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Newton Community CouncilWebsite Change ProposalBecause of ongoing problems with capability (only 2 webpage levels) and tools providedby the latest BT Community Kit, which I use at present to host and manage our website,I recommend we make the following changes:1. Move the website to Google Sites1. The hosting is free2. There are few capability constraints3. The capacity (amount of documents etc. we can put on the web) isadequate for our needs2. Purchase a domain name (i.e. the “http://” name of our website) for NewtonCommunity Council1. Depending on the suffix we choose (prefix must be available for thatsuffix), this would cost:newtoncc.orgnot availablenewtoncc.scotsuffix not expected to be available until 2013newtoncc.info 11.98 / 2 yearsnewtoncc.net 19.98 / 2 yearsthenewtoncc.org 19.98 / 2 years2. We can use it as the name of our Google Sites website3. In future, we could change the host for our website without losing ouronline identity3. Purchase WHOIS privacy for our domain name1. This prevents spammers find the email address of the named owner, andhelps to stop scammers stealing the domain name2. A 'private' listing costs an additional 4.99 / year4. Retain the existing BT Community Kit website (and URL), but use as a 'pointer' toour new website1. Anyone already using our site will still find us2. We will still be able to receive email from this site3. The site can remain active into the future with minimal maintenance4. BUT we may not be able to continue this site indefinitelyI would like to get on with this as soon as Councillors are satisfied with the strategy,choose a domain name and authorise the expenditure.The following pages provide some additional detail from the website 123-reg.co.uk,from whom I recommend we make the purchases. I have also appended a guide tobuying a domain name produced by SubHub, a Cardiff-based web business. You can usethe hyperlinks (click on blue underlined text) on this page to read further.Respectfully submittedEvelyn WoollenWebmaster and SecretaryNewton Community CouncilVersion 1.0for meeting of 16th August 2011
Newton Community CouncilWebsite Change ProposalWhat is a registrar?This answer will explain what a registrar is and what role they play in registering yourdomain.A registrar is an organisation that has been accredited by ICANN (the InternetCorporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) to sell domain names. ICANN have controlover all gTLD (Generic Top Level Domains) but do not have authority over ccTLD(Country Code Top Level Domains).What payment methods can I use?This article explains what methods of payment you can use for your 123-reg account.At 123-reg you can currently pay using either your credit/debit card, via Paypal or usingany credit balance you may have on your account.When making new purchases you will be prompted to select your chosen paymentmethod.For renewals via our auto-renewal system renewal payment will be taken from thepayment details you have stored with your 123-reg Account. You can alter these via your123-reg Control PanelNEW - Direct DebitFor new purchases you can now also set up Direct Debit to cover future renewals. Whilstyou won't be able to pay for those purchases via Direct Debit, you can set it up to ensurefuture renewals of those products and services are covered by payment through theDirect Debit system.Version 1.0for meeting of 16th August 2011
Newton Community CouncilWebsite Change ProposalWhat is WHOIS Privacy?Did you know that when you register a domain name, the registration details areavailable to anyone who searches a public database online?It's called the WHOIS database. The details stored could include your name, address,email and phone number. You can perform a WHOIS lookup on your domain name atwww.allwhois.com.Some spammers mine this for email addresses. It can even be used by scammers lookingto steal or transfer your domain name.WHOIS privacy stops your personal or business details being found. It replaces yourdetails with generic information from our privacy service and costs only 4.99 a year.It's completely above board and the domain is still owned by you.What details are shown when WHOIS Privacy is activated on my 123-reg domain?If you choose to activate WHOIS privacy on your 123-reg domain , there are 2 formats inwhich details will be displayed depending on when your domain was registered.Domains registered after January 1st 2011Registrant Name: Identity Protection ServiceRegistrant Company: Identity Protect LimitedRegistrant Address: PO BOX 1125Registrant Address: GuildfordRegistrant Address: SurreyRegistrant Address: GU1 9LURegistrant Address: United KingdomWhat domain names can I use WHOIS Privacy with?WHOIS Privacy can be purchased and used on the following domain name extensions: .com.net.org.cc.me.tv.info.biz.name.coVersion 1.0for meeting of 16th August 2011
Page 1 of DesignThe Complete Guide To Buying A DomainAuthor: Miles Galliford - Oct 19 2010 - 00:00Once you have chosen a name for your website you must register the corresponding domain namewith a domain registration company.For an online business the domain name is the most valuable asset the business has. It does not matter aboutthe brand you build, the traffic you attract or the money your site makes; if you loose your domain name,there is a good chance you will loose your business. It goes without saying choosing an honest, reliable andefficient domain name registrar is an important decision.This is a useful checklist to help you choose a good domain registrar who will provide the security, privacy andservices you need to be successful online.1) Always Register Your Domain YourselfYou should always be in control of your domain name. It is the single most valuable asset any Internetbusiness has. Often website design and development companies offer to take care of domain registration aspart of their service, but then if you have a dispute they are in control of your business.2) Pay (a Little) Extra For QualityYour domain name is too important to put at risk by going for the cheapest registrar you can find. Pay a littleextra to go with a reputable and well-established company. However, also be aware a high price is noguarantee of quality, honesty and good service.3) Telephone SupportIf you are new to domain name registration I would recommend that you only use a registrar who offerstelephone support.When things go wrong with a domain, it can be very worrying and stressful. Having telephone support can getissues dealt with quickly or save you a lot of time. Before you sign-up with a registrar try calling their supportline to see how easy it is to get through and how helpful the support staff are.4) Never Use a Company Offering Free Domain RegistrationIf a company provides free domain registration, their terms and conditions will be weighted very heavily intheir favour. At worst they may own your domain name, at best you will have no comeback if they 'lose' itbecause they failed to pay fro renewal.5) Use an Accredited CompanyWhichever company you choose for registration, make sure they are ICANN accredited for the US or Nominetapproved in the UK. Other countries will have their own governing bodies. Accreditation should give you someassurance that they will act an ethical to-buying-a-domain-name13/08/2011
