System and method for automatic domain-name registration and web publishing

1 . A method for automatically creating a website comprising:

receiving a user selection of a domain name;

automatically registering the selected domain name;

automatically creating a virtual web server to host user content;

creating a virtual folder client application that links a desktop of the user to the virtual web server; and

downloading the virtual folder client application to the user's desktop.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein downloading the virtual folder client application comprises downloading and installing client software to a computer of the user that implements the virtual folder.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically registering the domain name comprises associating the selected domain name to an IP address of the virtual web server.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically configuring at least one email account to be accessible via the registered domain name.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a first content file added to the virtual folder by the user;

in the user computer, extracting content from the first content file; and

automatically publishing the extracted content on the virtual web server.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein automatically publishing comprises automatically converting the content file into a markup language.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the original content file is added to the virtual folder by a graphical user interface drag and drop operation.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said automatically publishing comprises automatically converting at least a portion of the content into HTML.

9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein automatically publishing comprises automatically converting a graphic from the content file into a predetermined graphic format for publishing the graphic on the virtual web server.

10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein automatically publishing comprises sending the content to a remote web server for publication on the web at the registered domain name site.

11 . The method of claim 5 , wherein automatically publishing comprises sending the content to a remote operations platform for processing; and wherein after said processing, the operations platform updates a web page to incorporate the content for publication on the web at the registered domain name site.

12 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving a second document dropped into the virtual folder by the user;

creating a table of contents page listing and providing a link to the first and second documents; and

automatically publishing the table of content page on the virtual web server.

13 . A method for automatically creating a website comprising:

establishing an account online for a web publishing customer;

if the customer has a registered domain name, receiving from the customer identification of the registered domain name;

if the customer desires a domain name registration, receiving from the customer a selection of a desired domain name, and automatically registering the selected domain name to become the registered domain name;

automatically creating a virtual web server to host user content;

associating the virtual web server with the registered domain name so that web pages are accessible at a network address corresponding to the registered domain name;

creating a virtual folder that links a desktop of the customer to the virtual web server;

downloading the virtual folder to the user's desktop;

monitoring the virtual folder to detect an update event initiated by the user; and

performing a publishing action in response to the update event.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the update event comprises the user modifying a document within the virtual folder, and wherein the publishing event comprises modifying a corresponding document being published on the virtual web server.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the update event comprises the user deleting a document within the virtual folder, and wherein the publishing event comprises removing a corresponding document from the virtual web server.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the update event comprises the user removing a document from the virtual folder, and wherein the publishing event comprises removing a corresponding document from the virtual web server.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the update event comprises the user adding a document to the virtual folder, and wherein the publishing event comprises adding a page to the virtual web server corresponding to the document added to the virtual folder.

18 . A web publication method comprising:

establishing an electronic storefront portal for web publication;

at the storefront portal, interacting with a user to select a desired domain name that is either registered to the user, or available for registration to the user;

if not registered to the user, registering the desired domain name to the user;

automatically creating a virtual web server to host user content;

associating the virtual web server with the registered domain name so that web pages are accessible at web site having a network address corresponding to the registered domain name;

creating a virtual folder that links a desktop of the customer to the virtual web server;

downloading the virtual folder to the user's desktop; and

publishing content submitted to the virtual folder at the web server.

19 . A web publication method according to claim 18 and further comprising:

accessing the web site from a smart phone, camera or other mobile device; and downloading a web page to the mobile device that reflects the content submitted to the virtual folder in a modified format.

20 . A web publication method according to claim 19 and further comprising:

uploading new content to the web server from the mobile device; and

automatically forwarding the new content to the user's desktop virtual folder.