Reseller Hosting - Who to go with

[Matt1eD]

I have been hosted by www.dream-hosting.co.uk for some time now with no probs. Excellent support and will install software for you if you ask and so forth... but anywho don't need that. I appreciate their servers are probably packed with sites but I need a cheap reseller account. I'm basically thinking of setting up a reseller account to host my sites, a couple of friends and several charitable organisations (after being disgusted after finding out the price some places were playing).

http://www.dream-hosting.co.uk/reseller.php

It really seems to be the best priced, and considering it's specification it's wonderful.

Can anyone find a cheaper one?

TIA

[ikonia]

your thoughts are admirable, but however you are 15 or 16 as I recall, I'd think seriously before signing a legaly binding contract and then hosting people like businesses or charities (your friends should be fine) as this could backfire.

Also I'm not sure how many companies would offer reseller accounts to under 18's (assuming I remember correctly your age)

[Matt1eD]

You do remember my age correctly, and your points are pefectly fair and what I'd thought through.

Not hosting businesses, charities - yes. Basically it's aimed at a certain area of volunteer run organisations (in an enthusiast market), primarily run by my brother. I'm doing the research as he's a bit busy (writing a program for an organisation in this market) so it'll be in his name (and he's 21 - dh's min. age is 18, used to be less but just got spammed with p0rn)

I've drawn up some spreadsheets of costs a nd what can be offered (for what will be a limited amount of organisations to maintain a personal relationship - all the enthusiasts love to know who's doing what iyswim). I decided not to allow for friends and family to be hosted, as my bro and I really want to keep this seperate. After going in to some of the organisations that he volunteers at he got good feedback on this. The hosting is normally paid for by volunteers interested in computers or can do a quick web design in Word and include pictures they are always interested in a lower price. Being enthusiasts, and keeping it personal, it's for being run as a favour to the people (and being an area both me and my brother are interested in means we don't mind the time) than a business.

The organisations don't take orders online so that area of security is a worry off.

[ikonia]

well, you've removed the age issue with your brother, and I stand by what I said, your idea is admirable.

there are tons of hosting companies around that you could look at, all with pro's and cons, my only advice would be make sure you stress your not punishable for downtime and that uptime will be on a "best efforts" basis hence the price other wise you'll have many angry people if you make a mistake, enthusiast or not.

be really interesting to see how this pans out for you

[Matt1eD]

Thanks ikonia

Yup will be stressing the downtime stuff. It's done very much on a personal basis so should be happy with that. A few hours downtime (I've never experienced it with dh - I know some have) would not be critical to these organisations.

It's a pity that some are paying upward of 60 a year for ASP hosting when they're hosting pics, a word or FP web site and a few email addys.

It's not really for profit, but I look forward to seeing what happens.

Cheers

[TheAnimus]

a friend of mine in reading was discusted to find out how much "consultants" had been charging charities in the local area. Hundreads of pounds for things they didn't need and had no support/training to use.

I'd watch out on any hosting place that offers so much bandwidth and such little webspace, at such a low price. A lot of places make assumptions that you won't use as much bandwidth as your thinking u might need. This if there not big enough to eat the people that constantly use that much can lead to network issues for them.

There are soo many hosts, i'd just say make sure you can have secure IMAP for all the charities, as a lot of them might be effected by data protection rules comming in soon (ie if someone sends an email, they have to claim they've done all they can to gaurd its contents, even thou email is inherently insecure, its what i've been adviced by a computer/copyright lawer freind of mine.)

[Matt1eD]

Ooh, wondered bout the security of the IMAP in particular, cheers for the pointers.