... the last time I saw something that looked like this was a long, long time ago. And for that quality of presentation I'd expect rates about 5% of what's being charged.

http://www.coasthost.net/order_form.html

umm.. i dont get it.. it looks like a normal mail or fax form... if you are talking about the prices.. then yes they are a bit high...

What is the point in this thread? I'm confused.

Also, the link doesn't work for me.

I think the poster was referring to the DOS like look of the page. Ala early web.

Originally Posted by colbyt

I think the poster was referring to the DOS like look of the page. Ala early web.

That's it.

Anacrusis, don't know why the link doesn't work for you.

The link is working for me now. And the thread makes much more sense now
Is that your order form or somebody elses?

It seems to me that people would be very unwilling to print and mail/fax things out in this day and age. The order volume i bet is very low if users need to place orders this way.

But then again, if the hosting company is only targeting local businesses, this type of system might work just fine.

I probably shouldn't have done it.

I just backtracked on their URL and their site is about as good as anyone else's, as is what looks like their current order form: https://www.coasthost.net.au/order.php

Don't know how I came upon the form in my OP, but it was just so daggy and out of date that I had a rush of smugness at finding someone who did even worse work than me.

They need to get rid of the old form, but I definitely shouldn't have done it as it wasn't hard to find their current form tonight.

Sorry, Coasthost.

It depends on their target market as well. Some people will not order anything online, and some business would rather have a written copy of things. That form would meet their needs.

On reflection, the written form is a good idea.

I find a lot of online forms take far longer to complete than filling out a hard copy and faxing it, especially when there's some stupid field that I've filled in but doesn't comply with the required data for the field and I get just a general message to fill in all the fields with no idea of where the problem is. Or the form or the script or whatever just won't handle it properly. The worst is when the form I've laboriously spent minutes filling out over several screens won't submit, and then returns me to a blank first page to start again. There's plenty of products, registrations, subscriptions etc that I've decided I didn't really want that badly after getting frustrated with an online form.

I'm going to add a hard copy option to my ordering system, in case people want to use it.

So, for starting out being a smarta**e about Coasthost's form I end up having to eat my words!

At least I've learnt something. (About forms - I'll always be a smarta**e.)

U know an expensive host?
http://www.MaineHost.com

For domain reg and 1 year hosting, all together is above $300

Hard copy forms are a good idea for backup or for people who don't like to give out their credit card information on the internet.

I preffer the 30 automated forms personally.

the form link that was posted here is a fax/mail form, if you visit the site home page and look at the order page you will find a different one there... the order page also has a link to that form in case the customer wants to fax/email the details instead of ordering online.....

hmm... u r right