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Q: Do you have an
online manual?
A: Yes it is located here: http://altercom.com/manual
Q: What is the
difference in a Virtual and Non-Virtual Domain?
A: Location,
location, location!!! A URL (Universal Resource Locator) is an address in
cyberspace that allows you to access a site; it can be your very own or shared. Equate a
Virtual Domain name site to your very own office building, and a Non-Virtual Domain to
that of an office that you share with other tenants - such as in a strip mall.
The purpose of obtaining a Virtual Domain has
many advantages:
If you don't get a good domain name now
chances are you won't.
It gives your site the appearance of having
its own server, and thus a more professional, larger presence on the Internet.
It shows you are very serious about current
and future e-commerce.
To make it easier for people to remember
your Web location.
To give your site a shorter URL that allows
your URL to fit on a business card.
To attach your company name to its Web name.
Technically speaking, in reserving a Virtual
Domain Name one is registering his company Internet Presence with the InterNIC database -
the Domain Name Server. Upon DNS registration one has reserved this URL forever (although
policy may change). These Domain names are being taken fast, get yours now! (Fifty Five
thousand a day as of 1/11/98).
Simply put, we assign a reserved IP (Internet
Protocol) number to a Virtual Domain account. A company's IP # will change when changing
providers, but the name can and should remain the same. (The IP Number points to the
Domain Name).
Note: it is very important to realize that the
portion "yourcompany" is the Domain Name. Not www.yourcompany.COM. The www. is a
common server name pre-fix on the Web - this is different! The .com is for commercial
entities, which most companies fall into.
Q: I'm not ready
for a Web site yet, but I want to reserve my domain name before someone else gets it. Can
AlterCom help?
A: It's a very good idea to reserve now, because InterNIC registers
"fifty five thousand a day" as of 1/11/98. We can register your domain
name and "park" it before its gone on our servers for just $29. We'll even
provide e-mail at no extra charge. Plus, when you're ready for your Web site, we'll credit
every penny of the $29 toward your setup fee.
Q: I can't afford a
Virtual Domain account right now. What other options are there?
A: You can share the AlterCom Domain
with us.
http://www.altercom.com/yourcompany
(and/or with altercom.com - a proper set-up)
http://altercom.com/yourcompany
Q: Are some Internet
Addresses (URL’s) better than others?
A: Yes, in our opinion and
that of other Netizens, the least respected URL on the Internet is anything that has the
America Online domain name in it (aol.com). (Don't take this personally if you're an AOL
member). This is a long story rooted in the beliefs of many Internet users. The
Internet years ago was mostly professionals, scientists, college professors and students.
AOL members could not get on the Internet until recently and only have a very limited
access today.
With the release of Windows AOL 2.5 software,
AOL members started "invading" the Internet. Many didn't know how to conduct
themselves with proper Internet etiquette (Netiquette) and gave AOL a bad reputation on
the Net. Many IRC chat channels on the Internet have !*!@*.aol (all AOL
members banned) in the ban list as normal practice.
AOL members posting to Newsgroups is another
reason AOL has a horrendous reputation. The first impression if you're on the Internet
(IRC) being an AOL member is not a very good one by seasoned Netizens.
The next step up is to have a Internet
business URL (non-domain) such as:
http://www.internetprovider.com/members/~username
http://www.internetprovider/users/~username
These type URL's are generally personal in
nature and usage, not for commercial business. Also a URL that long would be next to
impossible for someone to remember or for it to fit on a business card.
Shared Domain URL
The next step up is to have an Internet
business URL (Non-Domain) such as:
http://www.netdomain.com/yourcompany/
(and/or with altercom.com - a proper set-up)
http://netdomain.com/yourcompany/
Non-Virtual Domain has two advantages, first
it's cheaper and second you don't have to wait for a InterNIC registration. Non-Virtual
Domains are an option for anyone interested in having a presence on the Internet without
the need for Virtual Domains.
