As some of you will know I run my own dedicated server (at great cost to myself each month). Due to this I generally have a lot of free space on my webserver and I decided to take this chance to run a little competition for Entrecarders so that they could win themselves some free hosting.
I know this is a long post but I have tried to break it up into sections. If you are entering please be sure to read the terms and conditions at the bottom of this post for full details.
I will run this competition at least once; if it goes well and there is enough interest I may run this again but we will see how we go.
The Prizes
There will be a total of 5 prizes available - each of which will be an allocation of webhosting on my server.
1st Prize:
- 12 months webhosting (longer if I have the resources available, at my discretion)
- 1 GB webspace
- 10 GB transfer/month
- Unlimited email accounts
- Unlimited MySQL Databases
- R1Soft Continuous Data Protection - backups taken hourly
- Free .com, .net OR .org domain name (you will need to sign up for an account at NameCheap.com, subject to availability).
2nd Prize:
- 12 months webhosting (longer if I have the resources available, at my discretion)
- 750 MB webspace
- 7.5 GB transfer/month
- Unlimited email accounts
- Unlimited MySQL Databases
- R1Soft Continuous Data Protection - backups taken hourly
- You must supply your own domain name.
3rd, 4th and 5th Prize:
- 12 months webhosting (longer if I have the resources available, at my discretion)
- 500 MB webspace
- 5 GB transfer/month
- Unlimited email accounts
- Unlimited MySQL Databases
- R1Soft Continuous Data Protection - backups taken hourly
- You must supply your own domain name.
How To Enter
To enter into this competition you must meet the following conditions:
- Be a current Entrecard member, displaying the EC Widget on your blog
- Be an active and regular blogger (no blogs that have not had a post in over a month)
- Be willing to host (at minimum) an active blog on the web space if you win.
- Agree to the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of this post.
- Write a post on your blog linking back to both this post and my blog (SecludedHabitat.com) answering the following:
- Why you want to win this competition?
- Why you feel you deserve to win the free hosting?
- Why you have not got paid hosting previously?
- And finally how would having your own hosting enable you to enhance your blog or service to the community?
- Leave a comment here linking back to your post to let me know you have entered the competition.
The competition opens as of today and entries will close at 11:59 PM Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time on October 26, 2008. Winners will be decided and released on this blog by 11:59 PM AEDST on November 9, 2008 at the latest (its Uni exam time around then, that’s why a couple of weeks are needed).
Terms and Conditions
As I am not a web hosting company at all, purely offering some spare space on my dedicated server, the service offered is “no-frills” I will ensure that the server stays online and backups are taken regularly. If any additional server-side software is required this will be considered on a case-per-case basis. Basically, this means that you are responsible for the correct operation of any and all software (such as Wordpress - and other PHP software that you wish to use) and no additional support will be provided. The prizes offered are not transferable and not redeemable for cash.
This competition is not a game of chance, each entry will be thoroughly considered by myself and each person’s merits evaluated. The winners will be chosen based on my personal opinion of each person’s entry and my decision will be final and no further collaboration will be entered into.
Factors that will be considered in my decision include but are not limited to: desire to grow in blogging, wish to include features that are not available on free blogs, inability to afford paid hosting, the desire to provide a service or product to other bloggers (such as Wordpress plugins, any falling into this category must be free and open source) and finally how long blogs have been established. Each of these factors will not have equal weighting and may contribute differently depending on each entry submitted.
This competition is only valid in countries, states and territories where law permits it to be so.
This competition may be terminated at any time if circumstances arise that are outside of my control.
And FINALLY - any content hosted on the free sites must be legal, not defamatory or racist and so on and so forth. All copyrights must be observed and any breeches will be investigated and result in immediate termination of the hosting with no penalty to myself. No adult content or IRC may be hosted on the webspace and anything you do host must also fall under the terms and conditions of my webhost as stated in the appropriate sections of the DedicatedNow terms of service.
Good Luck
Good luck to you all, I look forward to reading your submissions.
Stuart 
33 Comments
Wow. Sounds like a pretty neat contest. I might just play along - will have to reconfigure my posts though. I have them all mapped out for the next 2 weeks!
fragilehearts last blog post..We’re on the ‘Do Not Call’ List, but is it enough?
Looks like a pretty cool contest. Look for my entry.
Paunchinesss last blog post..Win an Apple® iPod® Shuffle
@Fragileheart - I look forward to reading it *chuckles* and I apologise for messing up your schedule. But I must say you are very organised
@Paunchiness. I look forward to seeing yours as well, remember to come and post a link back here once you have written your entry for it to be valid.
Stuart
You really think about this contest Stuart, I’ve never seen some contest having their own Terms and Conditions :p
So you mean, I cannot join anymore because I am have self-hosted blog?
melais last blog post..I want the Nokia N95 but I want to hear some advice…
Wow, a very generous prize from you, Stuart
Iss last blog post..Create An Online Store Part 3
@Melai, I wanted to put the terms there to cover a few things. Mainly I wanted to ensure that the people that win will actually use the hosting and not just win it an leave it there dormant, a couple of things was to cover my butt in case issues arose later but there is nothing out of the ordinary, it was basically putting into words what was assumed.