Page 2 of 76) Make Sure The Registrar Offers:a.b.c.Clear pricing for sign-up AND renewalEasy to use domain name managementFree transfers to another registrarMore on this below.7) Domain Name LockingWhen you register your domain name you will be given the choice to lock it; so lock it. This means that noone can transfer it without your knowledge or permission.8) Domain Auto-RenewAll of your domain names should be put on auto-renew which means the domain registrar will automaticallytake payment for the domains when they are due for renewal. The disadvantage of doing this is you can'ttake advantage of special renewal discounts which many registrars offer during the year.For your most important domain names pay the registration fee for the next five to ten years. This will ensurethey are secure and should also give you a significant discount on the annula fee.9) Provide The Right Email AddressMake sure that the email address you list with the domain name is always going to be live and will reach you.Also, if you have a spam filter on your email, make sure emails from your domain registrar are white listed sothey always get through to you.I recently came across someone who registered a domain using his work email address. When he left his jobto run his website he forgot to change the email details. As a result he missed his renewal reminders and losthis domain name.10) Don’t Share Your Registrar Password . . . with AnyoneTreat the password for your domain name account as if it was the PIN for your bank account. Don’t give it toanyone. If you do have to let someone access your account make sure you create a guest acount or changethe login details afterwards.11) Privacy is ImportantWhen you register a domain name your information is recorded in a 'Whois' database. All this information isthen made public. If you have registered your domain to your home address, with home phone number andmain email address, all this information is available to every spammer, hacker and criminal lurking in theshadows of cyberspace.Because of this most good registrars offer a privacy service where they insert generic information into yourWhois record instead of your private details. This is well worth doing. Privacy services can range in costbetween free and 15 a year.12) Register In Your Own Country For Fast Dispute ResolutionIf you ever get in a dispute about your domain name, particularly with respect to who owns it, it is far easierto get it sorted out in your own country. A UK citizen dealing with ICANN in the US is very frustrating, and Isuspect a US citizen dealing with Nominet in the UK can be equally problematic.The last two points could be in conflict i.e. if you live in the UK, but most of your customers will be in the US,which country should you register your domain in? I would suggest going for a big US player with a UKpresence like GoDaddy or -to-buying-a-domain-name13/08/2011
Page 3 of 7The Services Your Domain Registrar Should OfferWhen choosing a registrar the essential services that you should check for are: Cost of registering the domain – A reasonable price to pay is between 5 and 12 a year ( 3 12/year in the UK) Annual renewal price - Some domain companies offer cheap or even free first-year registration andthen hit you hard in subsequent years or if you try to move your domain. Make sure you know what therenewal fees are and that they are similar to the original costs Simple and easy to use account management interface – It must be easy and intuitive to manageyour domain and any additional services you buy Ability to easily move all your domains into one account for simple management – havingmultiple accounts, with multiple logins is a headache and can end up causing you to lose domainsbecause of confusion about what is in which account. Free domain pointing - Your website will probably be hosted by a different company than where yourdomain is registered. You will need to point your domain at your website so that when people type yourdomain name into their browser, they end up at your website. Make sure it is free to do this Free email forwarding – If you own the domain www.Run-a-Bar.com, you should be able toforward all emails sent to that domain, such as [email protected], to your email account. Free transfer to another registrar – You should not have to pay to transfer your name to anotherdomain name registrar. Add privacy to your domain name – For a small fee ( 1 or 2 a year), you should be able to addprivacy to your domain name Whois record Domain name monitoring and auto renew – Losing your domain name can destroy your business.You should have several layers of protection to prevent this from happening. Domain name monitoringwill alert you if the domain expires. Auto-renew will automatically renew your subscription Webmail accounts – Your registrar should offer an emails service so you can either collect youremails online or get them forwarded to your desktop email software e.g. Microsoft Express or MicrosoftOutlookRegistration Companies We UseThe domain name registration companies that the team at SubHub have used for our domains are: eNom – Good solid company, but not the cheapest. They offer all the above services, but most of themhave additional fees. They have telephone support which is prompt and efficient GoDaddy – Biggest registrar in the world, so they will always be around but they have a veryconfusing website and they are always trying to ram additional services down your throat like a goosebeing fattened to make foie gras. They have good telephone support. Some people report problemsand a lack of co-operation from GoDaddy when they have lost a domain NameCheap – Well established, with reasonable prices. No telephone support, but responsive emailhelp DynaDot – Up and coming domain registrar which gets very good reviews in the domain name forums.I have not personally used them 123-Reg - Big, UK-based registrar. Reliable and good price. Recently got rid of telephone supportSummaryI probably sound like a broken record, but I'm going to repeat the same point one final time. Your domainname is the most important asset your online business has. Invest the time to pick a domain name registrarwho is accredited, financially stable and has a reputation for providing a professional service. Look after yourdomain as if it were a winning lottery ticket.Listed in category: Getting Started.LikeAdd New de-to-buying-a-domain-name13/08/2011
Website Change Proposal Because of ongoing problems with capability (only 2 webpage levels) and tools provided by the latest BT Community Kit, which I use at present to host and manage our website, I recommend we make the following changes: 1. Move the website to Google Sites 1. The h
