Informations about DreamHost
This web site is hosted by DreamHost, one of the best web hosting services of the planet, at least in my opinion. What makes DreamHost so special? Here there are the features that made me choose it. All these options are available in all plans, even the cheapest ones.
- PHP, CGI & MySQL database support, to freely add any kind of script and function in the site. This is made easier thanks also to the SSH access.
- Full .htaccess support, which allows to completely configure the way the web server behaves for the site.
- Bandwidth and disk space exponentially bigger than most similar offers by italian web hosting providers. Also disk space and bandwidth limits are increased freely each week!
- Full email support with dozens of POP3 emails freely definable, infinite aliases, autoresponders and the possibility to use procmail to let scripts manage incoming mails.
- Possibility to open mailing list for discussion or for announcements.
- Possibility to host for free infinite domains and sub-domains! In Italy to do the same you must pay a lot.
- Competent and fast techical support which always guarantees fast high level answers to any user question; also they offer an user forum, a Wiki and a official blog!
- Continue improvements to the service with addition of new features.
The only drawback is that this service is located in USA and not in Italy, my country. Anyway thanks to their good connections it's hard to see the distance, nor on my light site, nor on biggest ones such as The Burning Edge.
Are all these features really needed for a personal site?
Honestly... no, but I see this as an investment! DreamHost offers me many opportunities: it gives me a full and serious web presence, it allows me to give a personal email to my family members (xxx@favrin.net) but above all it let me to experiment and learn when and how much I want. DreamHost also gives me the possibility to use my service n the way I wish, without the restrictions usually imposed by free web hosting services. Tomorrow I can even open a site to sell australian watermelons without any problems...
Also anything that I learn at my home become an experience that I can use on the work or, generally, on one of the many sites I manage, like Carpenedo's Parish.
Amongst the many initiatives that makes DreamHost so special there is an interesting reward policy that allows to get credit (which can cover the cost owed for the service) just by being referenced by a new customer. One can choose between "one time bonus" (97$!) or to get a percentage from all payments done by the new customer. And for both options I can get payments even if another new customer references the new customer who referenced me.
To learn more about this visit the DreamHost site.