You may still enter, the requirement is that you host *a* blog on the new hosting it may be in addition to the blog you currently have. If you are not sure drop me a line through the contact me page and I can make any clarifications you need.
@Is - No worries at all, as I said I really wanted to give something back to the blogging community and this was the best way for me to be able to do so.
I want to join then for my Photoblog
melais last blog post..I want the Nokia N95 but I want to hear some advice…
Hi Melai,
No worries at all, good luck with your entry.
Cheers
Stuart
Hey, I did my post for this contest already and I should say I had fun doing it
Thanks.
Here’s the link:
http://smithskitchen.com/2008/10/08/secluded-habitats-free-self-hosted-contest-has-made-me-cool-or-so-i-thought/
melais last blog post..Secluded Habitat’s free self hosted contest has made me cool! Or so I thought.
Hi Melai,
Thanks for your entry I left you a response over on your blog.
Stuart
Hello , I did my post with this contest
posted here : http://pacocontest.blogspot.com/2008/10/win-free-domain-and-webhosting.html
pacos last blog post..Win Free domain and webhosting
Hi Paco,
Thanks for promoting the competition. Remember if you want your entry to be valid you have to answer the questions also.
Cheers
Stuart
Sound good but what happen to point no. 5??
LEons last blog post..Bandai Dragonball Super Saiyan Goku Toy Review
Hi Leon,
If you have a look the point 6 actually continues on from the original list, so there is actually nothing missing.
Stuart
Great Contest Stuart
I’ve added the details over on Prizetastic for you, I’m trying to feature as many Australian based blog contests as I can find
Prizetastics last blog post..Company Loses Competition Entries!
Your contest has been listed in WECC. http://winentrecardcredits.blogspot.com/2008/10/secluded-habitat-entrecard-credits.html Regards
WECCs last blog post..Secluded Habitat - Entrecard credits contest October 2008
Hi Prizetastic and WECC, thanks so much for helping to promote the competition you guys are awesome!
Stuart
Closer to Sane blog
Artzstuf
http://freewebs.com/annspets4
p.s. sounds like a great deal and I would really love to win as I just canceled my hosting with Yahoo as I made no money from my website and can’t afford it anymore. I too have a contest going on and you could win a pair of earrings I made on Etsy thru http://etsygiveaways.blogspot.com
Good luck!
- (Ann)
i have put for your entrecard blogger
http://membuatvideoitumudah.blogspot.com/search/label/competition
agams last blog post..Entrecard Bloggers - A Chance to Win Free Hosting.
Hi Ann, thanks for the entry and agam thanks for the promotion.
Stuart
I’ve just entered your contest!!
http://milliondollar-pages.blogspot.com/2008/10/entrecard-bloggers-chance-to-win-free.html
Lisas last blog post..LINK LOVE
Hi Lisa,
Thanks so much for your entry. Best of luck in the competition.
Stuart
Joined your contest!
http://contests.bloggingfromscratch.com/entrecard-bloggers-a-chance-to-win-free-webhosting/
Riyannes last blog post..Keep your blog healthy, take blog vitamins!
I’ve joined the contest!
http://erik-son.net/contest/win-free-webhosting-at-secludedhabitat/
Thanks.
Hi Icon,
Thanks so much for your entry.
Stuart
I just join your contest and this is my posting : http://sofhaljamil.com/2008/10/24/entrecard-bloggers-a-chance-to-win-free-hosting/
Sofhal Jamils last blog post..Entrecard Bloggers - A Chance to Win Free Hosting!!!
nice contest good luck to everyone.
I am taking part for my other blog.
Sherrys last blog post..Did you win the first contest?
here’s the link of my post http://sherrygo.blogspot.com/2008/10/win-free-domain-and-webhosting.html
Sherrys last blog post..Win free domain and webhosting
HI Sofhal and Sherry,
Thanks so much for your entries.
Stuart
I asked a friend to post this comment for me. I hope it gets in.Here is my entry to the contest:
http://rareedition.blogspot.com/2008/10/blogging-for-cause.html
I am working out the problem with my internet service provider in the meantime.
Thank you for this opportunity
Julehyas last blog post..Blogging For A Cause
It’s been three days. I hope I could get in my comment this time. Here is my entry:
http://rareedition.blogspot.com/2008/10/blogging-for-cause.html
Cheers!
Julehyas last blog post..Blogging For A Cause
Hi stuart very good contest.But I can’t join here,as i don’t have enough knowledge on oqn domain and hostings.I am still learning how to control a own domain.Actually I don’t know any about this cool things.
FreeMoneyMakers last blog post..Try New Blogger Comment Form : Give your blog a new look