Conference Call - 13-Mar - Meeting 7

Action Points from Previous Meetings:

[To view individual action points goto MyActions.cfm for outstanding actions and to see all actions done and outstanding see AllMyActions.cfm (note each of the columns are sortable).

Also created an Intranet XHostIntranet, and started a document library see forum]

A/P 1/1 A/P: RC to form, IR and RC as directors
RC   14-Feb-2000: Meeting held with accountants. Company formed officially 15-Feb. Company number 3925889
Directors: IR, CSC. Secretary: KK

The initial holding of two shares has been allocate one for IR, one for CSC.

Accountant suggested given the company make-up we order 10,000 shares and issue ~ 1000. Need to decide on the allocation

Creating Intercompany holding account so d7 can pay bills for Xhost in the interim. (Need to decide on Bankers. No strong opinions except IR doesn't want RBS!).

Resulting A/Ps (will create as separate A/Ps):
Ian needs to complete Directors form details.
Ian to provide National Insurance number
Ian needs to decide if wants Accountants to do his self-assessment for him in future.
Russell to refer contract to Phil for review [different project]
Accountants suggested we need to decide if there will be overall control andwhere it will reside. Recommended that overall control is a good thing. [Xhost team agreed would discuss at face to face meting next week].
Need to decide on the share allocation (e.g. 50:50 England:Scotland !)
Need to decide whether to create or distribute shares

28-Feb: Agreed overall control not an issue, 1200 shares @ £100 to be prebought by us. Another 30 to be offered for sale.

IR - to return form tonight. Going to keep to his own assessment.

Still waiting VAT registration

2-Mar: KK to call our bank tomorrow.

A/P 1/2 A/P 1/2 - IR services of costs and charges, basic Xhost site so customers can sign up (and pay up!).
IR   Need agreement on costs and services before this can be completed

12-Feb: Basic site up, protected directory underneath needed. CSC.

14-Feb: IR Loading tomorrow.

3-Mar: IR loading site. Will then want testing. D/L shareware for credit card validation.. CSC to check for freebie credit card number validation routine..

A/P 1/3 A/P 1/3 - David suggests we try to get us added as an approved hosting service to home.intra pages.. A/P: DC
DC   7-Feb: The home.intra recommended supplier bit is really designed for web designers rather than hosters but this is still a good idea and we will leave the action point to remind s what a good idea it is!

14-Feb: C/F pending us getting started

3-Mar:C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 1/4 A/P 1/4 - KK to apply for DNS registration xhost.co.uk
Closed

A/P 1/5 A/P 1/5 - RC/CC to investigate credit card (card not present transactions)
RC/CC   07-Feb-2000: Contacted Cardnet who are sending paperwork for card not present authority.

11-Feb-2000: Forms have arrived.

25-Feb: Forms have been sent in - waiting response.

3-Mar: Chased

13-Mar: Chased again and via bank

A/P 1/6 A/P 1/6 - IR services of costs and charges, basic Xhost site so customers can sign up (and pay up!).
Closed

A/P 1/7 A/P 1/7 - Need to work out monetary basis for the company & input, A/P: IR, DC,JMF to do.
Closed

A/P 1/8 A/P 1/8 - IR to notify CSC of confirmed date for face-to-face meeting in early Feb in sufficient time to invite Gavin
IR  

14-Feb: IR thinks should defer the meeting until Xhost is up and running so Gavin can see what we're about. Action to be C/F pending this.

3-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 1/9 A/P 1/9 - IR - suggested working out hosting plans (for our existing hosting customers)
IR   14-Feb: dependant on charges. IR thinks all fit bronze plan, though with price rise. 

Agreed that they will receive more for their money so that the price rise is not an issue.

Also discussed the option of offering to hold old prices for them (to help keep customer numbers up and as a thank you for their business).

3-Mar: Pilot Andy L's latest customer.
Domain registration free with annual. (up front payment)

Costs to register org (?org.uk)

A/P 1/10 A/P 1/10 - to provide skills listing for proposal document
All   14-Feb: Thread in forums still not started? 

Discussion about the Proposal document.. Purpose and composition. CSC said it would be useful to show to Gavin, proposed backers, bankers, other significant players etc.

3-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 1/11 A/P 1/11 - RC - Work out costs for lines and DNS registration. put in Xhost directory on Ealing
RC   24-jan-00: xhost.co.uk ordered with ip 195.40.15.100 and MX to ealing mail server. Netbenefit now charge 65GBP+VAT for domains which means we should charge 85-90+VAT... Initial line cost estimates made (see shared file area on ealing).

