This used to be a great way to test the concept of a web site or product ( and indeed is the way we started ). However, things have changed a little since then. We are not saying don't start your web site on a Free Server, but today the reasons for Not using Free servers are greater than they were back in 1996.
Advantages
- No Cost ( well we mean you don't have to pay the provider )
- Server, Software and Network is fully managed and supported for you.
Disadvantages
- Search Engines are beginning to view sites hosted on free servers as inferior and in some cases won't include them in their index.
- Domain Name Restrictions - Many free services force you to have your domain begin with their domain ( e.g. www.freeserver.com/yourdomain/ ). This gives your customers the impression you are a "one man band" who stands a high chance of not being around tomorrow.
- Bandwidth Restrictions, if your site visitor numbers start increasing the speed at which your pages are served may slow.
You share processing power with hundreds of other sites. If just one of these become mildly popular your visitors will suffer.- Network Uptime - because the service is free, most providers feel no obligation to go to the extra trouble and expense required to ensure near 100% uptime. i.e. Your site may be inaccessible on a regular basis.
- Limited Software - Because the server is both Free and Shared the range of software you get access to will be limited and you almost certainly won't get a database system.
- Limited Disk Space - Not usually a problem today, but worth checking that you are getting enough.
- Poor Response Time for Support - Again because the service is free many providers feel no obligation to fix a broken network or disk within 1 hour, but most will resolve the problem with a few days.
- Limited Technical Support Available to you - Most providers do not provide a dedicated technical support center for their free users, however this usually isn't a problem since the range of software available to you is limited.
In the past when the cost of other levels of service were higher and not all of the above disadvantages applied, there may have been a case for using a free service. But quite frankly for only a few dollars a month you can now do much better.
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