So far, all of the highly recommended Unix hosts I've found are running Linux. Can any of you suggest a good Unix host who's running BSD or Solaris, rather than Linux?

I need about 75-100 megs of disk space, my bandwidth/traffic requirements wouldn't be above average. I'd like the ability to use custom CGI scripts but other than that, I can do without most of the typical bells and whistles. Most important to me are site stability and good, prompt customer service. (I don't need a lot of hand-holding, but I don't want to be waiting around for days in the event that I do need help.) Any ideas?

Thanks,

Kim

Is there a particular reason you are looking for BSD or Solaris and not Linux?

Yes, there are a few reasons.

1. My fiance, a techie and former "famous" hacker (no, I'm not going to tell you who he is, but if I did, you'd probably agree that he's pretty highly regarded for his technical knowledge) usually advises me on these matters.
2. When he offers his advice, I usually tell him he's being nitpicky and argue about why he's wrong.
3. He invariably turns out to be right.
4. He suggested I stay away from Linux because of security vulnerabilities, insisting that a BSD/Solaris host (and thus my site) would be less vulnerable to script kiddies, downtime for security patches and bug-fixes, etc.
5. I gave him the standard line about Linux actually being safer because of the almost instant availability of fixes for newly-discovered security exploits.
6. He says, "Sure, but only if the sysop at your hosting company is always on the ball about software updates and fixes, and most of them aren't."
7. I decided I'd look for a BSD or Solaris host first, and settle for Linux only in the event that I couldn't find one of the others, because given the number of times in our relationship I've provided him with the opportunity to say "I told you so" (and the remarkably generous number of times he *hasn't* said it) it's almost guaranteed that if I wind up on a Linux host, I'll wake up one day to find that the system is down, or my web site has been rearranged by a bunch of prepubescent grafitti artists, and he'll be standing there smiling and not saying "I told you so."

You asked.

Last time I checked http://www.pair.com/ they were BSD. Of course that was also the last time I coughed up a hair ball.

hehehe.. I can imagine. But now-a-days FreeBSD is as vulnerable as Linux. There are a lot of buffer overflows and other exploits yet existing for both.

As for solaris, the hosting would cost you a whole lot of cash, coz the servers are way tooo expensive.

I dunno any host offering either of the OS's. Sorry

http://www.communitech.net/ uses Solaris.

But they suck right? :)

Last time I checked...

Communitech apparently shuts sites down without warning if they exceed transfer allowances.

I've heard mixed reviews about Pair. They're actually on my short list, and at first glance their packages look pretty good to me. But people seem to either love them or hate them. Most of the complaints I've read involved slow customer service...a few people in alt.www.webmaster claim Pair will nickle and dime you to death with charges on "extras." Any Pair customers out there?

You seem to do your homework. ;) I am sorry, but I really dunno any. Why dun you search for one at hostspot.com or hostsearch.com and check out there reviews?

Yeah, I'm checking all the review/directory sites, too. Just thought I'd drop a note here for good measure. Thanks for your help.

(I'll keep checking in on this thread, btw, so to anyone who does happen along and can suggest a good BSD/Solaris host, please post it -- I'll be around.)

Kim

These are allow the Solaris packages in my hosting dir.

http://webhostarea.com/searchresults.php?price=1000000000&currency=US&space=1&spacetype=MB&transfer=1&transfertype=GB&Platform=sun

Just as a warning, Michael's page shows "Website providers". They have done some graphic work for me in the past, but are unfortunately communitech resellers. :(
(edit)The other one is also a communitech reseller. Just checked it out. You can tell by the 350MB, unlimited bandwidth, Ds-3's, same graphics, etc.(/edit)

glassmelter,

Post your e-mail address or e-mail me at vince@jtan.com. I have a small list of hosts which I could suggest which I'd rather not post. :)

[Edited by Vincent Paglione on 11-06-2000 at 05:35 PM]