangers of power outages and spilled coffee?

Web hosting is a serious job and I take it very serious. I do it all by myself with occasional support of colleagues who do the same. After all, I must take a vacation once in awhile. Other than vacations, I only need a cell phone. Not only do I answer my phone to support you, my server also sends me text messages about irregular activity. Yes, my server text messages me. My phone is always with me.

Now, ask yourself this. Who is serving you at other web hosting companies? I know, a guy or gal like me. The only difference is that they present themselves as though they are doing magic. There's no magic. I don't host tens of thousands of clients. My limit is two thousand. I am down to under one thousand and ready to fill up. I know every client by name. My clients know me as well. I don't hear from them very often but now and then they have a question about something special they need.

Speaking of web host services, I don't use a control panel. I AM the control panel. Control panels are where you go to control your services. Why fumble with that BS when you can just call me and let me do it? Control panels aren't secure and you have enough frustration in your life than to figure out how to do something. Besides, studies show that once you are setup, you rarely go back to the control panel. All you need is my number on your phone. I am your web guy who can do anything you need.

So you see, web hosting is easy and e-mail hosting is hard. I deliver every message to you via Outlook or using a powerful web-based e-mail program. You get very little spam and never a virus. I don't let you control your spam filter because you will probably cause yourself more problems. Trust me, I've been doing this a long time.

Now that I have explained my business to you, let me hear from you and learn what your business is. Together we can figure out how to make your web site work for you. In addition to web hosting I have many developers (including myself) and I am a certified Search Engine Optimizer (SEO). I can help you develop a plan for getting found and I will offer my suggestions for other advertising methods they can complement your web site. Does the other web hosting companies do all this….over the phone? Do you know them by name? Will they always be there? How long have they been in business?