Question for the web savy. . .

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings All,

Based upon your experiances what would you suggest to someone wanting to set up a site for the first time?

I know, I know.  Depends on what I want to do.  Let's say, for the moment, I'd be interested to know if there was a quick and simple way to set up a site to allow folks to download files.  Preferrably one that doesn't involve hosts that try to tie agreements around your neck that sound like you are selling them your soul.

So, based on your own horror stories, is there a quick and painless way to do this?


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[szilard]

Are you asking about downloading files after payment for them or are you simple looking for a host where people can download things for free?

Stuart

[Jonathan Walton]

If you're just setting up a place for people to download files for free, there're 10,000 easy ways to go about it.  If you want people to pay, it's a little more complicated.  As far as free goes:

Very simplest, set up a YahooGroup and stick your games in the Files section.  Allow people to subscribe to your list so you can update them on the games/versions/playtests that are availiable/going on.

If that's too simple, set up a Geocities website with the help of a friend or the Peachpit Press book on HTML (which'll teach you everything you need to know with just a couple hours experimentation).

If you want something without banners, talk to Clinton about a subdomain on the Forge for $60 a year (very cheap).

If you want some basic instructions in HTML and website design, email or PM me and I'll be glad to help you out.

[quozl]

Depending on how many files you want to put up (assuming free downloads), I could host them at my site for you like I do with Zenobia.

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings,

If you're just setting up a place for people to download files for free, there're 10,000 easy ways to go about it.  If you want people to pay, it's a little more complicated.  As far as free goes:

Very simplest, set up a YahooGroup and stick your games in the Files section.  Allow people to subscribe to your list so you can update them on the games/versions/playtests that are availiable/going on.

Hmm.  Seen those.  Most don't seem all that active, then again it could work.  Mostly I'd just like somewhere to put the freebie things I have worked on to allow a wider audience the chance to grab them and play them.  For now.

Anyone here have any experience setting up a YahooGrouo?

Did it work out as you expected?


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Jonathan Walton]

Actually, you could just subscribe to the Indie-Netgaming group and put your files in their file section.  There are a bunch of games up for playtest that are stored over there and many Forgites play them over IRC every now and then.

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings,

Depending on how many files you want to put up (assuming free downloads), I could host them at my site for you like I do with Zenobia.

Thanks for the offer.  And that does brings up a interesting point.

I still have that old 'SysOp' mentality.  Meaning, if someone wanted to, I probably wouldn't mind if they put some certain files up.  Mostly smaller things, like 'Micro Slush' (about 76k in PDF form).  Or the 'article' I posted over one RPG Theory, which I haven't yet PDFed in its final form.

Heck if I could manage it I'd love to put up a dedicated board like in the long long ago.  Though somehow I doubt that such a thing would be possible, and yet. . . *insert the song 'Memories' here*


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings Stuart,

Are you asking about downloading files after payment for them or are you simple looking for a host where people can download things for free?

Right now just a way to allow folks to download things for free.  Maybe with some control over who has access, say if I wanted to set up a group to discuss game development.

I'm not quite at the stage where I think anything I have done is polished to the point I'd ask money for it.  At least in PDF form.  Crystal Spheres might be, since I've spent most of my time working on graphics for it.  And I'd want a better way to PDF things than I have at the moment, only fair.

Sussing things out in preparation.


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Clay]

I'd recommend avoiding the Yahoo Groups route, just because they require you to sign up before you can access the file areas.  It's a hurdle that people have to jump over, and that will hold back your game.

Hosting with Clinton is probably your best bet. I have toys at my site that make maintenance pretty trivial as well, including an as-yet-unpublicized file uploading and management tool.

[laine]

Hi.  You can get a free 100mb account at internations.  If you pay $1 a month they remove the ad banner at the top of the page.

http://www.internations.net/

You have to use the online uploading but it's really easy to use.  Find the files on your hard drive and upload them to your website.  Easy.

You will need a html editor I think but there may be one free to use on their site as well.

My site is on their canadian server...

Thanks,
Paul Laine