I want a website, but I'm picky and have no skills

[monkeybomb]

I have no need for a website and the internet doesn't need me, but I want one anyway.  Here's the thing, most suggestions on the forum are given with an understanding that people are good with computers and have time to eplore.  For this purpose let's assume I'm not and I don't. 

I have no programming skills.
I don't have time to learn dreamweaver and the like.

The Ideal:
I'd like a point and click template that looks decent (not incredible)
I'd like to use my own domain.
No popups or ads
decent bandwith
Free
an HTML e-mail account for myself and a friend or two

I'd take:
ads and 1 popup or A couple bucks a month
e-mail that uses a program instead of HTML

The most important thing is ease of use.  No learning curve and headaches.  I'm struggling enough with emulation, frontends and controls.

[GGKoul]

You should get Frontpage from MS.  If you know how to use Word, you should have no issue using Frontpage.

[patrickl]

You can buy templates from TemplateMonster.com (or other sites) Most of it is too flashy (actually built in flash even) but some seem simple and easy to change.

[SirPoonga]

The Ideal:
I'd like a point and click template that looks decent (not incredible)
I'd like to use my own domain.
No popups or ads
decent bandwith
Free
an HTML e-mail account for myself and a friend or two

You are asking for almost the impossible.

[Stingray]

I have no programming skills.
I don't have time to learn dreamweaver and the like.

The Ideal:
I'd like a point and click template that looks decent (not incredible)
I'd like to use my own domain.
No popups or ads
decent bandwith
Free
an HTML e-mail account for myself and a friend or two

You'll never find a free site that offers you that many options. For what you want you're going to have to pay for it.

-S

[ErikRuud]

"Free" an "No Pop Ups or Ads" are pretty much mutually exclusive.

I like Freeservers.com for hosting, I pay $7.95 a month to be ad free.

[monkeybomb]

Okay forget the free, let's just say cheap.  I already have a domian that I paid for so that money is gone.

If I do it on frontpage and get it just how I want to on my computer, will it be very easy to post it to the host.   This is the kind of thing I worry about that you guys take for granted. 

I'll give freeservers a look.

[Thenasty]

here is my simple page, I use Frontpage to do it.

http://free.hostdepartment.com/T/Thenasty/

if you want to sign up

http://free.hostdepartment.com

they give you 100 MB space. I though it was 10 but I just read it again and its 100 MB.

[Thenasty]

when you sign up, the question about transfer is done thru an option FILE MANAGER, you can UPLOAD your stuff when your done or use an FTP to transfer it. I just use their built in FILE MANAGER to upload the page.

[Stingray]

Lypha.com has a $5 hosting plan.

-S

[SirPoonga]

they give you 100 MB space. I though it was 10 but I just read it again and its 100 MB.

Wow, you are right.  When i signed up they only allowed 10MB.  I will hve to try some stuff out, maybe they changed some of their other policies I didn't like.

[Thenasty]

it looks like files must be smaller that 1MB. I tried uploading a 1.5mb GIF file and it won't let me. I had to shave it down less than 1MB then it accepted it.
But yea, that 100MB sounds neat.  Need more stuff to add on to my new page.

[EndTwist]

Wee...something I know quite a bit about 

Anyways, this is old hat to me so here's what you should do:
1. Check out http://freewebspace.net/forums/ -- go to the "Free Hosting Offers" section and check out what people are offering. Note - make sure you READ and CHECK everything before you sign up. With some of these free hosts, certain things are iffy, and others are pretty reliable/trustable.

2. Put up a request in the "Free Hosting" section for what you're looking for if you don't find anything in the "Free Hosting Offers" section. Remember though -- new offers appear in the aforementioned section daily, so it is reccomended (by me) that you check there for a little while.

3. Also try putting up requests on the following sites:
- http://freewht.com/ ("Free Web Hosting Requests" section) -- also, while you're there, check the "Free Hosting With No Ads" and "Free Hosting With Ads" sub-forums of the "Free Web Hosting Offers" section
- http://hosthideout.com/ (you want to post in the "Shared" sub-forum of the "All Requests Forums")

Note about requesting hosting: Be reasonable and very flexible. Offer to put text links or [small] ads on your site in return for the hosting. Do not ask for too much space or bandwidth (something reasonable would be like: 50-200mb space and  less than 10gb of bandwidth)

With the above outlined method, you should be able to find [free] hosting quite quickly. I did

Now, if you are willing to pay for hosting, I would check out http://www.webhostingtalk.com/. Look in the "Shared and Reseller Hosting Offers" sub-forum of the "Web Hosting Offers" section (You want to find shared hosting). Also, make sure you read some reviews of hosts in the "Web Hosting Forum", but remember, these are posted by both experienced and inexperienced users, so just be aware.

My final note here is:
Do not ask any hosts for templates. That's something you need to find on your own. Also, if you do manage to get a free hosting account, do not bother the support techs / cust. service (if they have it) much. Remember - it's a free service.

Edit: Forgot to mention this -- DO NOT, and I mean DO NOT sign up for a host offering rediculous (1000GB bandwidth, 80GB space, etc) or "unlimited"/"unmetered" bandwidth and/or space. Those companies are lying/overselling or have obscene restrictions that prevent you from actually using the space they advertise.

Hopefully that helps a bit.

EndTwist

[cholin]

Wow, being a web-coder, this is quite an interesting  thread.  Anyways...

I'd like a point and click template that looks decent (not incredible)

Search around google for "free website templates" and tons will pop up.  Also try www.zymic.com for good free ones, with a copyright of course.

I'd like to use my own domain.

Done...?

No popups or ads

http://www.free-webhosts.com/
http://www.clickherefree.com/

decent bandwith

Alot of sites give away unlimited bandwidth or very generous portions of it.  For example:  I have unlimited bandwidth and unlimited space for no reason whatsoever.  Beware of new post-to-host sites offering large plans, they tend to fail.

an HTML e-mail account for myself and a friend or two

Most hosting that offers cPanel comes with web-based email software.  SquirrelMail for example.

As for designing a site, try Macromedia Dreamweaver and Microsoft FrontPage.  I used to use them together for HTML sites.  If you decide you need dynamic stuff, just ask around and people will most likely code a site for you as long as you give them permission to use it in their portfolio.

EDIT: Forgot the basics!  If you're an absolute "newb" you can go to www.geocities.com or something of that nature for one of their small accounts.  Those are the starting-out companies that give you free space (like 50 megs) for small sites and then charge you quite a bit for services you can otherwise get free.  The webhosting business is more advanced that most people would expect, so be careful because lots of companies try to rip you off.