Outgrowing Google

In my Exploring Internet Technology series, I've opened different blogs, websites, network in research projects, using different technologies for each. Because when I make a recommendation I want to have as much first hand experience and accurate (to me) information, as I can, for the benefit of my clients and "five" readers.

I started with my evaluation of the Google family of products, back in December. I won MegMeyer.com in an auction, when it became available. (It was previously owned by someone who only had up a few pictures, and it had sat like that for as long as I can remember. If this is YOU, let me know, I'll give you space to host your personal site.) I knew I needed more time to pick a professional host, so I opted to host the "Pre-launch" phase of the site on Google, with their "Applications for Domains."

The suite of products includes personalized Gmail, start page, calendar, IM, and webpages.

The email, start page and all were easy to set up & I've been very happy with them. I'll likely keep my email hosted with Gmail for quite some time.

Due to constraints of my registrar, however, and not exactly helpful help on the Google Group that I posed my questions to - I had quite a difficult time getting the website verified, and had an ugly web address for quite a while.

At first, I didn't mind having www.megmeyer.com-a.googlepages.com as my website name. I was still building the site, playing with page creator, and hadn't publicized it at all, except to a few close friends. But as I got ready to launch, and was able to point www.megmeyer.com to my Google hosted site, the issues started to show up. Page Creator still publishes to the longer, uglier name. Even though, my domain is verified as mine. And while we can access the site through either address, typing certain individual pages into the address bar produces 404 errors.

And since I've spent more time into researching what is out there, I've come upon my ideal solution. AN Hosting is where I'll likely move, for my web hosting. Their list of features, awards, and price are all ideal. With 25 gigs of space, 250, gigs of bandwith, I can host up to 20 sites and never reach the end of that amount. I also like that the servers are located in Chicago, IL.

I'll still utilize Google's other Apps, like gmail, calendar, docs, and Adsense, but I've outgrown them as a viable host for my businesses.

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You might also like:
The Center of Muse - Writing, Design, Motivation & Coaching for Entrepreneurs, Freelancers, Small & Home Based Businesses.
MegMeyer.com - My personal writing & independent contracting site. Sign up for Writers Groups here.
AN Hosting - Host up to 20 domains on 25 GIGS of space, with 250 GIGS of bandwith for only $6.95.
A Global Community - An Economic Network. Share in growing the community, share in the revenue.
My Lenses - Writing, Retreats, Travel, Business

Paradise by the Laptop Light by Meg Meyer

When I write, when I clean, when I surf online or chat with my friends, there's one constant - music. The usual source of the music, in my case is an internet-based, commercial free, listener supported, freely available, DJ mixed eclectic radio station called Radio Paradise.

You don't need to register to listen. You don't need special software. You don't get bombarded with a bunch of annoying advertisements.

What you do get is a hand picked mix of music from around the globe, deep cuts, indie artists to serenade you through your life. Sometimes a song will fade into the background, and others will do a running jump into your face. Discover new songs, new artists, even some from a part of the planet you don't think about on a regular basis.

You can see what's playing now, and what you just missed, right on the homepage. Decide to listen (most music is work safe) or log in to the website for more interactive options.

While registration is not required, music fans will want to join in the discussion about what's playing. Like a song? Or did one make your ears bleed in protest? Speak up! Vote! Add a comment.

Click on a song, and be taken to a page where all kinds of information is available. Check out more from the artist, more from the album, see the album art (when available,) get lyrics, see what others think about the song. Purchase the song from iTunes or Amazon, get tour information.

The main thing I enjoy Radio Paradise for is connecting with my long-distance friends. While I listen in Wisconsin, my friends in Texas, Hawaii, Alaska, and Australia are all listening to the same song, at the same time. We've been in the middle of our various daily tedium and a song will come on that we'll get excited about and touch base with each other, via IM and say, "are you listening? What a great song!"

Another thing I credit Radio Paradise with is discovering, and purchasing music, like "Land of Anaka," by Geoffrey Oryema, off of "African Odysseus." I never would have been captivated by that song, or exposed to such a wide variety of artists on mainstream radio stations.

Have music that you think should be on RP? Want to be heard worldwide? Submit your two best songs to the Listener Review Channel. If it fits with what RP plays, you could get featured in the LRC, and voted upon by fans of Radio Paradise, and voted into the regular rotation. Being "discovered" by thousands of people, worldwide, at once, couldn't be bad exposure.

In our global culture, it's amazing to look at the listener map on Radio Paradise and see 11,661 listeners in the USA, 1213 listeners in Canada, 143 in Brazil, 624 in Germany, and even two in Iraq are all checking out the same song as I am, at this moment. There are listeners all over, just take a look!

Bill & Rebecca Goldsmith DJ the station themselves, mixing sets for a smooth flow, resulting in optimum listener enjoyment. Radio Paradise is based out of Paradise, California, and runs on an "innovative programming automation system" that Bill designed himself.

Royalties and copyright fees are high, and have recently increased for all internet radio stations, while AM & FM stations don't have to pay these extra fees, incidentally. Radio Paradise relies on it's affiliate relationships, and loyal listeners to give them the money they need to keep the station going. So you may occasionally hear Bill ask for donations, or pitching Radio Paradise hoodies, as a means to cover the cost of staying "on air." (Or would it be "on stream?")

If you have eclectic taste in music, and like giving your ears new treats, you'll enjoy Radio Paradise. But what you might like most about Radio Paradise is what you don't hear... advertisements.

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The preceding post is an article I wrote on a non-exclusive, non-paid basis. It's submitted to several content banks including:



GoArticles.com.

Constant Content.

Meg Meyer's Lenses.

Meg Meyer's Writing & Business Blog.

The Center of Muse.

MegMeyer.com - Pre-Launch

And, of course, the journals of RadioParadise.com.

Are YOU going to share this on your website? Let me know & I'll add a link to your site!

- Meg Meyer

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Meg Meyer is a writer, life coach, speaker, workshop leader, entrepreneur, and creative independent. Meg is the founder of several internet businesses and helps others create vocations around their passions. She is based in the Midwest region of the United States, however she'll travel for almost any reason... or no reason at all.



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.