Help me make a website!

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mattbiernat · #1 Post by **mattbiernat** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:00 am

Hey guys, I have been a victim of something that constitutes a borderline scam. There were certainly some issues with false advertisment, breach of contract, etc... I have already tired my best to resolve those issues with this particular instituation however this was all in vein. I would like to make a website whose main purpose would be to warn people about this institution and possibly have others leave comments.
Here is where I need some ideas:
1) find a suitable place which will host my website
2) how to configure the website so that anyone who searches "blah blah blah" comes up with my site.
The main purpose of this website would be to warn people of the kind of things that are going on in this institution.

#2 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:26 am

Just a suggestion ... there are already several such websites where you can warn people about things like this. Check out http://www.ripoffreport.com/

#3 Post by **gator** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:50 am

www.consumerist.com is also a popular one for such reports ...

mattbiernat · #4 Post by **mattbiernat** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:59 pm

Im talking about 5-10 page report including pictures. I'm trying to make this as presentable as possible. Plus these are issues that I am having in Poland and not the States. While I will look into the above websites, I really want to make my webpage pop out in the search result whenever somebody types in "Complaints" AND "blah blah blah (name of the institution)"

#5 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:51 pm

If you have a monthly budget of $750.- minimum, your website MAY come up high(er) in the search engine results.
If you don't submit it to the right places, you won't get very far.
Use the previous suggestions and contact them if they are willing to publish your rant.

Another good source would be: http://fraudwatchers.org/

mattbiernat · #6 Post by **mattbiernat** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:51 pm

thanks RBS. i don't have this kind of budget at this point. would free hosting serviecs provide me with any chances of poping out on google search engine?

#7 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:58 am

If Bill Morrow does not object: TPF gets spidered regularly by Google.
In theory you could post just a short message here, that has the proper Subject title and comprehensive info within the first line of the message.
This post should then contain a link to your own website, wherever you host that.
It's the 'Catch phrase' that might get enough attention.

If Bill Morrow does object to this form of site-abuse, you could always insert similar posts on other 'Google-spidered' websites, such as www.techspot.com or forum.lenovo.com or any other website that you see regularly in Google searches.

#8 Post by **JaneL** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:02 am

I don't know how Bill feels, but unless the scam has to do with the buying and selling of ThinkPads, I think it's inappropriate to post it here.

mattbiernat · #9 Post by **mattbiernat** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:34 am

i thought you could post anything (unless its illegal) in the off topic section. i don't see anything in the rules that would say otherwise.
EDIT i didn't see any moderators/amins object to the superbowl thread. yet it has nothing to do with thinkpads.
ECIT2 if this forum gets an update to the "Rules of the Road," stating that the off topic section has to pretend to thinkpads I will be more than happy to obay the local rules.

#10 Post by **JaneL** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:42 am

That was just my idle opinion, but we can make it a fact if you push it. The Rules are a living document and evolve as things become issues. They're not set in stone.

#11 Post by **BillMorrow** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:35 am

i was thinking about this issue within the last few weeks and looking at the Off Topic Stuff, Talk about "WhatEVER !".. like Forum comments and suggestions..

it DOES say "whatever" but then it goes on to say "like forum comments and suggestions"..

but we DO have a suggestion box..

so now it comes to wanting to post "anything"..

my initial thought are to allow most anything as long as the anything does not cause a riot or flame war..

we really should have a place that is open and available..

but any poster taking on another organization must state that the comments are theirs alone and that the poster takes all responsibility for any comments..

i do want this foruim to be a robuts place but it MUST remain a cordial and friendly environment for all..

nonny is correct that the rules can change from time to time..

so, for now, i will allow your brief comments but when you DO post, please emal nonny and i the link so we can review your comments..

#12 Post by **KristianJ** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:01 am

How about a blog site through places such as blogspot.com or wordpress.com? Sure, it may not have the configuration that you want in order to draw a lot of traffic, but it's free and, with a little bit of appropriate promotion on forums that you're a member of or commenting on other blog sites and leaving a link to your site (Wordpress comments enable you to do this), you can get some sort of traffic. And these sorts of pages have comment areas for your visitors.

