I’ve had a couple of questions lately about domain registration versus hosting accounts, so I thought I’d answer them here. It doesn’t matter where you register a domain, you can host the actual Web site for that domain anywhere. It seems a lot of folks have registered with Network Solutions, but have yet to get a Web hosting account, and have then discovered that when they go to their domain name (enter their address in a browser’s URL address bar), there is a directory of other businesses like theirs. Network Solutions has parked their own paid directory on that spot, pending the domain being hosted. [See a previous post for more info on that practice, as well as my take on why not to use Network Solutions.] When you register a domain, you own that name for the duration of the contract and have the right to renew it when the contract is due to expire (usually after a year, but some people buy 2-10 year registrations). When you actually purchase Web hosting, you let the domain registrar know where your Web site is by giving them DNS information. DNS, variously described as Domain Name Server or Services, Domain Name System, is server software that translates...

Sparkling Dawg has been named “Best of Livingston 2007″ for Web Services in the Livingston Weekly and KPRK Radio poll. What makes Sparkling Dawg successful is that we provide end-to-end Web services, from graphics, Web site and blog design, implementation and maintenance, to service-oriented hosting. Thank you to the clients, customers, and non-profits whom the Dawg has served. You are the best clients a business could hope for, and you make the work fun and rewarding.

In addition to the other reasons to shun NetworkSolutions.com, here’s a fresh one. If you register a domain name with your hosting company and don’t use it, don’t provide an index page of your own, or don’t point it to another domain, the hosting service posts a default Web page. These usually have the host logo and a notice that the site is under construction. If you have a similar situation with Network Solutions (i.e., have not yet “assigned [the domain] to your hosting account” to use their typically incorrect parallel universe of terminology), they display a page that contains a big promo for Network Solutions’ products/services at the bottom, and a looks-like-a-real-Web-page but is actually a paid directory of businesses similar to yours at the top. Unless visitors to the page have pop-ups blocked, they will also see a pop-up window with more directory listings for businesses like yours. In other words, you have paid for domain registration, you are their hosting customer, and Network Solutions uses your unused Web space to put up a page that looks like a legitimate Web site, advertises your competitors and themselves, and includes an...

I’ve noticed over the months that a number of visitors have come to this site as a result of a Google Image search for “vintage robot” or “vintage toy robot.” I’ve used the robot image in one place or another on Sparkling Dawg for well over a year, most recently in the “Search Engine Optimization” post. I also use it on my spam tips site: ctrl-zweb.com. Here’s where I found this image: iStockphoto.com. If I’m not using one of my stock photographs, or creating a new illustration, I often use iStockphoto to save time and client expense. It’s free to join, and then you pay whatever amount you want in credits. Each image download is a certain amount of credits. Most of my downloads are for Web use, so they are low-resolution and just 1 credit. A high-resolution vector illustration can be 5 credits. With bulk credits, downloaded images only cost from a little over a dollar for web sizes to about 6 dollars for vector illustrations. In addition to photos and illustrations, you can get Flash animations and video. iStockphoto’s catalog is pretty large, the images are always high-quality, and downloads are straightforward...