Those of you with websites...

[EmilyZA]

We have our own domain that we purchased for the wedding (for a wedding website.) We've updated it since the wedding with wedding pictures and stuff, but other than that I really never update it.

I also have a website on smugmug.com with all of our pictures, and I pay for that as well. I update that all the time, because we're always taking pictures.

I'm debating whether I should nix our domain name, because I feel it's a waste of money. However, I'm afraid to give it up because I may want it back down the road.

I know this is kind of a stupid thing to post about, but I was looking to see what you have on your own websites and wanted to see if those gave me any ideas as to what to do with my own, if anything. Or if you suggest I just nix our domain and keep the Smugmug...

[ignutzz]

My site consists of my portfolio (graphic design) and I'm trying to get around to setting up my subdomains for DH stuff and our wedding pictures for family.

some people also embed their blogs in their personal sites so they can customize the appearance.

Have you considered switching your photos to flickr.com? Free photo hosting site with lots of extra features.

Also, you could start hosting your images on your personal site instead of the others. It may not be as quick to update (unless you have software like Macromedia Fireworks or iPhoto) but once you have a page template for the photos it would be a lot easier.

[EmilyZA]

I'll have to check out Flickr. I LOVE Smugmug, it's fully customizable, unlimited storage space, their prints are the best I've seen, and I can also add videos (which I haven't figured out yet.)

I was considering a blog, but I really don't have much to say... our life is pretty boring! :)

[Etoile]

www.1and1.com is where I have my domain name & website through--and I think if you use their 5$ per month web hosting you get the domain name registration for free-maybe see if you can switch to that?

Otherwise, I don't think giving up your domain name is any great loss-- chances are, nobody else will use it if your name is unique, and if it does get taken, I'm sure you could come up with another one that's just as good.

[EmilyZA]

www.1and1.com is where I have my domain name & website through--and I think if you use their 5$ per month web hosting you get the domain name registration for free-maybe see if you can switch to that?

Otherwise, I don't think giving up your domain name is any great loss-- chances are, nobody else will use it if your name is unique, and if it does get taken, I'm sure you could come up with another one that's just as good.
I'm paying about $7 a month for everything.

I agree, but I'm still looking for ideas. Our names are both common (Emily and Dan) but I figure I really won't need a domain unless I want to do something about our kids or anything (in the future, we don't have any yet) and then I could do our family name or something like that. It's not very common.

[mmeblue]

I use my site for two main things: showing off my craft projects, and stuff for school. I teach, but I don't have my own web space on the school's server (hopefully some day...). So I sometimes make web research activities for my students on my own site, and I currently have up a page for the History Fair my students are having to do. I'll also sometimes put up documents that they can download, like study guides for tests. With the craft stuff, I like being able to make it look however I want it to.

My website is through my ISP, not my own domain name, but that's how I use it. DH has his own domain, and he has on it a database that he set up for me to enter all my lesson plans, and some other stuff that he's written for a parody website where he's on staff. He's also telling me that since his domain is hosted on his own computer, he can log into that computer without having to remember our IP address - he can just go to the domain name.

So, I don't know if any of that helps you think of ways to use yours or not, but that's what we use ours for. :)