If Running Your Own Server Isn't an Option

As noted in Chapter 17, running your own server isn't nearly as easy as the producers of Microsoft, Netscape, IBM, and other server software and hardware would have you believe. In fact, it's a demanding, often grueling chore that can cast you into the murky world of high-tech problems faster than you'd ever thought possible. Thankfully, a great many companies want to take these problems away from you. These companies are called Web hosting services or Web presence providers (WPPs), and this chapter examines the ins and outs of working with them. Both terms are used interchangeably in this chapter.