7-Feb: C/F

07-Feb-2000: www.host.co.uk and mail.xhost.co.uk operating and access to the xhost web root set up.

14-feb: Put figures in spreadsheet

3-Mar: KK to check costs are up-to-date. and includes org org.uk.

Trial DNS setup?

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 1/12 A/P 1/12 - CC to type up EN toc for discussion.
Closed

A/P 1/13 A/P 1/13 - CSC to investigate Data Protection registration.
CSC   7-Feb: Pending Company formation

14-Feb: C/F

3-Mar: Form printed.. Need cheque!

13-Mar: C/F pending cheque!

A/P 2/1 A/P 2/1 - IR to put range of services, plan types - cf fax into spreadsheet and analyse for breakpoints - 50% bronze, when cheaper to go to next plan.
IR   7-Feb: Started, spreadsheet pending. Issue getting complicated? New action from meeting 4 to review prices.

14-Feb: C/F

3-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 2/2 A/P 2/2 - Research ecommerce packages/templates - CSC/KK ?Ads package?
CSC/KK   14-Feb: IR thinks actinic is the best lead. CSC to review.

07-Feb-2000: After discussion on conference call decided to try and become AbleCommerce (CF based) reseller. Drumbeat was mentioned as a tool if this facility should become required in house (ASP based).

24-Jan:DC sent fax.

15% of every bureau transaction to the company. Concern about hidden charges in the package.

Able Commerce advertising for European resellers, have to buy upfront 5 store front licences. So could offer storefronts on a town (regional basis looks good). Looking at Govan, with small ecommerce package and their own shop fronts.

KK asked how complicated.

25-Feb: Storefront bought for simple fornt ends ofr customers. Still need to make a final decision on our own package. Contenders include AbleCommerce, IHTML. CSC concerned that it is difficult to evaluate.

3-Mar: Actinic web front end (catalogue application)
www.datacash.com
Allaire cybercash enabled
Storefront - FrontPage
Only bank that supports a cybercash is Barclays pdq 3%. CSC to discuss.
bises - perl scripts 5%

Verisign & merchant account..

13-Mar: Decision to use Netbanx for transaction processing. Rest still confused?

Strength in offering customer choice so better to support many - concern with licencing and co-existence (and effect on the standard build!).

We have licenced iHTML - so is that the best choice for our own use?

A/P 2/3 A/P 2/3 - KK - to look at reseller accounts..
Closed

A/P 2/4 A/P 2/4 - DC Investigate certification as verisign/BT/Which etc?
DC   7-Feb: Make requirement for ecommerce.

DC to produce supplementary document with prices.

14-Feb: Results to go into forum, waiting for Trustwise to get back. Into forum by end of week. ?Trustwise or go to Verisign direct.

3-Mar: Agreed Verisign.. DC to register.

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 2/5 A/P 2/5 - DC to send Russell build document..
Closed

A/P 2/6 A/P 2/6 - Card not present handling. CSC to check out.
Closed

A/P 2/7 A/P 2/7 - Callback services - CSC to check prices, may do as a future development..
CSC   14-Feb: Issues in that this relies on having a dedicated person/team to answer the phones.

Discussion of option of using a call centre but concern that this may create a bad impression with customers (as well as cost issues).

Still an interesting option and may offer as future development.

C/F

3-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: CSC investigated http://www.realcall.net/ who, interestingly, seem to be a Cold Fusion and iHTML shop.

A/P 2/8 A/P 2/8 - cost of logo registration - KK to ask Phil?
KK/NL   NL taking as worked for marketing company for six weeks. so joining Russell on AP 2/8 _Trademark_

14-Feb: NL not present at meeting. C/F

15-Feb-2000: Emailed Phil re what CYBERIA did.

3-Mar: Pending response from Phil and IP woman returning from holiday. C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 2/9 A/P 2/9 - IR to do logo and letterhead/graphics comp slips, a4 letterheads, businesscards, a4 folders..
IR   7-Feb: IR has a printer who he believes can offer a competitive rate. Pending phone numbers etc

IR suggested model on Easynet flyers!! (CSC/KK to get one?)

