A special offer for CoolRunning users

Two free months of webhosting. No obligation.

Japanese webhosting What's the special offer?

For CoolRunning users only, I will give you an account on one of WAZU JAPAN's hosting servers for you to experiment with. This is at no charge, for two months.

Japanese webhosting Please define 'CoolRunning User'

Anyone who's made at least five posts on the CoolRunning forum, and has been a member for over a month.

Japanese webhosting Don't I need a domain name?

If you would just like to play around with HTML as a learning experience, no. I can give you a dummy account. Let's say it's called 'runner'. You can access the account thus: http://69.73.189.11/~runner/. No domain registration required, no nameservers to mess with.

But when you do get to building your own site, you can register a '.com' or similar through us, or through a variety of domain name providers. Our price for registration is AUD11 per annum.

Japanese webhosting Do I have to learn HTML to build a website?

No, you can use software such as WordPress to build a complete, functional website. Of the four examples given below, three are built entirely on WordPress. One (WildHorse Criterium) is built by an accomplished web designer, so he's written the HTML himself.

If you don't know any HTML but want to learn the very basics, I have a simple tutorial that I would encourage you to work your way through, no matter what kind of site you want to build.

Japanese webhosting Tell me more about WordPress

WordPress is often seen as just a simple blogging software. But it can be used to build quite complex, content rich sites. Here's quite a nice looking example (that is hosted at WordPress, but the principle is the same as hosting it on your own domain).

To demonstrate, I created a very simple WordPress installation. It took me less than five minutes. It doesn't look very flash, and an astonishingly large number of people content themselves with using that very basic option.

By way of installing a theme, WordPress can be made quite a bit better in both function and appearance. Again in less than five minutes, I created another WordPress instance, with a theme. You would further customise that with your own logo, style, layout and choice of widgets.

For those CoolRunners who are interested in the hosting offer, I'll give you administrative access to those two WordPress installations. You can add/delete themes and widgets, become familiar with the Control Panel, add/remove content, and make your own blog posts. Try to make the site look the way you want it. If there are a few of you you might be treading on each other's toes, but that's OK. I can always make more demo sites if there's sufficient demand. It's just to learn all about the principles.

Please make any comments on those sites. If you have questions about any of this, ask them on there as well. Who can be the first to put up a decent photo on the fancier blog? You could use this image for example.

Japanese webhosting What else can I do with my site?

Create your own email addresses. You can install, for free, software to run forums, photo galleries, chat rooms, mailing lists, WIKIs ... you only need to consider the disk space used and number of databases to factor into the price.

Japanese webhosting What will it cost later?

We have far bigger customers, but most CoolRunners' sites are relatively modest. They typically cost $30-55 per annum.

Japanese webhosting What's the catch?

The time limit is three months ... then your account will be deleted, unless you sign up as a regular customer. If you're just in the middle of some critical stuff, let me know and I'll extend the time for a bit.

I'm providing pretty decent disk space and bandwidth, in the expectation that you'll use a moderate amount. If you abuse that, naturally we will have to have a few words.

Japanese webhosting Do you have any references?

Although we host websites for customers all around the world, here are four of the several websites owned by CoolRunners, and what they have to say about our hosting.

Click any of the images to visit the relevant site (opens in a new window or tab).

 

This is why I run
"I wanted to try my hand at web-design.  My only prior experience was about 3 years ago and the site I developed then was created in Microsoft Word.  In hind-sight it was very very ordinary.  Thanks to Craig and WAZU JAPAN, I’ve been able to register .com and .com.au web-sites and now have a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, javascript and associated features such as web forms, dynamic menu bars and slide shows.  I even purchased proper software and am really enjoying the experience. 

Without the guidance and advice that Craig has provided in plain, easy to understand English I’d never have been able to achieve what I have.  And the service generally is beyond exceptional.  Just recently I went over my download limit and yet 10 minutes after sending an email Craig had increased my download limit 10 fold!  Try getting that sort of service out of a multi-national with an Indian call centre.  I suppose I should get around to paying for the extra download capacity too!  Thanks WAZU JAPAN, and especially, thanks Craig."

Justin Scholz - SharonScholz.com
This is why I run
"The service provided by Craig and WAZU JAPAN is exemplary. Attention to any queries is always swift, courteous and knowledgeable. The hosting is reliable and secure; my experience as a newbie webmaster has been smooth and thoroughly supported with calm, friendly, consistent advice and assistance.

Craig has saved my butt numerous times and answered each and every one of my stupid and occasionally semi-hysterical questions with patience and equanimity. I cannot recommend WAZU JAPAN highly enough"

Sue Swinburne - ThisIsWhyIrun.tv
Bribie Beach Bash
"Dear Craig, Your suggestion of developing a website to place my running entry forms and information on over 16months ago was a great innovation. Starting simple and hopeful of attracting viewers the site has now grown to an overseas audience viewed by people from many countries interested in the running events I organize.

I have been lucky in receiving company sponsorship whose logos you have displayed on the front page, thank you.  Competitors and interested readers now have many different links to click to. I would be totally lost without you for your knowledge and expertise in setting up and maintaining my website is nothing short of brilliant. You have developed a site that is enjoyable and easy to visit from anywhere. It has established interest in my events from all corners of the globe, thank you Craig".

Geoff Williams - GeoffsRuns.com
Bayside Runners
"On behalf of Corina and Myself we would like to thank you personally, and WAZU JAPAN for firstly providing the web space, and secondly providing expert  assistance and support in helping us set up our web site.

In the few short weeks we have been online enquiries that have been generated by the web site are amazing. With our numbers continuing to grow on a weekly basis, today we had another record turn out with 4 of the 5 new faces coming from an Internet search".

Corina Bailey & Mick Gill (co founders)
Brisbane Bayside Runners & Walkers
Wildhorse Criterium
"I'd planned to have my own domain for some time but had put it off because I thought it would be too much of a hassle.

When organising my first event meant that I actually needed a domain, I turned to the services of WAZU JAPAN and found that it couldn't have been easier. Within 24 hours, the domains I requested were acquired and hosted on my behalf with barely any involvement required from myself.  Mail management was also straightforward and it was the simplest of tasks to configure mail accounts with clients such as Windows Live Mail, Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express, all of which are used by my family.

On the few occasions that I've requested support (e.g. for more web space or an additional mail account), the response was swift and usually consisted of a confirmation that the request had already been serviced and thus far, I have had no issues with reliability or performance".

Alun Davies - WildHorseCriterium.com

Japanese webhosting How do I start?

Email WAZU JAPAN. Please mention your CoolRunning forum name.