A Question About "multiple Websites"

[Guest mjrpes]

i read in TotalChoice Hosting's AUP that "You may not conduct hostee or offer free web hosting to people based on your subdomains. "

 

i am wondering if i would be violation of tch's TOS if i switched over to you guys, from my other host, with my current settings:

 

i have domain.com that points to a page without any serious content, it's just a filler page for now that announces my domain. i have set up a subdomain, school.domain.com, that runs a small website for my town's junior high library (one of my parents is the librarian that runs the site, so it's not totally independent). i have another subdomain, aunt.domain.com, that has webspace for photos that a relative uses to share personal photos with. i also have a folder that i use to host pictures for a forum i frequent, and i have a php script that lets select members of this said forum upload images for temporary hosting.

 

all in all, bandwidth averages to about 10-20 megs/day, a fraction of the bandwidth i would be limited to if i hosted with you guys. i'm not creating multiple websites with the attempt to profit, i'm just using webspace for things that are independent from each other. is this be allowed?

 

also, the sentence in the AUP leave gaps open for further questions: does multiple websites apply just to subdomains... or are users in breach if they host an independent website via www.domain.com/website and not just website.domain.com?

 

thank you for response...so far i am very impressed with TCH's features, community, and prices.

[Guest mjrpes]

okay, well i did a little more research on this forum and found this:

 

About the subdomains though, I meant that I was wondering if I could host someone like on monedolls.com/guest or guest.monedolls.com...but they would actually manage their own site. I dunno if you can do that...I've seen other people do that though...not with this host as far as I know.

 

Absolutely not as this is explicity laid out in the Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy as a no-no. Can't do it. Sorry. (For $4/mo. the friend can get their own account. )

 

Page Link

 

looks like i'll have to find hosting that allows multiple ("indepedent") websites elsewhere.

[Head Guru]

Yes we do not allow one account to host many web sites, you would need a reseller account for such multiple domain hosting.

 

Good luck in your search.

[Guest mjrpes]

thank you for your quick reply

 

okay, well now i've got to thinking: what defines multiple websites that are a breach of TOS?

 

say, for instance, i want to create a domain for my family. if each member of my family has their own subdomain for their personal website, complete with their own ftp username, is this a breach of TOS? does it make a difference that these websites are not entirely independent but all have the common interest of being part of the the broader family's website. does it make a difference whether or not the "websites" are linked to each other via hyper reference links or if they stay entirely separate?

 

if the above is okay, when does it turn into a breach?

 

take another example. from the point of the TOS, it's okay for a company to use subdomains when, say, it wants to seperate different aspects of the company (products, support, forums, etc) into clearly defined spaces. what if the company owner / webmaster decides he wants to create a subdomain to be used just for his personal space... maybe all this would be is a page saying who he was and a few personal notes about what he/she is doing that family and friends could visit? would this be in breach of contract, since his personal website and the company website are both independent of each other? or could this be a tacit exception not covered in the TOS, stemming from the fact that the personal website is not really a separate "commercial" enterprise?

 

i think it would be good to know these sort of things

[TCH-JimE]

okay, well now i've got to thinking: what defines multiple websites that are a breach of TOS?

Anything which is defined as more then one site or different themes.

 

say, for instance, i want to create a domain for my family.  if each member of my family has their own subdomain for their personal website, complete with their own ftp username, is this a breach of TOS?

Yes this does, as each family member has a "personal website".

 

does it make a difference that these websites are not entirely independent but all have the common interest of being part of the the broader family's website.

If they are all of the same theme, then its a single website, if each one is different, (even though it may have common intrests) they count as being seperate sites.

  does it make a difference whether or not the "websites" are linked to each other via hyper reference links or if they stay entirely separate?

By the defintion above, it would be againest tos.

 

if the above is okay, when does it turn into a breach?

A breach occurs if two or more sites are created on a non reseller account. This includes the sneaky use of subdomains to allow a different type of website.

 

take another example.  from the point of the TOS, it's okay for a company to use subdomains when, say, it wants to seperate different aspects of the company (products, support, forums, etc) into clearly defined spaces.  what if the company owner / webmaster decides he wants to create a subdomain to be used just for his personal space... maybe all this would be is a page saying who he was and a few personal notes about what he/she is doing that family and friends could visit?  would this be in breach of contract, since his personal website and the company website are both independent of each other?

Correct. This would be a breach of TOS.

