Bits'n'Bytes

As heard on CJCD

Episode 23

I occasionally get asked by business owners how to go about getting a website address for their company. Many of them want to know who decides what a company's website address is. "Can it be mybusiness.com? Or does it have to be mybusiness.ca? Do I have to buy a server to run it on?"

Well, first of all, you don't have to buy a server to run your website on. Websites are "hosted" by many different companies all over the world. You can have it hosted right here in Yellowknife, or if you think you can get a better deal somewhere else, you can have it hosted in Vancouver, or Chicago, or Paris. It's completely up to you. No matter where your site is hosted, if someone types your address into their web browser, your site will pop up.

The name of your site is also your choice. As long as the name you choose isn't already taken, you can use just about any name you want, followed by a top level domain extension, or TLD. A TLD can be dot com, dot org, dot biz, dot gov, dot net, dot info or dot name. Dot com websites are pretty much unrestricted. Almost anyone can register a dot com address. To register a dot ca address, which is called a country code top level domain, or ccTLD, you have to be a Canadian legal entity.

Generally, non profit organizations use the dot org address, businesses use the dot biz, government uses dot gov, and internet providers use dot net. Dot name addresses are for people's names.

Registering your web site name is done online through any one of dozens of domain name registrars. These guys have huge databases with addresses and names of web sites. When you type any web address into your computer - somewhere down the line, one of those computers gets asked where the web site is hosted, and sends you there. Many registrars also host sites, so if you plan it right, you can register your name and have your new web site hosted at the same place.

Stay tuned next week to learn about the perils of "phishing".

I’m Computer Dave, thanks for your time.