I always thought I knew all about this but I found out recently how wrong I was.

I've recently had the idea to start a website for game maps, charts, map files etc like gamefaqs but with just maps. I have already got to grips with free providers such as geocities but when I tried looking for space/server/domains etc I just got terribly confused and lost in the maze of fees, contracts, conditions, services, companies and packages.

Somebody help me here. I want a server with direct FTP access that can support vb bulletin boards and on the cheap. I would preferably like a site name that wouldn't take me to say www.someservercompany.com/users/davy_b/site_name/files_folder/index.htm if somebody was to type in www.gamemaps.com for instance. That's just annoying. I want people to go to www.gamemaps.com (or .co.uk) and it'd take them to say www.gamemaps.com/index.htm.

I probs lost most of you but I hope not. Please let me know some advice, places worth visiting, companies/packages worth considering, my options and if anybody you know is offering good performance servers for good rates.

Don't cut back any of the jargon, though. I'm not that dumb. 3 years of technical IT training don't make me that thick!!

If you want a domain name, you'll have to register one, which will cost extra. I suggest godaddy.com for that -- they're cheap, and have decent service.

As for actual hosting, I wouldn't know... you need to find a place that supports SQL and PHP. I'd strongly recommend you use phpBB, BTW, rather than vBulletin, as phpBB is free and is an excellent piece of software.

Back in the day, I used Dotster for domain name registration and Digital Space for great cheap UNIX hosting.

Those were the days... Now I'm stuck with Verio for business reasons. Bummer.

~~Alex~~