Posting your Website to a Server
When you have all of your HTML documents and images ready, and have tested your site by dropping it into the browser and navigating through it, you are ready to publish. Again, no one but yourself will see this site until the files are posted on a computer designated as a server. An FTP program will allow you to transfer files from your own hardrive to a folder on the server's hardrive by uploading them.Free FTP software:
Above is a screenshot of Filezilla. When you get server space, you will be given an access code, and you will be able to look into your space on that computer's harddrive in the "remote site" window. The "local site" window at left allows you to search through your own harddrive, and then drag-and-drop files into the server.
Cyberduck is a bit different, with a single window to show your server account -- shown below on the upper right. You can simply drag and drop documents from your open folders (as pictured below) or your desktop.
Server space
A server account can be purchased at a monthly or yearly rate, and nowadays the package will include your domain name. Since artists generally will only need HTML+CSS sites and won't be running databases or getting involved in server-side programming, you don't need an expensive server account with sophisticated features. Even low-cost accounts can give you lots of storage space and bandwidth -- far more than you'll ever need for a artist's portfolio.If you do get free server space from a friend (or university or workplace) you might want to look into purchasing a domain name of your very own, and paying a nominal fee to have it redirected to your current account.
Modhost might be a good option for a simple website to show to friends, gallerists and employers. $48/year for 350 MB storage, 12 GB transfer (your bandwidth allowance: how much data can be transferred within a month) and 2 domain names (as of July 2007).
It's best to avoid companies that offer server space for free (such as Yahoo, Geocities or Tripod). They do this simply to use your site as a platform for advertising, or redirect attention to themselves somehow. Plus, this route just screams "1998" at the visitor.
Once your server space and domain name are established, you will be given a user ID and password so that you may upload and access your website files.