Google Sites

[Duer 157099]

I just thought that I'd mention this as a very easy and available resource for people who want to put up a simple and free website quickly.

I've used various web hosts in the past, including GoDaddy (yuck!), and quite often, people don't actually need all those bells and whistles and could easily get a free site from Google.

Also, I like to make sure a company is here to stay before I start putting down roots, and I think Google is here to stay.

The basic site uses an internal Google URL in the form:

http://sites.google.com/site/(username)/home

but you also have the option to use your own domain if you know how to edit the CNAME value with your registrar.

So does anyone here use this, and have any opinions?

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

1. I found out about this today when googling for a webhost

yahoo is discontinuing geocities so I'm trying to decide what to do. The only thing is Google Sites doesn't let you upload a file from Front Page, etc and I'd have to start from scratch. Not that mine is all that great to begin with. Its pretty primitive. Hmm, maybe I'm better off starting over.

[Duer 157099]

2. I'm kicking this up because since posting the OP...

I have been learning non-stop everything I possibly can about using Google Sites, and I want to highly, highly, highly recommend that people here check it out.

Let me just summarize what you can do with a Google Site:

1) create a website RIGHT NOW, yes, in about 5 minutes. For FREE. Totally free, no hidden costs, no adverts all over your page (unless you want them in which case you can earn revenue)
2) if you have your own domain(s), it's simple to have them mapped (that is, if your domain registrar plays fair; some don't)
3) if you don't have a domain, you can purchase one right while signing up for the account ($10/year) and it will be automatically configured for Google Apps AND by default comes with private registration (I only did this while signing up for the Google Apps account, I'm not sure how it works with just the Sites account; for those, I already had domains that I just mapped)

Note: Google Apps Standard is an account type that is essentially designed for intranets, so you can create sub-pages at your domain, and get email through your domain, etc etc (easily, that is; you can do those things with a regular Google Sites account, but it's a little more involved, but not much). The main thing is that the Google Apps account has more space allocated (but even a regular Sites account has plenty of space for most users).

From what I can tell, the most fundamental difference between the Apps and non-Apps Site accounts are that with non-Apps, you don't need to have your own domain (although you can). For an Apps account, you DO need your own domain.

How much storage do I have in Google Sites?

For Sites created under sites.google.com/site

* Site quota: 100Mb/site
* Max attachment size: 20Mb
* Pages per site: unlimited

Google Apps: Standard edition

* Site quota: N/A (quota is tracked at the domain level)
* Quota per domain: 10Gb
* Max attachment size: 20Mb
* Sites per domain: unlimited
* Pages per site: unlimited

All you need to sign up is either a Gmail account or a basic Google account (links below).

No, I have no vested interest (while they do have Affiliate programs, I haven't even had time to look into it yet, so no, I'm not gaining anything here, just sharing my excitement with my DU family).

Now, here's the biggest downside that I've discovered so far: since this is relatively new (Google is migrating it's old program into this new wrapper) and since there are literally TONS of additional projects that are concurrently being developed (both by Google and by the Open Source community at large) and since Google is (daily, from what I've noticed) tweaking code and debugging and adding features, it's a little mind numbing to try to understand how everything works and fits together, and to find the correct documentation when you need it, and to get answers when you need them. So, for those who are very unfamiliar with basics of websites, it can get frustrating (or it might not, it totally depends on what you're going to do; my guess is for most people, there are no problems whatsoever).

Me, I'm the type who wants to push everything to it's limits, so I tend to explore the more complicated aspects (which is how I know how difficult it is to get answers for some things!) But the flip side to that is that I'm finding ways to do things that are not included in the documentation. I'm impressed. I've got some pretty wild ideas about what I'd put on a site if I could, and I keep finding ways to do it. The problem I keep running into is that there are multiple ways to accomplish something, and it's hard for me to understand which are better than others, and which are older methods that Google might be migrating away from.

But anyway, it'd be cool if you guys would go check it out and see what I'm so excited about!

Here's the link for creating a Google account if you don't have one:

https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?hl=&service=jotspot&continue=http://sites.google.com/

Here's the link for creating a Google Gmail account if you don't have one:

https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=mail&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fe-11-116b21edbf4695d8eacf979cfef203e3-f5862d06bd22bc40f42d467429b2aa5aac9fcbe8&type=2

Google Sites Help

http://sites.google.com/support/?hl=en

Google Sites Help Forum

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/sites?hl=en

[david13]

3. Well I certainly have to look more closely at all this, as it is exactly what

I have been trying to do. But so far all I have done is look.
dc

[Why Syzygy]

4. Are you interested in miscellaneous Google?

Your personal medical information can be stored. There is a "health topic" search engine.

https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=health&nui=1&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&rm=hide

Take charge of your health information

It's safe, secure and free
Organize your health information all in one place
Gather your medical records from doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies
Share your information securely with a family member, doctors or caregivers


The Google channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/Google

Google Tech Talks
http://www.youtube.com/user/googletechtalks

Their Google site offer makes me want one.

[Duer 157099]

5. I saw that, (the health records thing) but never looked into it

Just the thought of it made me shudder. While I love Google, I'm also pretty paranoid about the possibilities, so, at least for now, I'm really erring on the side of caution about what I choose to use it for. All it takes is a click or two and bam! you accidentally put all your stuff out in the public domain and Google indexes it.

I'm a Googlephile but an extremely (I hope) cautious one, at least at this point.

[Why Syzygy]

6. Did you see this thread about data mining?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6740800

When I found the site, it made me think of the medical network Obama wants. Would it be feasible for Google to serve in such an endeavor? I don't know.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

7. I'm a convert ! I spent a couple of hours

yesterday morning learning google sites by trial and error. It is fairly easy to use. And I discovered that you can copy & paste HTML code into it so I was able to move some of the code from my geocities site

Here's the site I created

http://sites.google.com/site/eastcoastasiandogrescueorg/

I worked with some content management software last week that our Democratic Town Committee purchased to maintain our website. I think google sites is actually easier to use.