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Web hosting customers are nomads. If your host hasn’t been ruined yet, just wait. This line right here is absolutely sage wisdom. Here are some of the companie

Web hosting customers are nomads. If your host hasn’t been ruined yet, just wait. This line right here is absolutely sage wisdom. Here are some of the companies I've bought services from, as well as what I remember happening to them: ClubUptime Closed in a disastrous closure due to basically being conned. DirectSpace Still around, haven't changed much VolumeDrive Very sketchy, I don't really know how they're still in business Fazewire Local Seattle hosting/colocation company. Originally founded by a guy when he was 15, he sold the company when he went to college. URPad.net Still around, only used them for a short period of time. OVH Amazon Digital Ocean

arkitaip 13y ago
Very true. I'm currently happy using Webfaction but I just know it's a matter of time before I have to look for a new hosting company.
- cleversoap 13y ago
  I've been with them for quite a while and one thing I've noticed they do differently is that they will upgrade your service periodically while not changing the price. For example, I've gone from 128MB to 512MB of usable memory for my vhost without paying anything but my $9.99 a month. There are other anecdotes (awesome control panel, good support, etc...) that make me think it's unfair to group them with other hosting providers that never do anything but the bare minimum.
  - arkitaip 13y ago
    Oh, I agree that Webfaction is very very good at shared hosting. It's just that I've learned my lesson and don't plan to be too attached to them.
  - sumedh 13y ago
    I have an account with webfaction and my mysql DB was using more than 256 mb of memory. I immediately got an email saying that I need to lower the usage or upgrade to higher plan. I was thinking of my next step when I got an email next day that my account has been upgraded to 512 mb memory plan at no cost. Definitely made the right move by moving from hostgator to webfaction.
pjbrunet 13y ago
I have a long list too. You need off-site backups because that day will come. Funny, my first real host (he.net) is still in business. Maybe it's true you get what you pay for ;-)
- lelandbatey 13y ago
  Haha, I would hope he.net is still going strong, since they're Hurricane Electric and provide a lot moelre than just hosting.
prawn 13y ago
True! Started with one place I can't remember - started with S. It was cheap and allowed multiple small sites to run off one account. Eventually turned to crap and so we bailed. WebCentral - gave up on their silly control panel. Used a place in NSW or Vic that started off OK, then was acquired (BlueCentral, I think?) and turned into a bit of a rude disaster. Abandoned that. Had a site break on Friday of a long weekend, so no support until Tuesday... Had 60+ clients with CrystalTech who were polite and had great service. They were bought by NewTek and started overloading shared servers and tech support went from efficient and polite to slow and especially dim-witted. Bought again by SBA and things got worse. We've gradually shifted dozens of sites to accounts at Linode and that's been a great move for us.
- dwd 13y ago
  Similar experience. CrystalTech were very good and only had one issue with a dedicated server in 5 years when a network cable came loose which was fixed after a quick phone call. WebCentral has a horrific control panel, only one possibly worse is the cutdown Telstra Business version. Currently using VentraIP/Zuver for a handful of VPS servers and they are always friendly and responsive.
- voltagex_ 13y ago
  Hosting in Australia seems crazily expensive to me. One of the many reasons we need the NBN.
  - Veratyr 13y ago
    It's getting better: http://www.rackspace.com.au/cloud-servers/pricing http://www.rackspace.com.au/cloud-servers/pricing Plus I know of a smaller company that's intending to move in here. Hope that goes well...
  - ryantownsend 13y ago
    If you happen to be doing Rails development, it may be worth checking out Ninefold: http://ninefold.com/pricing http://ninefold.com/pricing [no affiliation of mine]
ssafejava 13y ago
Anecdotes are one of the only real ways to get information on whether or not a hosting provider is any good. At least it cuts through the marketing BS. I generally track hosting company's Twitter accounts too - it's pretty telling what people will say to them. I've been using a few sites to keep on top of it as I bring up some new services: [1] http://reviewsignal.com http://reviewsignal.com (reviews scraped from social media / public support requests) [2] http://serverbear.com/ http://serverbear.com/ (VPS/Cloud host benchmarks & stats)

arkitaip 13y ago

Very true. I'm currently happy using Webfaction but I just know it's a matter of time before I have to look for a new hosting company.

cleversoap 13y ago
I've been with them for quite a while and one thing I've noticed they do differently is that they will upgrade your service periodically while not changing the price. For example, I've gone from 128MB to 512MB of usable memory for my vhost without paying anything but my $9.99 a month. There are other anecdotes (awesome control panel, good support, etc...) that make me think it's unfair to group them with other hosting providers that never do anything but the bare minimum.
- arkitaip 13y ago
  Oh, I agree that Webfaction is very very good at shared hosting. It's just that I've learned my lesson and don't plan to be too attached to them.
- sumedh 13y ago
  I have an account with webfaction and my mysql DB was using more than 256 mb of memory. I immediately got an email saying that I need to lower the usage or upgrade to higher plan. I was thinking of my next step when I got an email next day that my account has been upgraded to 512 mb memory plan at no cost. Definitely made the right move by moving from hostgator to webfaction.

pjbrunet 13y ago

I have a long list too. You need off-site backups because that day will come. Funny, my first real host (he.net) is still in business. Maybe it's true you get what you pay for ;-)

lelandbatey 13y ago
Haha, I would hope he.net is still going strong, since they're Hurricane Electric and provide a lot moelre than just hosting.

prawn 13y ago

True! Started with one place I can't remember - started with S. It was cheap and allowed multiple small sites to run off one account. Eventually turned to crap and so we bailed. WebCentral - gave up on their silly control panel. Used a place in NSW or Vic that started off OK, then was acquired (BlueCentral, I think?) and turned into a bit of a rude disaster. Abandoned that. Had a site break on Friday of a long weekend, so no support until Tuesday... Had 60+ clients with CrystalTech who were polite and had great service. They were bought by NewTek and started overloading shared servers and tech support went from efficient and polite to slow and especially dim-witted. Bought again by SBA and things got worse. We've gradually shifted dozens of sites to accounts at Linode and that's been a great move for us.

dwd 13y ago
Similar experience. CrystalTech were very good and only had one issue with a dedicated server in 5 years when a network cable came loose which was fixed after a quick phone call. WebCentral has a horrific control panel, only one possibly worse is the cutdown Telstra Business version. Currently using VentraIP/Zuver for a handful of VPS servers and they are always friendly and responsive.
voltagex_ 13y ago
Hosting in Australia seems crazily expensive to me. One of the many reasons we need the NBN.
- Veratyr 13y ago
  It's getting better: http://www.rackspace.com.au/cloud-servers/pricing http://www.rackspace.com.au/cloud-servers/pricing Plus I know of a smaller company that's intending to move in here. Hope that goes well...
- ryantownsend 13y ago
  If you happen to be doing Rails development, it may be worth checking out Ninefold: http://ninefold.com/pricing http://ninefold.com/pricing [no affiliation of mine]

ssafejava 13y ago

Anecdotes are one of the only real ways to get information on whether or not a hosting provider is any good. At least it cuts through the marketing BS. I generally track hosting company's Twitter accounts too - it's pretty telling what people will say to them. I've been using a few sites to keep on top of it as I bring up some new services: [1] http://reviewsignal.com http://reviewsignal.com (reviews scraped from social media / public support requests) [2] http://serverbear.com/ http://serverbear.com/ (VPS/Cloud host benchmarks & stats)