Peter Crowcroft, If you are just looking for web hosting I may be able to help you, I'm involved with a large blacksmith organization called Anvilfire (anvilfire.com), Amongst my varied talents :) im also a blacksmith and NO I dont do horse shoes, thats a farrier :). Anyway last year we decided to purchase out own web server and setup a basic web hosting service for blacksmiths and the likes, this is all very well but we are left with heaps of spare processor time and bandwidth that we are looking at selling off, from memory out idle time sits around 98%. If you are interested in setting up your service/web site in a permanent place and having the ability to ask for maintenance or other things to be setup, installed or added then let me know, we dont have Real Media, but if you really want it im sure I can add it, we do have an SQL database with a web front end, also FTP services that allow Anon Uploads to be configured. We do need to check any CGI's that you may want to add, but as long as it will not compromise security or interfere with the usual running of the server im sure you will be able to use them, also we allow SSI's and have a Live Chat System that if you want a copy I can make it available, this is a BASIC web based system and works on ANY browser including LYNX. Fees are negotiable. BTW: The server is located in the US and is connected to a D3 via a 100 Base Ethernet card. Regards Andrew Hooper andrew@best.net.nz -----Original Message----- From: Peter Crowcroft To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Date: Saturday, February 19, 2000 10:50 PM Subject: [OT[ Web Hosting / ISP's - whg.org >Over the last year Don McKenzie and I have had a bad track record in >selecting ISP's. (We need american ISP's because the bulk of our business >is done there.) > >1. One ISP we both use is closing at the end of february. He was small, we >got personal service but... Now we have 4 domains to transfer 'somewhere'. > >2. Our main ISP (prowebsite.com) changed all access passwords back in >october without bothering to tell its customers first. Then the process of >actually getting the new passwords took international phonecalls and rude >words. Emails were rejected! Ben Wirz (wirz.com) has just left them and I >want to. > > >I looked at one ISP last week (serve.com) and I asked a couple of basic >questions. I got told (in essence) we will answer you after you sign up! > >A second ISP had NO telephone numbers for tech help. > >A third I looked at only had an internal USA toll-free 800 number with no >number to call from outside the USA. > > > >But I read last week of a Web Host Guild - whg.org This seems to be a >group of ISP's (I guess 50 or so) which seem to meet minimum criteria. > >I have found several ISPs who seem to be internationally minded. A few were >still just american - centered. > >So I would recommend to anyone, particularly outside the USA, to look thru >the list on whg.org as a starting point. > >sitehosting.net appeals to me at the moment because of the streaming video >and audio it supports. (I have this fantasy of doing a video soon to >welcome people with the latest kits etc.) I definitely want Windows support >to support the programs that Macromedia produce (Director.) It also had the >FAQ's which answered my basic questions which serve.com did not have. > >I would be interested in recommendations of other american-based ISP's used >by people way outside the USA who find they are getting excellent service. >regards, > >Peter Crowcroft > DIY Electronics (HK) Ltd > PO Box 88458, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong >Voice: 852-2720 0255 Fax: 852-2725 0610 Email: peter@kitsrus.com > Web: http://kitsrus.com >----------------------------------------------------------------------