First off I have a VPS from both prgmr and linode, and recommend both of them, though linode is probably the more user friendly of the two. When choosing betwe

First off I have a VPS from both prgmr and linode, and recommend both of them, though linode is probably the more user friendly of the two. When choosing between shared and vps you really need to figure out how much control you really need, and then weigh that control with your ability to run a server (or even learning to run a server as you say someone else would be better running it). From what I have heard http://mediatemple.net/ http://mediatemple.net/ is pretty good for less advanced server users, but don't necessarily take my word for it try and find some comparisons. As for security on a VPS you'll be better than a good amount of shared hosting if all you do is be sure to keep everything up to date, use good passwords, change your ssh port to a high number (disable root access), and use iptables to restrict your ports. To do those things there are plenty of guides to be found, and of course remember to backup configuration and all essential files for your web app/page.