Although I've been using and messing with computers since the days of the Apple II, I'm a total neophyte (i.e. "newbie") with respect to web creation and hosting. I've spent a fair amount of time over the last ten years exploring the Internet and the World Wide Web (see my short note about these words) but, until now, have not been a webmeister.
The genesis of this web site was simple: I felt the need to have my own soapbox from which I could freely publish my opinions on whatever subjects came to mind. I've been known as a curmudgeon and an eccentric in my life, and I thought about using one of those words as my domain name. My heart really wasn't in it for those names simply because they seemed to be too restrictive in nature, and I wanted to offer ideas and stories that weren't exactly curmudgeonly or eccentric. Then the little light bulb went on over my head as I thought of a previous publishing project, The Ecphorizer.
I charged ahead and went to a place called www.register.com, a service that helps you register a domain name with the organization charged with maintaining all the domain names in the universe. register.com aids in this by conducting a search to see if your chosen name has already been taken. If it has found that your moniker has been taken, it suggests alternates.
My initial choice was www.ecphorizer.com and it was indeed available. I registered it and then found that this is just the first in several steps in web site creation.
The next step is to find a place that will serve as your web site host. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, the two most popular for non-commercial sites such as this are:
Fine, now I've got my name registered, I've got a web hosting service, and now I've got to figure out how to get my content into my user directory at OLM so that you, my visitors, can see my site. It takes time and patience but bit by bit I'm bringing it all together.
Please bookmark the home page for The Ecphorizer and visit here often as I promise to bring my own brand of humor and observations of the world to these pages fairly regularly.
I wrote the article to the left in August of 2000. Much has changed since then but the true spirit of The Ecphorizer lies on in this cyber-space. I am still being hosted by OLM. At this writing (December 2005) there are many hosting services available for very little cash, or even for free. The difference lies in what services are provided, the number of banner ads you are required to have on each page, and how much space you want to use for all your files.
By using OLM and paying a bit, I can run a site whose content is totally under my control. There are no annoying pop-up ads, no "required" banner advertising, no pitches for anything. The only concession I've made is to let people subtly know about Ignatius Wong, my consultant who designed and coded the publishing system that allows me to quickly input and edit material on these pages.
It is my goal to provide good reading and entertainment gratis to my visitors, reading that is uncluttered by flashy (and flashing) graphics and other interruptions.