Not to divert too far off topic, but I believe that it's beneficial for members to have the chance to help each other out in a constructive manner even where it doesn't involve a Thinkpad. Bill, you could quite easily write a disclaimer of sorts into the rules or somewhere prominent on the board with a message such as "User-submitted comments are owned by the individual that provided them". I know of several forums where such a comment is included in a copyright statement.

mattbiernat · #13 Post by **mattbiernat** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:54 am

Dear Bill, Admins and Moderators,
All I want is some insight on how to make a website. I really would like to keep my other issues private if that is at all possible. Just like some people want insight on how to fix their thinkpads but they don't necesarily want everyone to know how they use it. I appreciate your help guys.

mattbiernat · #14 Post by **mattbiernat** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:59 am

KristianJ wrote:with a little bit of appropriate promotion on forums that you're a member of or commenting on other blog sites and leaving a link to your site

thank you for your support Kristan but I'd rather keep this issue separate from the thinkpad forum. besides people in this forum aren't my targeted audiance because it has nothing to do with thinkpads.

Robbyrobot · #15 Post by **Robbyrobot** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:31 am

All I want is some insight on how to make a website.

Frankly, it seems to me like you're looking for a lawsuit. If something is bad enough to be illegal or borderline illegal, report it to the police or the better business bureau. If it's just bad business or insulting to a customer (you), report the case with names in an appropriate forum and leave it to the forum management whether they want to take the risk of being sued.

I understand you completely, having also been the victim of various scams over the years. But you have to fight something like that in a way that won't get you or others in trouble either.

qviri · #16 Post by **qviri** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:07 am

BillMorrow wrote:but any poster taking on another organization must state that the comments are theirs alone and that the poster takes all responsibility for any comments..

KristianJ wrote:Bill, you could quite easily write a disclaimer of sorts into the rules or somewhere prominent on the board with a message such as "User-submitted comments are owned by the individual that provided them". I know of several forums where such a comment is included in a copyright statement.

This forum, in fact, has a policy that states the exact opposite:

"The contents of this forum, when posted by any forum member, becomes the property of the site owner, Bill Morrow. Any unauthorized republication or reproduction other than on thinkpads.com, forum.thinkpads.com, without my express written permission, is a violation of US and International copyright laws." (Copyright notice)

Bill, I'm not sure that you can have the cake (own the posts) and eat it too (have them be the responsibility of posters).

#17 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:31 am

My apologies for having opened this can of worms.
But it looks like qviri has put his finger on the right sore spots.
A small rewrite of some forum rules should put this all back in perspective.

Being a web designer, who has to use all tricks possible to draw traffic to a certain website, caused me to answer mattbiernat's questions in the way I did.
OP wants to make a website (no problems there) that will stick out on Google and the likes (big money involved).
His budget does not allow for that, and he would rather keep his problems to himself.
Why want a website, if you don't want people (here) to know about it?

To make a website, you need to register your website name (like www.mattbiernat.com) with a registrar, e.g. www.godaddy.com (about $10.- a year) and find some free or cheap hosting outfit.
Godaddy is $3.79 a month when buying a plan for 1 year.
If you go to the likes of Website Tonight, they supply you with hosting AND all the goodies to create your own website 'online' in the shortest possible time.

If you'd rather do it 'offline', do a Google with "free website template", you can edit most of them with Notepad & co., and then upload them to your website's hosting server.

mattbiernat · #18 Post by **mattbiernat** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:06 pm

Robbyrobot wrote:
All I want is some insight on how to make a website.
Frankly, it seems to me like you're looking for a lawsuit.

you have to understand how badly backed up is polish court system. i would wait 20 years to get things into court.

RealBlackStuff wrote: Why want a website, if you don't want people (here) to know about it?

i want to make this website to target specific people, who type in "(blah blah blah)" AND "Complaints." thinkpads have nothing to do with this issue and i'd rather keep it out. plus another thing I don't want to sabotage my own thread and have people discus why am i making this website.

how about those free hosting services? such as google and yahoo? would they be any useful for google searches? i don't mind paying a little bit and the costs you mentioned are certainly resonable for me, but why pay if you can get it for free?

#19 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:16 am

Have a look at these free web hosting pages:
http://www.absolutely-free-hosting.com/
http://www.free-webhosts.com/
http://www.mister.net/
http://members.freewebs.com/
and umpteen more.
You still need to register your website's name though.
http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/registrar ... gooxh001aa
also offers free hosting after registration. Scroll down there.
Best of luck.

mattbiernat · #20 Post by **mattbiernat** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:23 am

thanks! that's all i needed to know.

Help me make a website!

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