Google Dark, A google search for the rest of us (beta)

GoDark.us - Black Google Search, same great results, fresh new look. Beta, current features - View / Add your favorite RSS Feeds, Add Quick Links, Tons of Flash Games, Great tools, and Free Accounts. Super clean, Super Dark!



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Cool Website Widgets

Normally, When people create useless crap for websites (everything myspace), I ignore it. I do however constantly have a need to be checking websites Google and Alexa ranking. I've come across a pretty cool little widget (best name I could come up with) to let you either check the Google and Alexa Ranking of a website, or actually display them on your site. It's pretty slick, it auto generates the website code in order to display it on your site. Very simple.

Here's an example for the website www.blogger.com

Google Page Rank -

Alexa Page Rank -

Woa, way to go Blogger!

Anyway, thats all for this post, I'd been looking for something like this (that doesn't have annoying popups, ugly text links, etc.) and here it is. Just though I'd share.

*****

Something I just noticed, they also offer a counter... So apart from those two tools, they are also noobs. Kudos guys, for being llamas.

Hosting Templates - Watch out for this

The first point I'd like to bring to light is a lot of hosting companies that claim to be reputable are simply template websites bought from Template Monster or some other template website. Seeing that sites like Template Monster have an entire genre of templates dedicated to hosting company websites - it's safe to assume that there are probably a hundred or two different 'reputable' hosting companies sharing the same website. EGADS!

This, to me, brings something very important to light. If you come across a hosting company's website that is using a template for their website, their face to the world it probably means 1 thing. "We couldn't afford to hire a web developer". Eeesh - So, if you can't hire a web developer, can you afford to fix your server if it breaks? What will happen to my site if this happens? etc. You see where I'm going with this.

Typical decent templates cost anywhere from 30 USD to 80 USD (give or take). That's not much.... I would hope that my choice for a web hosting company could afford to shell out much much much more than that if needed. Server hardware, bandwidth, etc is expensive. Your hosting company better be able to afford this.

This should also bring another question to mind.... If this company is willing to settle for a website that is mass produced and distributed, does this mean that they have the same settling attitude about their business model, ethics, and support?

This is one of many posts to come. I think its important for everyone to have a fair shot at finding a decent reputable hosting company. There should be no secrets, mystery, or illusion about who a hosting company really is vs what they profess to be.

Until next time -

Welcome To Hosting Exposed

I've had the opportunity to work with 3 of the worlds largest hosting companies. I've learned a lot at these hosting companies and value the training I've received at each. The purpose of this blog is not to ruin the reputations that hosting companies have but to enlighten others that may wish to host with them.

There is nothing worse than signing up with a company that appears to be right for you only to later find out that they are in fact the worst choice you could have made. Falling in this very unfortunate trap usually isn't the fault of the customer, but more so - What the company really is vs. Who they portray themselves to be.

If you have anything to comment on any of these, as I'm sure many of you have a lot of experience in this industry, please feel free to do so.