last few days
Okay, I have the money. I'm ready to go. But choosing a web host is proving to be a colossal pain in my ass.
I found a number of web hosting review sites, like WebHostingJury, WebHostingStuff, and WebHostingTopList. I was hoping to be able to check all of these and cross-reference any providers that were on all the lists. Problem is, they all provide wildly disparate results.
I was looking at IX Web Hosting, until I called them to ask a question or two. After being on hold for half an hour, I talked to a person who really turned me off to the service. He answered my questions okay, but was just ... flat. Didn't care. Then I found one review site in which the reviews of IX were universally bad. So scratch that one.
I want a provider that will give me Unix/Linux hosting with storage and bandwidth in the Gigabyte range. It also needs to cost less than 8 bucks a month, or no more than $100 per year. Anyone know of something like this?
Oh, and I've ruled out the ones that offer "$700 of free software!" because I don't need that. I need hosting space, not software. I figure if they're trying to spruce up their offering with software, then that would allow them to slack on the good-hosting part.
What I've narrowed it down to, and In no particular order:
1. UCwebhost seems pretty good.
PRO: They're based in Dallas Texas. They're inexpensive ($47.40/year). They seem to have all the features I want. What few reviews I've read have been positive.
CON: I had some cons last night, but for the life of me I can't remember what they are. Um ... They're not widely reviewed, for one thing. There's just not much out there on them. They don't seem to have a community.
2. Surpass web hosting, as suggested by the lovely kylakae
PRO: I like their website. It's relatively cheap and they offer a discount ($60/year). They have an active forum and community in which to ask web development questions.
CON: They don't seem to have phone support. No number on their website. They're based in Orlando Florida -- I'm concerned about my site going down when the next hurricane blows through.
3. bluehost.com also seems good.
PRO: The CEO runs a blog. The ideas he talks about bases his company around are largely in line with my own: Green hosting, he loves Macintoshes, he takes personal responsibility, doesn't care for Micro$oft, and so on. They have a community as well. I get a pretty good feeling from these guys.
CON: They automatically renew the hosting fee -- autodraft and all. I don't know whether they notify you or just do it. A little high-priced -- 7.95/month, or 95.40 for a year's service.
I was also looking at inmotion hosting, but I can't remember why, now. Looking back at their site, I feel no connection with them.
The above list doesn't include the rest of the 20-30 hosts I've looked at that either cost too much, had a confusing website, or that just turned me off for some reason. There was one site that had a woman's face on it -- normal enough, but she had unnaturally blue eyes, and she looked like she just got the goose of her life! So that one was right out.
Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? Anything? Bueller? McFly?
I found a number of web hosting review sites, like WebHostingJury, WebHostingStuff, and WebHostingTopList. I was hoping to be able to check all of these and cross-reference any providers that were on all the lists. Problem is, they all provide wildly disparate results.
I was looking at IX Web Hosting, until I called them to ask a question or two. After being on hold for half an hour, I talked to a person who really turned me off to the service. He answered my questions okay, but was just ... flat. Didn't care. Then I found one review site in which the reviews of IX were universally bad. So scratch that one.
I want a provider that will give me Unix/Linux hosting with storage and bandwidth in the Gigabyte range. It also needs to cost less than 8 bucks a month, or no more than $100 per year. Anyone know of something like this?
Oh, and I've ruled out the ones that offer "$700 of free software!" because I don't need that. I need hosting space, not software. I figure if they're trying to spruce up their offering with software, then that would allow them to slack on the good-hosting part.
What I've narrowed it down to, and In no particular order:
1. UCwebhost seems pretty good.
PRO: They're based in Dallas Texas. They're inexpensive ($47.40/year). They seem to have all the features I want. What few reviews I've read have been positive.
CON: I had some cons last night, but for the life of me I can't remember what they are. Um ... They're not widely reviewed, for one thing. There's just not much out there on them. They don't seem to have a community.
2. Surpass web hosting, as suggested by the lovely kylakae
PRO: I like their website. It's relatively cheap and they offer a discount ($60/year). They have an active forum and community in which to ask web development questions.
CON: They don't seem to have phone support. No number on their website. They're based in Orlando Florida -- I'm concerned about my site going down when the next hurricane blows through.
3. bluehost.com also seems good.
PRO: The CEO runs a blog. The ideas he talks about bases his company around are largely in line with my own: Green hosting, he loves Macintoshes, he takes personal responsibility, doesn't care for Micro$oft, and so on. They have a community as well. I get a pretty good feeling from these guys.
CON: They automatically renew the hosting fee -- autodraft and all. I don't know whether they notify you or just do it. A little high-priced -- 7.95/month, or 95.40 for a year's service.
I was also looking at inmotion hosting, but I can't remember why, now. Looking back at their site, I feel no connection with them.
The above list doesn't include the rest of the 20-30 hosts I've looked at that either cost too much, had a confusing website, or that just turned me off for some reason. There was one site that had a woman's face on it -- normal enough, but she had unnaturally blue eyes, and she looked like she just got the goose of her life! So that one was right out.
Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? Anything? Bueller? McFly?