First, register and control your own domain name, don't let a company register it for you. Domain registration is only 6.95 (with coupon code) a year at godaddy.com and I've never had any problems with them.
Streyken's advice is
ALL very good, just had to add two cents to this part. Godaddy offers something that I have not found elsewhere: proxy registration. Register with most places, and anyone who wants to can look up who owns the site, including your contact information. If you have a permanent business address & phone number, that's probably not a big deal. You'll likely have that on your site, or at least the phone number.
But if you work out of your home, you just gave your home address to the world. Mebbe you don'ts want to do that!
Godaddy will do a proxy registration for a couple of bucks more, where the only info people will get is a front company's name. If someone needs to sue you, or has other LEGAL authority, the front company will provide your real contact info, so it's perfectly legal to do it this way. For the few bucks to protect the home location, I think it's a good deal.
There. I logged on for the first time in about 6 months just to tell you that! :hmm3grin2orange:
And if you didn't get anything else out of this thread, here's the most important part:
First, register and control your own domain name, don't let a company register it for you.
Part of controlling it is this: DON'T host with your registrar. Keep them separate. That way, if you have trouble with your hosting service, you can walk VERY easily, anytime. Mix the two up, and it becomes a very messy divorce, and they have you by the short hairs.
One other thing - email is almost free or IS free with any DECENT hosting service. You paid for a domain name, now USE IT! DON'T put your IOL (Idiots On Line) or Yahoo or Hotmail account on your commercial website!!! That just screams
BUSH LEAGUE!!!!!