FREE HOSTS
Please note you will need to create an account with whatever host you choose to host your site with. Be ready to fill in your info, and email adress...so if you don't have an extra email addy, get one before signing up! (Just click on the site name to go to that site)

I will explain a little bit about some of the terms and programs used, so you know what am talking about. :) ok??

What is a site builder?

A site builder is a program that some site hosts provide to help you build your site. It is usually in the *cut and paste* or *drag and drop* form. This is the easiest way to get a site up on the web, since you do NOT need to know any HTML.

Not only do they provide an easy way to get your graphics and words into the net, they also provide various templates! You will probably find yourself playing around with different templates and styles, before picking one. Just keep in mind you can always change it later. :)

FREE HOSTING WITH EASY SITE BUILDERS

Homestead
This is a favorite. It is easy, friendly and they allow for linking. (like if you want to leave a nice gift on someone's guestbook, you have to have it *somewher* first. Homestead is really the palce to be.

*BUT* they changed some of their rules and now homestead isn't 100% free anymore. You get very limited space and if you go over the monthly allowable bandwidth (viewing of your images..or *hits* of your images) they *block* them until the following month.

Homestead installs a small *bar* of advertising at the bottom of your page, so no matter where someone goes on your site, it is there.

AOL Hometown
Who knew?! You can have a website with aol, without *having* aol! They also have an easy builder called *Easy Designer*. I have not personally tried it, but I know quite a few members use it, so I am assuming it is easy to use.

They install a ad bar on the top of your site, a little bit *too big* for my taste, but until you get the hang of building sites, who cares? right!

You will need to sign up for an aol screenname if you do not already have one..dont' worry it's free.

Geocities
OK, Yahoo geocities is kind'a like broccsoli, either you like it or you do not. I tried it once upon a time, and have *yet* to figure out how to save the darn page, so I gave up and went to homestead...lol (a long time ago)

You will need a yahoo id (so yeah..you have to sign up with them) to use the yahoo geocities. We have a geocities wiz of DCS, so if you choose this one, she can help. I am completely geocities illiterate, but I do know her email well. :)

They have a nifty little annoying banner on the right side that sometimes gets in the way of your graphics, so be sure to check the way your site looks before telling everyone about it.

Fortunecity
THIS is where I built my first *real* website...HOWEVER, that was a long time ago (in 1998) and they have changed a lot. Some ISPs (internet service providers) will NOT let their people view sites in fortunecity, or graphics in fortunecity. I am not sure of the reasons, but I am assuming it is because they use so many java scripts to write on visitor's computers, get info from visitors, and store info about you on your computer. I also read *somewhere* that they install some kind of *rider* once you visit that sends info on what sites you visit in form of cookies that *check back* to fortune city.

Needless to say, it is not the same it was a long itme ago, but hey... its another choice! They use a site builder called TRELLIX, which you can easily get HERE.

NOW Trellix is a nice site builder. I used it when I started, so visit their site and get to know this builder! It is easy to add your own html as *gems* and it publishes your site for you. *BUT* you do not need to sign up for fortunecity to use this! Guess what? ANGELFIRE usus this one too!!! Not many people know this, but where we host DCS (which I think it completely wonderful) uses trellix too~

ANGELFIRE
What can I say? If I didn't like it I wouldn't be here. :) They offer both pop-up ads (nice annoying windows that open up when you visit here, but if you just minimize it won't pop up again!~~) and embedded ads (where the ads are installed on your site). This option I don't like because it doens't work well with some java, but if you're starting out, what do you care right??!! LOL!!

UPDATE: ANgel fire No longer allows any kind of linking to images. :(

SITES WITH FTP

(still on angelfire) If you wish to use FTP (a program used to quickly transfer files on your computer into the website) please know Angelfire's FTP is pretty terrible to get into, but once you are in, it's fast.

ALSO you can get a cool website name (like movie/starrs), so be sure to really think about the site name. You get a user name, so it can be different

TRIPOD
This is angelfire's BIG brother. I use this one a lot because the service is fast, the host is reliable and the URL is short. For exmaple mysite.tripod.com. Nice and easy. They do not allow for linking outside of *Lycos* network sites (but since angelfire is also Lycos..hehe you can link away!)

They do have excellent ftp, which is a plus for me who is always in a rush.

BRAVENET
Well Dave and Brad did it! They went into website hosting! This is such a great service, I reccommend them to everyone. You will need to sign up for their services, but you get reliable service (guestbooks, counters, forums, webrings, mailing lists, shopping...etc etc etc) it's really worth it!

You get a short url like mysite.mybravenet.com which is not that bad. They do allow image linking which is a big plus on todays internet, and they offer different types of advertising options. I know they allow FTP access with the paid *No Banner* option, will check on the free option.

CROSSWINDS
They sadly took down their FTP access. :( You have to be a paying customer now. This is a great host however. You will have to use and editor to build your site and then just *paste* the html in there.

Many people who host here are happy with them. Thye offer pop up banners, and lately they have gotten a bit *too many* of them on there, but maybe they will go back to the less annoying ones.

ANGELCITIES
Dont' know about this one, but I know it's free, so try it! And then let me know how it is! :)

OK these are the main ones, I will add more as time permitts.

Other info will be added soon. Please check back soon.