How do yuo get your site hosted by TZ?

[John-Paul]

Just wonderin'

[Harley]

Usually, 1) You contact us. We review the site, and if it meets certain standards we set, you get free hosting, a forum and a good amount of freedom. But, it has to meet and always adhere to those standards/quality level. 2) You've made such a big splash out there that we've already gone through your site entirely and e-mailed you regarding the possibility.

However, we've already got two new hosted sites lined up. So, we're not looking for any sites at the moment. And if we do, we'd like to expand past the range we already cover.

If you have a site you'd like to submit for consideration, e-mail Colin or I.

Hope that helps!

[Gyro]

Hmm... What are those standards?

[John-Paul]

Originally posted by Gyro
Hmm... What are those standards?

I was just gonna ask that!

[Brian Cruz]

I don't think there are any standards written down anyplace. Basically it has to be a site that's very good and looks like it would be a good fit with Toon Zone. It's all subjective. The site could be the only one of its kind, like CCF: The Fansite. Or it could be the best of many sites like it, like the LT & MM Page. Or it could be a site we think we need and then ask someone to do, like the Adult Swim site.

The next sites we're adding are a Rocky & Bullwinkle page, and a site called "Animated Diversions" that was created a whole bunch of TZ members. I'd also like us to add a Boomerang/Hanna-Barbera site, but I don't think they are any out there at the moment.

[Vin]

Originally posted by Brian Cruz
I'd also like us to add a Boomerang/Hanna-Barbera site, but I don't think they are any out there at the moment.

Hair Bear Web! is probably one of the best Hanna-Barbera sites out there and has been online since 1995.

[John-Paul]

I heard about Animated Diversions.I don't get the whole idea of the web hosting thing.Does the site have to exist first and by what make-a-site site? (Examples:Matmice,Geocities,tripod,etc.) I COULD try to make a HB one if you want.

[Harley]

A.D. should be going up very soon. I think everyone will be pleased.

Web Hosting. Well, let me give you a description of our experiences with places like Geocities and Fortune City.

They're some of the free web hosting places still out there. For that free service they require that one of their banners, or pop-up windows, or various other annoying advertisements.

They also require that you actually have a web site there. They don't want you to use to house your pictures and nothing else.

They give you (I think) a set amount of web space and depending on what free service you're with, a set amount of traffic. If you exceed that, they might not allow anyone else to access your site. It's a good idea to read through what you're agreeing to when you sign up with one of those places.

Back in the day, when we were still using free services, I think we had to spread our collective sites across 7 different Fortunecity accounts due to their space limitations and just set up our links very carefully. Needless to say, it was a pain to keep track of.


It sounds like you have a desire to put together a web site, or you're certainly curious about it. There are a few things you need to make your site.

First, what's your site going to be about? Give it a focus. If your site's all over the place, you're less likely to gain a following. It's best to go with something you're actually invested in yourself.

Once you've gotten that figured out, draw out on a piece of paper what you'd like your site to look like. It'll save you time.

You can use a program like Frontpage Express to make your web pages if you have Windows as an OS. And you'll need an image editing program like Paint Shop Pro.

Find your web space. Try a place like geocities or fortunecity. Especially if you're just doing this for fun, those are decent places to start.

But as your site grows, keep in mind, that most people don't take sites hosted by those places seriously. There's a simple reason why, most sites hosted by these free hosting places disappear within a week. Most, not all. But at a certain point, if you do become serious about your site, you might want to consider other options.

Ah, yes. I wrote something like this a couple of years ago. I don't know how many of the links still work, but the basic info is still accurate. http://www.toonzone.net/eileen/webtips.html

The last thing you'll want to keep in mind is that running is a web site is not always fun. It can get rough. Sometimes it's downright frustrating. Especially if your site grows. You'll find a whole new set of pressures that can take away from the whole fun part.

But all that said, it can also be just as rewarding. It's great being able to bring a lot of info to the public. You get to learn how to make and manage web sites along the way. And occasionally, you get to meet some really great people along the way. It's a good experience.

So, give it a shot and see if it's for you!