I’m absolutely blown away at home many useful and previously expensive services are now completely free. In establishing this domain and site, I of course have been setting up all the necessary “infrastructure”. For example – email. In the past, setting up a web-based email account with your down domain cost at least $25/year. And then, the web-based account had a pathetic amount of storage, a crappy user interface and none of the bells and whistles one is used to with corporate email. Want an Exchange account – get ready to drop at least $50/year.
How about web site analytics? I want to know who visits my site, where they click, what they read and for how long.
Enter Google.
They have provided me both these services – and much more – for absolutely free. Google Apps allows me to establish a gmail account for my new domain – accompanied by the 2GB disk limit, gmail’s excellent interface, anti-spam software and reliability. FREE. And that’s not all – they also give me a Calendar, online Word processor, spreadsheet and a place to host a website. Free.
Google Analytics is awesome. It allows me to track every little thing about my web traffic. Its designed to promote use of Google’s ad services – and I’m sure it does a great job increasing their ad buys. Nonetheless, its very useful. I remember when you had to drop thousands of dollars to get this type of functionality.
Is anything going to cost money?
Finding Nilay 