What do you use as your free website hit counter?

[MotionMan]

Well?

(A Google of "free web counter" gives lots of results. I want some recommendations from actual users.)

MotionMan

 

[drinkmorejava]

Google Analytics. However, it's probably much more effort than you want if you're just looking for a counter.

 

[Leros]

Google Analytics. However, it's probably much more effort than you want if you're just looking for a counter.

But its easy and free and he'll probably enjoy the extra info.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

What do you want it to do? Just count hits or compile stats? If you want a simple count a couple of lines of PHP does that and if you want stats your web host should have that. Why do you need or want a free counter?

 

[MotionMan]

What do you want it to do? Just count hits or compile stats? If you want a simple count a couple of lines of PHP does that and if you want stats your web host should have that. Why do you need or want a free counter?

It is for my uncle's stupid website and he just wants to see how many unique visitors he gets.

Just your basic counter that goes at the bottom of the page.

MotionMan

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

sitemeter. quick and easy with good stats. if he has paid hosting he can check in his cpanel and stats might be enabled already.

 

[DrPizza]

Ditto. Maybe someone just needs to show him some of the features in cpanel. No point in putting a counter on a page, except to make the page look more geocities-1995-ish.

 

[Numenorean]

I don't. That's so 90's.

 

[MotionMan]

I don't. That's so 90's.

Not quite. He is only 81.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

No point in putting a counter on a page, except to make the page look more geocities-1995-ish.

It is not about what I want or what is best. He wants a counter and I need to figure out the best way to do it.

Any further thoughts?

MotionMan

 

[DrPizza]

Further thoughts? Sure! Show him how to use the various analyzers in cpanel. Not only will he have a count of unique individuals, but he can also see where those visitors are from (which countries), what days had the most traffic, what times had the most traffic, how long people spent on his site, etc. I'd think that an 81 year old would find that to be far "cooler," and the tools to do it are simply log into cpanel (have windows remember the password, and this becomes 2 clicks), and click on the analyzer that you want to use. He can even see the sites that are linking to his (if any.)

 

[MotionMan]

Further thoughts? Sure! Show him how to use the various analyzers in cpanel. Not only will he have a count of unique individuals, but he can also see where those visitors are from (which countries), what days had the most traffic, what times had the most traffic, how long people spent on his site, etc. I'd think that an 81 year old would find that to be far "cooler," and the tools to do it are simply log into cpanel (have windows remember the password, and this becomes 2 clicks), and click on the analyzer that you want to use. He can even see the sites that are linking to his (if any.)

I appreciate the idea. However, all he wants is to be able to look at his website and see how many unique visitors he has had since the last time he looked.

To give you some perspective, when the last counter crapped out (The website is now gone, so I guess it went under), he had all of about 200 visitors in the last two years. Not a lot of analytics to analyze there.

I guess I am putting more effort into this than it is worth - All I want a counter that works, will hopefully be around for a few years and won't spam.

MotionMan

 

[sswingle]

First result on google.

http://www.website-hit-counters.com/

Enjoy

 

[MotionMan]

First result on google.

http://www.website-hit-counters.com/

Enjoy

You have personal experience with those?

MotionMan

 

[sswingle]

No, but how complex can a web counter be? You already heard the advice to go the better route of Google Analytics, or the built in stats package most hosting providers give. Like others have said here, I haven't used a counter like that for a good 12 years.

 

[MotionMan]

LOL. I ask for a recommendation for a good Mexican restaurant, and everyone tells me that Chinese food is better. They may be right, but it is not what I am looking for.

Thanks anyway.

MotionMan

 

[sswingle]

LOL. I ask for a recommendation for a good Mexican restaurant, and everyone tells me that Chinese food is better. They may be right, but it is not what I am looking for.

Thanks anyway.

MotionMan

I would say its more like you ask for a Mexican restaurant, and you have in your head already you want Taco Bell, and we all say that sucks, go to a real Mexican place, but you are already set on wanting Taco Bell.

Sorry

 

[IronWing]

You could make an animated gif out of one of those scenes in one of them war movies where the enemy is executing the prisoners and dropping their bodies into a ditch. Then tie the number of bodies to the page counter.

 

[MotionMan]

I would say its more like you ask for a Mexican restaurant, and you have in your head already you want Taco Bell, and we all say that sucks, go to a real Mexican place, but you are already set on wanting Taco Bell.

Sorry

Actually, it more like I asked for a good fast food Mexican restaurant, but everyone kept suggesting five-star restaurants. LOL.

Thanks.

MotionMan

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Actually, it more like I asked for a good fast food Mexican restaurant, but everyone kept suggesting five-star restaurants. LOL.

Thanks.

MotionMan

Seriously just tell him to use sitemeter. All you have to do is copy/paste some code and your set. You can have the total # of hits appear on the sitemeter graphic that appears on your page also. You just have to select that particular style iirc.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

I don't know any PHP! This is probably wrong.

<?php
$file = fopen('counter.txt', 'w');
$num = fread($file, 4);
$num = $num + 1;
fwrite($file, "$num");
?>

 

[MotionMan]

Seriously just tell him to use sitemeter. All you have to do is copy/paste some code and your set. You can have the total # of hits appear on the sitemeter graphic that appears on your page also. You just have to select that particular style iirc.

I do appreciate the effort by all of you. However, all I asked for were personal experiences with a free counter. I got none of that.

I went with one of the ones listed on he first page of the Google search results and it seems to be fine.

Thanks again.

MotionMan

 

[Scouzer]

Google Analytics is best.. but if he wants a tacky counter, Statcounter is the second best.

 

[gena]

Well?

(A Google of "free web counter" gives lots of results. I want some recommendations from actual users.)

MotionMan

I'm happy with Gostats web site hit counter. They offer both a free and a paid version.

hth

 

[JMapleton]

http://www.e-zeeinternet.com/