14-Feb: Waiting VAT registration & phone numbers. IR to put put mock up for all to see.
16-Feb: CSC idea - should we have London & Edinburgh for Xhost ;)

3-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 2/10 A/P 2/10 - CSC to check for forums..
Closed

A/P 2/11 A/P 2/11 - KK to investigate DNS parking service
Closed   07-Feb-2000: CSC found interesting small company (gradwell.com) that offer reselling of uk parked domains for GBP7.50. Agreed during conference call to use gradwell pending our Nominet registration (Hazelbank).

7-Feb: Previously discussed Nominet registration as Xhost alternatively, could resell someone else… £7:50 vs the £5:00 Nominet would cost. Use company CSC found.

Experiment with parking Hazelbanks ids with them.

IR says charge 10, KK says 15!!

Web & mail forwarding £10 a year? Russell to put in forum and seek agreement.

3-Mar: 15 for real, 10 for vanity? KK to put together pricing of different domain types. CSC to lookup how to do whois.

New Action - IR investigating pricing/options.

13-Mar: Action really returned to KK! But for clarity closed this one.

A/P 2/12 A/P 2/12 - Search engine registration - cost vs offer as service differentiator.. CSC investigate costs.
CSC  

7-Feb: C/F
14-Feb: C/F
25-Feb: This seems to be far more complicated than it looked. Basically there are supposed to be pay packages for each search engine (which seem to be in stealth marketing mode (at least for the UK versions of the engines) and there are third parties who claim to offer registration and place improvement services (but it seems a very black art which is widely regarded as a scam).

Altavista claim to use Scott Danister's Submit It! service http://www.submit-it.com/ © MS!!!
Pricing:
The following prices are for a 12 month license, unlimited access, unlimited
resubmissions:

$59 for 2 URLs (Minimum License)
$125 for 5 URLs
$200 for 10 URLs
$300 for 20 URLs
$500 for 40 URLs

Each web page announced = 1 URL
You should announce your home page and any other page(s) that you
feel are important to your site(s). It is usually not necessary to
announce all the pages of a site.
You can use your URLs to announce your web pages or a client’s
pages.
All prices are in US dollars

and Net Creations' Postmaster services - which has been withdrawn!! The free trial is still available but the full product has been dropped. http://www.netcreations.com/postmaster/registration/try.html

For promoting ourselves, there are the various search engine afiliate programs which are widely believed to increase your chances of a better ranking in the search engines too. There's a lot of FUD about this stuff though!

I've also discovered that a lot of the search engines are using data from the Open Directories project - http://www.dmoz.org/ which goesback to the old ideals of mutual cooperation and networking and encourages you to become an editor on their behalf!
http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/Business_and_Economy/Computers/Internet/Commercial_Services/Web_Hosting/ - And it needs and editor….
http://dmoz.org/cgi-bin/apply.cgi?where=Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/Business_and_Economy/Computers/Internet/Commercial_Services/Web_Hosting

3-Mar: Conference call agreed that they are expensive, may not work and may raise customers' expectations unrealistically. Decided to change this action into producing a 'How to market website (members only section)' to go into the web site.

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 3/1 A/P 3/1 - NL to provide paper procedures
NL  

14-Feb: NL not present at meeting, but IR said have got it, will add to forum

3-Mar: What got is going onto forum. Rest is ongoing.

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 3/2 A/P 3/2 DC to send paper copy of builds
Closed

A/P 3/3 A/P 3/3 KK to review / test build when received from DC (see 3/2)
Closed

A/P 3/4 A/P 3/4 KK to review email services. rethought email situation re not offering incoming mail. Think should do.
KK   07-Feb-2000: Email services (in and out) WILL be part of Xhost service. Level of offerings to be agreed (cf webhost.htm).

7-Feb: Agree it is a good idea. ?Pricing? Needs to be added to IRs document. IR suggesting numbers included in cost of plan, more at additional costs.

14-Feb: IR asked about list server, adding pricing to site. CSC/KK confirmed SL mail has builtin List Server and we also have licence for the full product. http://docs.seattlelab.com/listserver.asp

17-Feb-2000: SLlist installed and SLmail upgraded to version 4. Still problems with EMurl.

3-Mar: Installing tonight.

13-Mar: Installed. Still query about pricing mailing list services?

A/P 3/5 A/P 3/5 - CSC/KK to think about phone/fax numbers for XHost.
CSC/KK   Done some thinking and discussing. Considering how relatively little it will cost, think that XHost should have its own phone/fax numbers (though probably use Café's postal address) making it easier to split from the café in the future if required. Physically the phone is likely to be in the café.

7-Feb: Agreed at meeting XHost will have own numbers, waiting for Company formation.

