for me being an international user (New Zealand), price is one of the biggest things as I'm paying in US dollars and the exchange rate is only 55c in the US dollar.
next would be whats on offer, how old are the versions of things like php, mysql ?
Is there support if needed for international customers?
back to the price thing again would be payments, can I pay yearly or even monthly (is handy when exchange rate changes)
I would have to say that reliability and customer service are at the top of my list. A good reputation is important, a longstanding service record, excellent speed and uptime etc. I want a company that is going to keep my site up and running without flubbing my account, losing my files, going out of business, ignoring technical problems, or otherwise being negligent businesspeople. Pricing and account features are just the details
Everyone has different requirements for a hosting provider.
In most Corporate I.T. shops, people look for hardware after they choose a particular software application. You don't buy hardware and then go looking for software made for that hardware. You look for software that meets your business requirements and then find the hardware that will best handle the software requirements.
The is true for choosing a hosting provider. First, you need to know what software tools you will be using for your web site development, then, determine whther you will need a database for any interactive thin client applications. Based on those answers, you start looking for your hosting provider.
For instance, one may use MS-FrontPage to build websites with. They may also want to build an interactive site for selling products/sevrices on-line. This in most cases would require a database. The best fit would be a Win2k Hosting Provider. The Tools, server apps and databases meld very well. On the other hand, if you use the Macomedia tools, you can use just about any hosting provider that has Perl, PHP, MySQL and SSH Telent access.
Then, once you have that decision narrowed down, start looking at providers who:
Provide 24x7 support via Phone, Forms, Chat and Email. (If they have Chat, see if anyone answers after Midnight)
DO NOT oversell their servers. This can be hard to know excpet, if they are selling shared hosting for under $10.00, they most likely have hundreds if not thousands of sites on each server and your site will be competing with them for CPU/Memory and bandwidth.
Beware of companies offering UNLIMITED bandwidth.
Don't let the provider register your domain name. Do it yourself.
Network Speed is also important. Check to see how many redundant connections to the backbone they have and what speed those trunks are running. T1, OC3, OC12 etc. You can find some tools at http://www.dnsstuff.com/ that will help you with this a little.
Being a host provider I have a general idea what people like.
1) Support - fast and helpful support that answers them the first time. Plus a host who actually gives a damn about their website and will go the extra bit to meet a need..
2) Reliability - no one wants a website that's always going down.
3) Features - the host must have what they need.
3) Price - as a first impression, attraction, getting peoples initial attention.
Deasoft - $2.45/month for 50 MB up to $9.95/month for 400MB. deasoft.com
1. Good Uptime
2. Good Bandwidth (at least 15G/month)
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Renegade posted this at 07:42 — 6th May 2003.
He has: 3,022 posts
Joined: Oct 2002
For me, one that provides the following things:
1, PHP
2, MySQL
3, FTP
4, Email address
5, Webspace greater than or equal to 10MB
Busy posted this at 10:37 — 6th May 2003.
He has: 6,151 posts
Joined: May 2001
for me being an international user (New Zealand), price is one of the biggest things as I'm paying in US dollars and the exchange rate is only 55c in the US dollar.
next would be whats on offer, how old are the versions of things like php, mysql ?
Is there support if needed for international customers?
back to the price thing again would be payments, can I pay yearly or even monthly (is handy when exchange rate changes)
Megan posted this at 20:01 — 6th May 2003.
She has: 11,421 posts
Joined: Jun 1999
I would have to say that reliability and customer service are at the top of my list. A good reputation is important, a longstanding service record, excellent speed and uptime etc. I want a company that is going to keep my site up and running without flubbing my account, losing my files, going out of business, ignoring technical problems, or otherwise being negligent businesspeople. Pricing and account features are just the details
Megan
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hk5754 posted this at 23:45 — 15th May 2003.
They have: 4 posts
Joined: Mar 2003
Everyone has different requirements for a hosting provider.
In most Corporate I.T. shops, people look for hardware after they choose a particular software application. You don't buy hardware and then go looking for software made for that hardware. You look for software that meets your business requirements and then find the hardware that will best handle the software requirements.
The is true for choosing a hosting provider. First, you need to know what software tools you will be using for your web site development, then, determine whther you will need a database for any interactive thin client applications. Based on those answers, you start looking for your hosting provider.
For instance, one may use MS-FrontPage to build websites with. They may also want to build an interactive site for selling products/sevrices on-line. This in most cases would require a database. The best fit would be a Win2k Hosting Provider. The Tools, server apps and databases meld very well. On the other hand, if you use the Macomedia tools, you can use just about any hosting provider that has Perl, PHP, MySQL and SSH Telent access.
Then, once you have that decision narrowed down, start looking at providers who:
Provide 24x7 support via Phone, Forms, Chat and Email. (If they have Chat, see if anyone answers after Midnight)
DO NOT oversell their servers. This can be hard to know excpet, if they are selling shared hosting for under $10.00, they most likely have hundreds if not thousands of sites on each server and your site will be competing with them for CPU/Memory and bandwidth.
Beware of companies offering UNLIMITED bandwidth.
Don't let the provider register your domain name. Do it yourself.
Network Speed is also important. Check to see how many redundant connections to the backbone they have and what speed those trunks are running. T1, OC3, OC12 etc. You can find some tools at http://www.dnsstuff.com/ that will help you with this a little.
Phil Stanley
Hosting America Directory
http://www.hosting-america.net
clubart posted this at 04:32 — 23rd May 2003.
They have: 18 posts
Joined: Feb 2002
Uptime, speed, support, ...
FeaturedServers posted this at 07:04 — 20th June 2003.
They have: 8 posts
Joined: Jun 2003
support and reliability before price, always.
fcolor posted this at 13:18 — 26th June 2003.
They have: 27 posts
Joined: Apr 2002
Well,
You need good uptime guarantee, support to answer fast.
Regards
D.
OnlyPhp.com posted this at 17:05 — 26th June 2003.
They have: 29 posts
Joined: Jun 2003
Reliability,
Fast Support,
Uptime,
Easily solved problems,
Price (not that much important)
bjdea1 posted this at 11:16 — 17th July 2003.
They have: 20 posts
Joined: Mar 2003
Being a host provider I have a general idea what people like.
1) Support - fast and helpful support that answers them the first time. Plus a host who actually gives a damn about their website and will go the extra bit to meet a need..
2) Reliability - no one wants a website that's always going down.
3) Features - the host must have what they need.
3) Price - as a first impression, attraction, getting peoples initial attention.
Deasoft - $2.45/month for 50 MB up to $9.95/month for 400MB.
deasoft.com
LostPuppy posted this at 15:44 — 27th July 2003.
They have: 10 posts
Joined: Jul 2003
1. Good Uptime
2. Good Bandwidth (at least 15G/month)
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