Domain URL
The best URL on the Internet is your own
Company's Domain name that you register and keep. This will put you on the Net in first
class style! You will have your own Internet address for your business. Your URL will look
similar to this:
http://www.yourcompany.com/
(and/or with altercom.com - a proper set-up)
http://yourcompany.com/
Your e-mail can go to your company’s name
at that Domain (sales@yourcompany.com). This is the real value of the Internet in that it
allows the leveling of the playing field with large corporations. Your company's presence
can appear to everyone as large as any other.
Q: What flexibility do
I have with DNS names (my URL)?
A: Typically, there is no
problem with registering Domain Names Services http://yourcompany.com -Vs-
http://www.yourcompany.com. In fact, AlterCom assures you that both are taken care of
during DNS registration - a proper set-up. This is very helpful in printing of business
cards, letterhead, brochures and other print media. the longer the URL is the harder it is
to fit on print materials. This is considered true Virtual Domain. Otherwise, any name is
possible so long as you check the name first. (This does not 100% guarantee the name is
not taken).
Puzzled? Although DNS lists its pending names
upon receipt of the registration form, there is a backlog of putting them in the database.
So, you can search all but the forms waiting to be put in the pending file - a backlog of
the backlog, if you will. The chance of duplicating another name is slight, but real.
Q: How do I register
my Name?
A: Pick a few and tell
AlterCom in order of the most preferred, this should be sent after we receive the
contract. The easiest way to do our contract is to bring the page up on your browser, use
File: Print to print a copy, fill-out the form properly, and Fax (334- 660-9585) it to
AlterCom. AlterCom offers * FREE Internet name registration on our Domain Site Hosting.
Q: How can I get
RealAudio and/or RealVideo?
A: Just let us know how we
can help you. :)
Q: What about routing
my SLIP\PPP's e-mail accounts?
A: As above, any requests are
usually not a problem. We can point new mailboxes (your account comes with one, others are
$15ea per quarter) to old mailboxes anywhere. There is a space on our contract to specify
this, and any unusual requests should be handled in a Cover Letter.
Q: What is 20 Megs of
Web space anyhow?
A: Using the average HTML
page at 100K, one divides this into 20 megabytes (the Basic Account limit) and gets 100
pages including graphics - quite a large Web Site. Now, if your company is interested in
an FTP site to make files available, and/or you are running high-demand, high-overhead CGI
scripts or whatever, you'll find that 20 Megs is like water. The good news is that for
only $10/month per lots of 20 megabytes you can obtain more un-metered
storage.
Q: What is permitted
with my Web Space?
A: The Web Space is
non-resellable. Also, the following are not allowed or negotiable -
1) Obscene/pornographic material;
2) Illegal activities in the United States or State of Alabama;
3) Threatening or slanderous material;
4) Any material deemed by AlterCom to be degrading to our Network and/or our other
customers.
Q: Why should I
have a Website?
You can have a business that never closes.
When you have a Website, it’s like having a business that is open 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, 365 days a year. That puts you ahead of your competitors who aren’t on
the Internet.
Q: What can a Web
presence do for my business?
A: It can do the following and more:
Establish A Presence!
Network
Sell Things
Reach the Media
Serve Your Customers
Heighten Public Interest
Serve Your Local Market
Create a 24-Hour Service
Open International Markets
Reach the Specialized Market
Stay In Contact with Salespeople
Allow Feedback from Customers
Release Time-Sensitive Materials
Make Business Information Available
Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Reach the Education and Youth Market
Make Pictures, Sound and Files Available
Test Market of New Services and Products
Make Changing Information Available Quickly
Reach a Highly Desirable Demographic Market
*Domain Registration fees are non-refundable.
Fees are for first 2 years of domain name usage. There is an annual renewal fee of $35.00
due on the third anniversary of the domain name registration. If your domain is already
registered, or you are transferring it to AlterCom, then the InterNIC start up fees will
not apply.
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