I bought my own domain - what can I do with it?

[Xyro]

So, a few days ago I bought a domain name (myname.co.uk) on somewhat of a whim. Any ideas of anything useful/interesting/cool I can do with it?

At the moment I've got email set up on there, using the google apps for business free trial. I've also taken the super-basic free website the domain registrar gave me and made a landing page that links to my linkedin + other work related sites.

 

[argedion]

I thought about getting my own domian name as well but like you not a clue what I would do with it. I think I would have things that interest me on it. Obviously Android and Technology but also other things I like. Such as music, Photograpy, camping, and other stuff that peaks my interest. However thats not really a business like "domain" so really I guess it depends on what your really wanting it for. If you want it strictly for business then I guess you could keep it updated with pertinent information that reflects the type of business. You know new trends, dying tech of the trade, and stuff like that.

 

[Unforgiven]

I had my own domain / website in the mid nineties. I uses it sort of as a personal blog before that was a word and before online privacy was even a concern.

I think from a personal growth / advancement angle, your best bet is to use it as a continual online resume. If you have any personal business interests, you can promote them on your site.

 

[olbriar]

All of the above mentioned are good uses for a site of sorts. I have some back pages that are secured that I host a bunch of pics taken through the years. Close life long friends sorta gallery and shared with that select group. I also put a forum on there just for us to chat and schedule parties and the like. I still use my site as a personal cloud for pics and tunes... old ways die hard I guess. You might put a guestbook at the doorstep. It's kind of fun to see who stumbled across your page through the years. I've used my site a few times to join or participate at a site that I know is likely to spam me as time goes on. A required working email to confirm to join.. NP. Create, confirm, delete.... no spam.

 

[agentc13]

My brother and I used to have a site (oddly enough a co.uk domain and we're Americans, but we also had the .com and a couple other domains) where we posted stuff about potato guns and other DIY projects we were interested in.

It was a good way for me to learn to write html/css/etc.

Or like Clint Eastwood said, you can use it as an online resume.

 

[Unforgiven]

Or like Clint Eastwood said, you can use it as an online resume.

:rofl:

 

[agentc13]

:rofl:

:dalek:







:rofl:

 

[mikedt]

How about doing a blog, not exactly original but do you like writing?

 

[big_z]

I use mine with dyndns to run off a server in my house. I host a fantasy MMA site (created to teach myself Ruby on Rails), my Subversion repository, and a Jira instance. I actually managed a home remodel last spring with Jira and Greenhopper (or Jira-Agile or whatever the plugin is called today). I'd like to get my hands on some quality map imagery and play with the latest version of Geoserver but I don't ever seem to find the time.

I parlayed that MMA project into my current job, so you never know what might work out for you.

 

[lunatic59]

Well, the first thing I did was get a static IP from my provider, bought a refurb'ed Dell server from ServerMonkey and install CentOS on it. Went to the registrar's web console and set up the DNS records so traffic would route correctly.

Then I set up several packages like Dovecot for mail and Roundcube for webmail access. I installed wordpress, too, just to try it out, but I don't have as much time to play with it as I'd like. I've got some security webcams at my house that I have attached too, but mostly I watch my dogs sleeping.

You could setup your own personal cloud storage or steam videos like a baby YouTube, as long as you watch the content and copyright. Or as others have suggested, you could keep it simply like an online resume. Just don't spam it all over the forums, or we might have to report you.

 

[JVene]

All good ideas so far.

If you own the domain without any intent, I find that curious enough - though email alone is a fairly good idea in this era. Considering what happened to Yahoo mail and occasionally GMail, my own hosting service has a choice of 3 web based email apps which perform better.

Yet, there are LOTS of things to consider.

My wife has online friends - she's known some of them for 12 years, never met them in person. They met on forums about raising kids. As discussion became, shall we say more "involved" than the forums would tolerate, my wife decided to install the PhpBB application and host her own - JUST for her friends. This way they can take the discussion anywhere they like.

Same for online chat.

It's also her personal, self hosted massive photo site for family.

These are simply personal pursuits.

You can tap into your own interests and talents to form an exchange directly related to them. I know a luthier who uses his site both to educate people about the art and science of making violins, guitars and harps, but to use it as a medium of professional exchange from around the world.

If you're particularly tech savvy, there's a huge possible array of technical purposes it might serve. The basic feature is the public, static IP. When using private WiFi, public WiFi or other Internet connections, you often find yourself behind a firewall, unable to open a port the world can connect to, such that if you had reason to, say, serve FTP to someone who needs a file from you, it's quite a pain.

It's possible, of course, to use the hosting service own FTP server, but then your partner waiting for the file has to wait for your upload to finish before they can start the download - lest they beat you to the endpoint and never know if they get the entire file.

Instead, you can use the hosting service as a bridge for a live streaming connection between you and your partner for a more immediate exchange, even though you're being a firewall. This is something like what the various chat/messenger services do for you.

It's also your cloud. I mean YOUR cloud. That has value, if you use it intentionally, over leased cloud services from other sources. It's still a payment per month, and someone else's computer - but it's your server. You administer it.