 

or could this be a tacit exception not covered in the TOS, stemming from the fact that the personal website is not really a separate "commercial" enterprise?

Its not about "commercial" side, its the fact there would be two different websites.

 

Here is a an example:

 

User is a family guy, married, 2.4 kids, car, job etc

 

Http://www.mydomainname.com

HttP://forum.mydomainname.com

Http://blog.mydomainname.com

Http://pics.mydomainname.com

Http://links.mydomainname.com

 

So we have the main domain name, a forum for the domain, a blog for the users life, some pics of the family and a links section.

 

However, if he wished to put in the following:

 

Http://library.mydomainname.com

 

Or

Http://forumforclub.mydomainname.com

 

Or

Http://tom.mydomainname.com

 

All would be againest TOS as they represent a different site.

 

I hope this makes things clearer

 

Ask any further questions and I will only be too happy to answer them!

 

Jim

[Guest mjrpes]

thank you for your feedback. that makes things very clear. i didn't realize the TOS would be that strict... but in a way I can see how it makes sense. unfortunately, it doesn't meet my needs, even though my bandwidth needs aren't that high, so i will have to search for a host that offers this sort of thing... if i can find one that does so at a decent price.

[TCH-JimE]

Hi,

 

I am sorry to hear we don't meet your needs, we do try. Unfortuantley the lines must be drawn somewhere and we have to remain firm on them. Slip here, and someone else will come along wanting the same and then it will all go down the drain!

 

I wish you luck in your quest.

 

Of course, if you had a reseller account, you could have multiple domains.

 

Jim

[Guest enbcom]

Of what value is a subdomain if you cannot have content within it that is different your main domain? It's deceptive marketing.

[Head Guru]

Its not the content!

 

It the hosting of multiple DOMAINS...

 

Perhaps a class in marketing is in need for you my friend.

 

My web site clearly states you can host UNLIMTED SUB-DOMAINS. I see no where on my site does it say for $4.00 per month you can host all the domains you want. Yes thats right folks for $4.00 per month you can point domaina to sub domains and host unlimited domains. That is not what our web site says.

 

Marketing must be a tad different up there in canada.

 

 

[TCH-JimE]

Hi,

 

Just to provide an example:

 

I own www.bugmansbrewery.com

 

I have the following subdomains:

 

Forum.bugmansbrewery.com - My web forum for my site

Gubbinz.bugmansbrewery.com - Place where bits for the site which just dont come under any other header go

Galleries.bugmansbrewery.com - User submitted galleries

Links.bugmansbrewery.com - The links section

Hobby.bugmansbrewery.com - Painting and modelling skills

 

So whilst they all have different content, they all about the same site and same topic, Warhammer

 

Subdomains are very useful

 

Jim

[bgolder]

Hi - I'm bumping this thread up and posting here because it is relevant to my question. I've searched the forums high and low and I'm still not quite clear on the specific policy for what I want to do:

 

Domain #1 - mysite#1.com -- this domain is currently hosted with TCH and under construction. mysite#1 is my existing company name. There will be some traffic to this domain because people already know my company name. Now, keep that in mind for a sec...

 

- www.mysite#1.com -- the main portal (with links to store, forum, ads, etc)

- store.mysite#1.com -- the web store

- forums.mysite#1.com -- points to parts of #1

 

...so I believe the above setup, which is what I've done so far, is all legit with TCH policy (tho' above posts on this thread did confuse me a little which is why I'm posting here and I would appreciate clarification).

 

But here's the part I'm not sure about:

 

Domain #2 - www.mysite#2.com

 

I have registered the domain mysite#2.com -- and I want it to point to the exact same place as mysite#1.com on my TCH account. I don't want to put another web site up with mysite#2 - I just want to point to and host the same information as mysite#1.com. The reason is because I am going to transition my company name to a new name and I want people who know either name to go to the same place.

 

So the questions are these:

• 1) Can I in fact point another domain -- mysite#2.com -- to the same account as mysite#1.com?
   
  2) If #1 is affirmative -- then, if they share the same server space, do I have to pay for another virtual host account for mysite#2.com?
  • 2a) If #2 answer is "yes I have to pay because its another domain", then is the bandwidth/storage for the two accounts just added together (since I'm paying for it).
    
  • 2b) If #2 answer is "no I don't need to pay" -- then I presume I would get no additional storage/bandwidth...but would there be a setup fee or anything? Again - these domains will host identical information and TCH would know that because the DNS would reflect such a setup.
    

