Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Micorosft Office Live Basics: Free Domain & Name

Office Live is offering free domain names and websites. That’s right- free. I have had one for almost a year that I use just for the domain name and I have the site point to my videography site. This is great as it allows you to have another web presence for free and the way I am using it all I have to do is update 1 site and use the Office Live site to point to it. Just another way for people to find me.

Some things to look out for: You will probably get some kind of “bill” in the mail asking you to renew your domain name or something similar. That is not a bill, it is a company that is trying to trick you into switching from your free account to a different account in which you will have to pay for it. The only way to get you to do something like this is to make it look like a bill so you will enter your information and pay it. Don’t. Secondly, they ask for your credit card information (I am talking about the sign up for the Microsoft Office Live domain and name service). They ask to ensure that some scalper does not gather every available name and space up on their servers and then turn around and sell them for $. It is okay to give it. I did and have never been billed. You are limited to one site/name per credit card though. What is more, you get an actual full domain name, not www.thenameyouchose.officelive.com you do get www.thenameyouchoose.com A couple other catches: you have to use their templates and the “Office Live” logo will remain on your site. No big deal if you use it how I did or if you really do need a site and don’t want to pay for it.

If you want to see an example, look here: http://www.tennesseevideography.com and http://www.paintballtennessee.com

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