Web Hosting Talk : Other Forums : Web Hosting Lounge : WHT Tip #427: Sponsored Hosting

[AussieHosts]

No doubt many of us enjoy sponsoring certain organisations and not-for-profit groups with hosting and related services. The simple "Thank You" link back is often enough, and can even sometimes bring in new business.

But there's always going to be someone who will try to take advantage of that:

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...ht=Charleville

Oh well...such is life.

Cheers

Gary

[ATST]

Yes I know.
I often host images for people to try to put a dent in my personal sites 20 gig bandwidth allowance. I'll build a page or two out of the pics they send me and make a few smaller pics (which may, or may not be on the page) for them to link to for their sigs elsewhere on the web. This has never been abused yet.

But on another site where I let user make their own (limited by the script to be a simple business card type) page for free, I often have to edit either the text or the pics for size or content.

Whenever I have given people subdomains for personal use, (with full php and cgi capabilities) they usually don't use it at all, or create a "dead" site. One of the stipulations is the site must be updated every 30 days or so, and I am lienient about that. Then I have to go through the trouble of emailing them to see if they just abandoned it or are they having some trouble before I can (with conscience) delete it.

I have even offered domain hosting to people (who begged online and offered some specified -by them- work in exchange) who don't use or update their sites. I guess a domain name for one year in their name with the option of me probably having more 'work' for them when renewal time comes up, on a real (not free) host with no banners, isn't appealing enough?

I even had one site, that I 'sponsored' (again, no banners because I hate them) hosting for, who had their own domain name, and they let the name expire. Had they kept the site updated, and told me they couldn't afford to renew it , I would have paid for it.

So much for helping aspiring web artists. In case you are thinking it, Yes, I did see impressive samples of their work before giving them the webspace.

[JamRover]

Nothing wrong with helping aspiring artists, but its always good to find out a little more info beforehand.

[ATST]

JamRover, I thought screened people pretty good.
The only reason I sponsor people is because I hate to see people with potenial held back by either free domain services, (we all know those places hijack the names later) or free hosting with slow load times or pop ups.
I want people to do well. I forbid banners, (because in my opinion, 1. They mess up the look, and 2. If they can get people to pay for ads, then they can pay for hosting in the first place) but will allow "hosted by" buttons as long as it doesn't say it is being sponsored for free. I give them all the space (up to 300MB and 15 gigs BW) they need. If they neeed more than that, they aren't as starving as they claim.
I will even pay for domain name and register it in their name for crying out loud!
The only thing I ask is that the need is legitimate, they keep a clean site, (no bad language and it must conform to our TOS) and update it regularly (every 30 days is suggested, but not enforced).
Because I will only sponsor two or three sites at a time, it bothers me if it isn't used.
Oh well, I feel better, now that I got that off my chest!
Life goes on.