14-Feb: DC suggested ensure whatever numbers obtained we also buy a divert service to enable transparency and increase cover.

25-Feb: Need to decide on a company and place order.

7-Mar: Agreed. Suggested we use the existing ISDN line (may investiage possibilty of buying a more memorable number for use though. C/F A/P 7/6

15-Mar: Issue with ISDN line confirming exisitng numbers?

A/P 3/6 A/P 3/6 - DC to start discussion on forums re copyright and legal position also wrt to adult content..
DC   7-Feb: Anything to add to terms and conditions DC posted draft.

No adult content - professional site..

May change mind later, may for XXXHost.. ;)

14-Feb: Uncertainty as to where the Legal document is in the forum. (DC had to leave meeting, DC to check).

7-Mar: Legal document at http://www.xhost.co.uk/policies.htm

A/P 3/7 A/P 3/7 - KK to 'protect' support email accounts so only available to members. (need to ensure comply with RFCs)
KK  

7-Feb: Pending account creation and idea of user creation procedures.

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 3/8 A/P 3/8 - CSC to give access to XHost root to at least Ian.
Closed

Closed   10-Feb: Done - Ian has access under his original FTP id

13-Feb: Other Xhosters given access to XHostIntranet directory.

7-Mar: Closed

A/P 3/9 A/P 3/9 - NL investigating Customer Ids - use email address.
NL  

14-Feb: C/F

7-Mar: C/F Pending documentation.

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 4/1 A/P 4/1: All say individually whether prices ok. To do by Weds 9-Feb
Closed

A/P 4/2 A/P 4/2: - List current customers. CSC/KK
CSC/KK  

14-Feb: C/F

15-Feb-2000: Handknot, Perfecta, Hazelbank, Wordvision, The Film Editors, Vickers Solicitors, London Cargo Centre (dormant), Frontier Medicine (dormant), Sellacar (dormant), The Runningman (shortly)...

7-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 4/3 A/P 4/3 - Send Ian info on web front ends for email. CSC
Closed  

13-Feb: List of sugestions sent, but EMUrl needs upgrading..

2-Mar: EMUrl new version ordered - key not yet arrived.

7-Mar: EMUrl upgraded and operational!!! HOORAH!! Closed. 

A/P 4/4 A/P 4/4: IR, JMF, DC. Ship box. Freelander or Volvo.. Next week or so?
IR, JMF, DC  

14-Feb: Driving down a week on Thursday (24-25 Feb), Bletchley Thursday, then free all day Friday.

7-Mar: Box delivered but build issues outstanding - Web server keeps falling over. C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 4/5 A/P 4/5 - Everyone to check the forums at least once a day (or night ;) ).
Closed

A/P 5/1 All A/P 5/1: Costs - everyone to put all that they're providing into the forum.
All  

7-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 5/2 CSC A/P 5/2: CSC to progress PICs registration issues.
Closed  

16-Feb: Registration for base site obtained. Details in forum.

7-Mar IR to add to pages cf action 6/4. Closed.

A/P 5/3 DC A/P 5/3: DC to investigate Front Page Web Bot ecommerce transactions
   

7-Mar: C/F

13-Mar: C/F

A/P 5/4 KK A/P 5/4: KK to get bank accounts.. Not RBS!!
   

24-Feb-2000: Still awaiting Xhost documents from Companies House. Following this up with JPC who will call back.

7-Mar: C/F

13-Mar - met with Bank, forms should be here shortly. C/F

A/P 5/5 KK A/P 5/5: KK to register hazelbank DNS with Gradwell.
Closed.  

14-Feb: IR raised query on payment methods - up-front vs bill through.
CSC suggested raise pros and cons in a thread on the forum and move to a decision.
IR asked that Whois details for gradwell to add to site.

17-Feb: Hazelbank names parked with Gradwell via d7. Cost GBP240 paid up front by d7 then plus 10% agency fee and in arrears to Xhost.

A/P 6/1   A/P 6/1 : Storefront setup wasn't trivial, took 3 days to set up. DC to document. Issue with how to price if setup non-trivial?
    13-Mar: C/F
A/P 6/2   A/P 6/2 : IR feeling site is too big for one person. CSC suggested split into modules and assign ownership of areas. IR to come up with splitting proposal ?via forums?
    13-Mar: C/F
A/P 6/3   A/P 6/3 : CSC to check for freebie credit card number validation routine.. (cf A/P 1/2)
    13-Mar: C/F
A/P 6/4   A/P 6/4 : IR to ensure PICs registration code is added to pages. (cf A/P 5/2)
    13-Mar: C/F
   
New Actions this meeting
 

Ian wanted to discuss two main topics:

DNS names & Pricing

Decision - give one .co.uk domain free with silver & gold hosting plans (recoup costs through the setup charge?)

