The cost of launching www service consists of:

• hosting (a place on a server);
• internet address (domain);
• the webservice itself (www pages).

For the first two the client is usually charged yearly. Third one is paid once. It happens that hosting company offers all three in one bundle, but it is kind of a trade swift and does not make any technical difference.

Hosting

Some hosting providers offer short free testing period in order to check their services. Hosting means to rent a space on a hard disk, to get some amount of a network transfer, to utilize the memory and processor cycles, and often getting additional services like mailboxes, databases, automatic backups and so on. All these configured on an all time working, connected to the Internet server, kept in a secure, air-conditioned room with redundant network connections and uninterruptible power supply.

Almost every hosting company has many options in its offer, making it possible to choose precisely and match expected needs with no risk of overpay. Prices start at about USD 3 monthly. Usually there is no problem to buy better server parameters, for example if your service lacks disk space, or pages become so popular that hit network transfer limits.

The domain

.pl domains on a secondary market reach prices up to tens, or even hundreds thousands USD.It is an Internet address of your service, though more appropriate would be calling it an internet firm name. The shorter it is, the easier to remember - the better, but one has to have a lot of invention nowadays to invent an attractive, but not yet registered domain name.

Registration cost starts at about USD 3, sometimes even ten times less. But this is kind of promotional price. In a year, if you wish to continue with the domain, you will have to pay more (at the moment prices for *.pl domain prolongation start at USD 13).

Realization

Many hosting firms gives within the standard price, or at a small additional fee, ready to use blog or shop scripts.It can cost you nothing, if you have no special requirements and a friend being www enthusiast. Or, it can cost you your own time, spent on installing and configuring one of those popular, free systems.

But if your expectations are higher, as well technically as aesthetically, if you need an original, attractive and firm service - you would better hire professionals: at least a web programmer and a graphician acquainted with the web specificity. Cost would be no less than 350 USD and work will take at least two weeks, but in this case the final effect is what counts.

There are also possible some intermediary approaches, like service based on a free, open-source script with some adjustments of the visual layer only.

What is next?

Three pieces of the www service, described above, are sufficient for it to appear in the web. But it is just the beginning of its virtual life. The better it has been designed and realized, the better, more efficient and cheaper it will serve its purposes.

Illustration: Louis Icart „Flower Seller in Paris” (1930)