Free Hosting For TalkFreelance Members?

Hey!

As some of you might already know, I provide hosting to small businesses around my town. I don't have an online hosting business and probably never will as the competition is too high and I don't have the money to compete.

As my stay here at TF has lengthened, I've seen many young web designers using free image hosts like www.imageshack.us and www.photobucket.com. There is nothing wrong with using free image hosts to display your work. However, I don't think it provides you, as the designer/coder, with much versatility. It also doesn't have a very professional appeal, which in turn might turn away potential clients.

I'm wondering, if given the choice, would you like to have free hosting? There would be no advertisement. You would need to consider the fact that I couldn't give 24/7 support like some of the big providers because I'm not big, I'm only one person.

The signup process also wouldn't be automated because I would have to monitor my resources and make sure that my local paying clients get the service that they have come to expect from me.

There would also be some type of requirement.

Knowing all that, would you like to see this really happen? This in no way would be advertisement for me, because I don’t have an online-based hosting business. All my clients I currently have (which is very low) have come to me through word of mouth.

Please vote and post comments. Comments can include anything from what you would like to have, such as an Apache 1.x or 2.x or a LightTPD server, to why you think this would or wouldn't work out.

I think this is a very generous offer. Go for it.

I am not sure what you are offering?
Free image hosting, or web hosting?

If you are offering free web hosting, it would ofcourse be great.
But would it work? I don't think so. Servers cost money, and if it is free, and without ads, I can't see how it would survive.

And nobody wants a host that goes down, right?

I hope I understood this right.

Thanks everyone for your interest. I've broken the questions up and tried to answer them accordingly.

Originally Posted by AlexK I am not sure what you are offering? Free image hosting, or web hosting?

I am offering free web hosting. This includes a control panel.

Originally Posted by AlexK If you are offering free web hosting, it would ofcourse be great. But would it work? I don't think so. Servers cost money, and if it is free, and without ads, I can't see how it would survive.

My real job is climbing towers for the local Internet Service Providers in the Michiana area. I've made an agreement with the largest (and most respected) ISP in Michiana. In return for climbing towers at minimal cost I get access to a data center in South Bend with a direct link to Chicago.

Originally Posted by AlexK And nobody wants a host that goes down, right?

My current clients seem to enjoy my hosting. In fact, I host one of the more popular radio stations in Michiana.

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Originally Posted by talkvb Rofl... so your saying if talk freelance hosts you, you look professional and versitile? Laugh.

There would be no connection to TalkFreelance. I am saying that I will host TalkFreelance members for free. You look a lot more professional when you have a hosting package that resembles paid hosting. You also have a lot more versatility -- meaning you have a lot more things you can do.

No. You host several small businesses in your town. Let's say your town is not big, but not small as well, so that you have to host 25 websites for free. Yhat is a good idea.Now, let's see, TalkFreelance has around 200-400 active members. Let's say three or four new members register everyday.In the beginning, you will have some TF members hsoting on your servers for free.Some, that's around 200, some of the active members, and some of the newbies.That would be possible for you, and will be popular since there is a big need for hosting by a lot of our members. Your service is gettng very popular, to the certain point that Robson, the admin puts your site in general tools, in the Rules or somewhere on the forum. New members register, see the possibility of free hosting, and will quickly do what needed for hosting, and obtin it. They will tell their good experiences to friendswho ask if they don't know a good free hosting.Some of their friends will do the effort of registering on TF, and will get hosted by you, too. After a while, you get so much people hosted by you, and at a certain point, you will have to take the requirements higher, or stop doing free hosting or asking a little amount of money. When stopping, you'll have a lot of people dissapointed, and when asking money or making the requirements higher, you'll just lose a lot of members.

anyways, that's just my logical thinking, there's a chance you'll succeed in your purpose an dactualy become a popular free hoster, but you see, besides the point i've mentioned, there are a lot of big free hosters, and some where you really can't compete against.

Well, you provide me already free hosting. I think it will be a nice idea to do free hosting for TF members!
and I think it will help you to get an online hosting company too!

I wouldn't build on free hosting without a contract, there is no guarantee of any service or that it will stay up at all.

why would he provide free hosting when i would take it down i.e. after 3days?

Rofl... so your saying if talk freelance hosts you, you look professional and versitile? Laugh.

Originally Posted by talkvb Rofl... so your saying if talk freelance hosts you, you look professional and versitile? Laugh.

No he's stating simple image upload scripts lack versatility and professionality to present to your clients.