Decision - whilst domain names are free charge a transfer fee to recover costs (always or only if moved inside 30 day or a year?)

Concern about 30 day money back, domain name status. KK suggests we are technical & billing authority so we retain rights. They are owner, we are billing authority.
£20 transfer fee to move domains

CSC suggested KK should put up a discussion document for agreement on pros and cons of using different naming authorities and of running own name servers.

IR wants to leave it to Russell, who owns, transfer charges, parking, where park & who to register with & our name/customer name.

A/P: KK put pros and cons DNS registration document into forums.
Gradwell & Joker

Ecommerce

Discussion. CSC pointed out we need two different types of ecommerce solution - the shopping cart type and the payment processing type.

Also we need a system for us and also a portfolio of solutions we can offer to customers.

Decision from last meeting - use Netbanx for our transaction processing (unless Lloyds merchant recommend alternative).

IR said have two current customer who want shopping cart facilities.

There was a discussion about SSL and Verisign requirements and DC's requirement for new domain names. CSC/KK unclear about why need whole new root domain.

Want other domain name xsupport.co.uk to be a shop. Mail David when its there.

A/P DC to clarify why need new root domain.

A/P KK to register root domain when requirement clarified.

General discussion of requirements for planned live build this weekend:

KK raised issue that current version of Whats Up very old and also unable to be run as an NT service running risk that it will be shut down by the users on the office machine.

A/P JMF/DC to send down more current version of WhatsUp.

Issue concerning reliability of web server box. JMF/DC confident that new build should be more stable.

Issue - need procedures for staff and for sign up

A/P NL to work up procedures from existing and arrange for draft to be added to forum or intranet as soon as possible for discussion.

Card not present - CSC/KK chased again on Monday and have been promised it will be processed urgently. Still outstanding issue as to whether will try to process transactions online (as CSC belives will be possible). However, still have working fallback of logging details and then processing manually.

Action - CSC/KK continue to chase.

Phone number/VAT details needed to finalise stationery etc.

CSC/KK suggested using Cafe fallback ISDN to keep costs down - however suggested would be worth purchasing an improved number.

A/P SS to obtain costs and availabilty of memorable number package from BT.

CSC raised issue of ensuring we have means of raising VAT receipts for businesses etc. (Issue with charities?)

A/P IR to ensure VAT receipts built into ordering process (even if have to be produced manually)

Big discussion as whether prices were including or excluding VAT. After discussion agreed they were all ex-VAT. KK reminded all of legal requirement to quote inclusive prices.

It was agreed that provided the current build proves stable and we can complete the above actions the site can go live on Ealing this weekend. IR wants to change the master site over from his system to Ealing at about that point.

A/P IR to email notification when site changes status to live so that CSC/KK can ensure backups/processes amended suitably.

A/P CSC/KK amend processes to take account of Ealing becoming the master site.

IR raised issue that he needs CF 4.5 features

A/P CSC/KK to get CF upgraded for the weekend

Miscellaneous

A/P IR to complete and return directors form (and personal tax form if required)..

A/P 7/1   A/P 7/1 : KK put pros and cons DNS registration document into forums
A/P 7/2   A/P 7/2 : DC to clarify why need new root domain.
A/P 7/3   A/P 7/3 : KK to register root domain when requirement clarified.
A/P 7/4   A/P 7/4 : JMF/DC to send down more current version of WhatsUp
A/P 7/5   A/P 7/5 : NL to work up procedures from existing and arrange for draft to be added to forum or intranet as soon as possible for discussion.
A/P 7/6   A/P 7/6 : SS to obtain costs and availabilty of memorable number package from BT.
A/P 7/7   A/P 7/7 : IR to ensure VAT receipts built into ordering process (even if have to be produced manually)
A/P 7/8   A/P 7/8 : IR to email notification when site changes status to live so that CSC/KK can ensure backups/processes amended suitably.
A/P 7/9   A/P 7/9 : CSC/KK amend processes to take account of Ealing becoming the master site.
A/P 7/10   A/P 7/10 : CSC/KK to get CF upgraded for the weekend
A/P 7/11   A/P 7/11 : IR to complete and return directors form (and personal tax form if required)..