Yes, I know it's expensive, but it's not nearly as expensive as the hosting plan that the IMC Foundation covers for you at no charge. This is a requirement for the course, much like a textbook. Forward a copy of your receipt, so I can mark you off the list. No receipt, no grade.
You can buy more TLDs (top level domain names) than you can shake a stick at, but I recommend you purchase a .com. In our experience, most people don’t know what to type in a browser window when you use a new, nonstandard domain extension like .design, .xyz, or .network. More often than not, users still add .com to your address, which prevents them from reaching your domain. Of course, as the internet grows, this will one day not be an issue, but for now, .com is the only way to go. Trust me.
You need a professional domain name, not some nickname like bigdaddycocoapuffs.com or nastyb.com. Think about how you want to brand yourself, and if your name isn’t available, consider using a domain name generator in a later note to give you a word you can add to your name that is easy to spell and hard to forget.
You can buy a .com in a number of places, but I recommend namecheap.com. Their service is great, and their pricing is competitive. In fact, if you Google namecheap and coupon, you can usually save about $1 per year over their already discounted rates. Incredibly, the coupons are on the namecheap site. As of this writing, you can get your first year for $8.88 with the code: KINGCOM. Other code to try: DRINKZ
<aside> ⚠️ Opt out of ALL upsells. Say YES to privacy protection, which is FREE. We have everything else you need.
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After you select a domain name, buy one for four years minimum, and change your name servers to ns1.uwahost.com and ns2.uwahost.com as shown in a later note. Separate directions are included for GoDaddy and Namecheap.
<aside> ⚠️ In the PUBLIC GroupMe, NOT EMAIL, send me your ICANN screenshot, your typed university email, and your preferred personal email. Allow two days for the setup and for the site to resolve. You'll receive an email with your logins and passwords for WordPress and cPanel. More on this in the next page.
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