Paid for

In the previous blog I mentioned that I would only be assured that the arrangement with the web hosting company is sound and sure once billed for the service and having made payment in due course.

This now has happened. Payment was made. Meaning the domain name has been secured, and the site design once sufficiently ready can go up to the server.

To do this a couple of things are required.

1. To upload your site you need a password and a user name - in a way it's like sending an e-mail. These "keys" are sent by mail - based on information in a form you had submitted in a previous stage. That form did not allow for a P.O. Box address - which in Zambia is unpractical, or in any country that does not have home delivery of mail. Yes I told them and told them but to no avail! That IMPORTANT letter indeed was sent to my physical address. It did reach Choma alright and since people at the Choma Post Office know me it did land in my P.O. Box. My sincere thanks!

2. Uploading the site-design-as-it-is-in-computer requires FTP software. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. By means of such software you select files in your computer (of course the ones that capture your website) and transfer them into the appropriate directory of the web hosting agent = server. That is a chapter by itself, that job, but rest assured - the software is inside this little machine and I'll get it to work. This step entails a number of major secondary steps including on security issues - more on that once we get there.

What was that statement about small and big steps? In any case we are not on the moon - far from it, some 400,00 km's. Slowly indeed we are getting there.

It is hard to believe I started this thing only two months ago. What did I learn?

Somewhat impressionistic:

1. Artists and associated, like a great many professionals in Zambia, do not nearly get the benefit out of the Internet that they could.

2. The technical stuff of the IT business is remarkably intransigent to understanding, not because it is so difficult but because there is no systematic introduction into any subject. It is an esoteric scene, by us for us, in which heaps of knowledge is taken for granted including in the help menu's. Any grammar (book) will appear blissfully clear and orderly after trying to understand any IT manual.