When I first got started out on the Internet, only

When I first got started out on the Internet, only the very few bothered with making a website. You see, the Internet was still clunky and slow, and it required some real programming knowledge to make your own website. Back in the day, you had to understand HTML to make a website. There were no shortcuts back then, no Dreamweaver or anything like that. Building a personal website was a labor of love, something not for the faint of heart or the inexperienced.

It is funny how quickly things have changed. Nowadays, making a website is practically a rite of passage for anyone who wants to consider himself or herself tech savvy. Everyone and their mother has a blog, and the numbers are only growing. If you have not learned to make your own website, you probably feel behind by now. After all, sites such as MySpace and LiveJournal make it so easy that people who know next to nothing about the Internet are doing it.

I have to admit that, up until recently, I had never made a website. I had told myself that making a website was a waste of time that I didn't really have the desire, and there were more important things to do. In reality, however, I was a little bit scared. I knew so many people who had made some very good websites, and I knew that mine would not look like anything special. I was far below the level of most of my friends were at. I could not build a professional website. At best, I could make something stripped down and basic to display my content. Nonetheless, I finally decided it was worth it.

When I got down to it, making a website was a lot easier than I had expected. There was so much free Web hosting that I had a variety of options available. I didn't have to pay a lot of money, and I certainly didn't need to know how to program! You can make a website with some basic functionality and content, sharing your photographs and your blogs, in about 10 minutes. If you are interested in making a website with a more professional layout, it will take longer, but it is still nothing for you to worry about. Best of all, you will feel more included by your online friends, And you might just make new friends as well!