Recently I got a couple of domains from Network Solutions. A colleague in IT just raved about how they're the best, they have the most services, they're the Hertz/VISA/Nike/AmazoneBay of web services - how could I go wrong?

Well, I'm thinking I did go wrong. Though my friend touted the "free" website setup I could get at NS, I ended up paying $60 annual for lowest-tier web hosting. That's OK, but then I found out I had to use THEIR web design tool - and after a 30-day trial, THAT will also cost me. Further, their tool is worse than inflexible - it fails to function because it overrides or erases my setup.

What I'm thinking now is to transfer my domains (since I own them now) to another web service (GoDaddy or some other). I want to contact my credit card company and cancel the web hosting/design tool part of my purchase with NS.

Has anyone dealt with managing their own domains and websites? Any *good* advice (as opposed to my colleague's) as to what my options are now?

You can leave the domain names registered with NS if you want. I have found them to be reliable for domain registration. You can then host your domain at any location that you want.

Domain name registration and web site hosting are separate functions and don't have to be at the same company. I have worked with numerous companies that host their own site but register the domain name else where. It is a fairly easy process. All you will need to do is once you have the web hosting site ensure they enter the proper DNS records for your site. That will then propagate across the Internet. You can tell NS where the site is once you set it up and they can also update their DNS and WHOIS database.