Finally, if answer is all above is no -- ie - "one domain per account only" policy...then what does that mean? That I have to somehow maintain a syncronized copy of my site for both domains so people going to either domain get the same info? (And I will say now that hopefully that is not the answer because if so that means the policy is so unduly restrictive that it doesn't allow for even the most basic flexibility required to do business). I want to be clear -- I am not asking for what others seem to be asking for all the time - multiple sites on one domain with subdomains/etc. I just want multiple domains pointing to one site - as if cnn.com and news.com took you to the same web page.

 

Ok! Have I thoroughly over-explained what I need? Cool! Please help me understand my options and what it will cost.

 

Thanks!! Rock Sign

 

-Bryan

[LisaJill]

What you want is a lot different than what the original poster wants.

 

What you want, where many domains point to the root of your site - is called parking. That is within the AUP but you need to submit a ticket to the Help Desk to get it setup.

 

Your first scenario is legitimate, I'd say.

 

I hope that clarifies. =)

[TCH-Don]

Hi Bryan, this is a very old thread.

Check the updated AUP

AUP

 

I think what you want is ok.

[bgolder]

Hi Bryan, this is a very old thread.

Check the updated AUP

AUP

 

I think what you want is ok.

Hi Don -- I didn't see anything about an AUP on that link you posted except a post that subdomains are allowed for any use other than resell.

 

But...anyway...what I posted, you're saying it won't cost me anything, I just submit the domain via help ticket and TCH sets up the DNS and I'm ready to rock? Yes?

 

If so, then... Rock Sign Rock Sign Rock Sign Rock Sign Rock Sign Rock Sign Rock Sign Rock Sign Rock Sign

 

-Bryan

[LisaJill]

As long as it points to the root of your site, yes. =)

[bgolder]

Ok, I think we're on the same page. But to be sure, I would want domain#2 to point to the same folders that my current domain points to, and have the same redirected subdomains as domain#1. Like this:

 

www.site#1.com -> home/html/portal/

www.site#2.com -> home/html/portal/

store.site#1.com -> home/html/oscommerce/

store.site#2.com -> home/html/oscommerce/

forums.site#1.com -> home/html/phpbb/

forums.site#2.com -> home/html/phpbb/

etc...

 

Cool?

[TCH-Thomas]

Should not be any problem.

[AlanV]

Bill, you should mod the AUP:

It still says:

You may not conduct hostee or offer free web hosting to people based on your subdomains.

 

Shouldn't it say

"You may not conduct hostee or offer free web hosting to people based on your subdomains."

?

[bellringr]

Thomas, I didn't think you could park a domain and point subdomains to other parts of the main domain. Am I wrong?

[LisaJill]

Parking a domain is basically a forward, at least when I had mine that's how it was. So if they park a domain and someone goes to site2.com it'll go to the root of your site and become site1.com - it won't retain the parked domain in the URL.

 

bell - you're right; but in this case the poster is only pointing domains at the root - it was matter a question of behavior once that's done. =)

[TCH-Thomas]

Let me explain what I mean...

 

Lets say you have registered tchthomas.com and tchtompa.com. Note the difference.

Then tchthomas.com.com and tchtompa.com must lead to same root directory/stuff.

 

In this I can make subdomains. Lets say store1, 2, 3 and 4.

 

store1.tchthomas.com > tchthomas.com/store1

store2.tchthomas.com > tchthomas.com/store1

store3.tchthomas.com > tchthomas.com/store1

store4.tchthomas.com > tchthomas.com/store1

 

store1.tchtompa.com > tchthomas.com/store1

store2.tchtompa.com > tchthomas.com/store1

store3.tchtompa.com > tchthomas.com/store1

store4.tchtompa.com > tchthomas.com/store1

 

I can not have tchtompa.com´s stores go to tchthomas.com/store2.

 

So if I understand bgolders example correct above, I think its within the AUP.

Edited December 6, 2004 by TCH-Thomas

[TCH-Bruce]

Thomas you have confused me.

 

Using your example. If you have tchthomas.com and tchtompas.com parked on top of it.

 

Any subdomains you create in thcthomas would also be accessible to tchtompas.com

 

So if you entered h**p://store2.tchtomaps.com it would take you to store2.tchthomas.com.

[TCH-Thomas]

Exactly.

 

I know it got a little confusing. I am sorry for that.

What I tried to say is that people can not register domain2, domain3 and so on and point that to separate subdomains.