I decided that I'm going to venture into new territory and register a domain and put up a portfolio site with my work. The problem is, finding a good web host only seems possible with trial and error.

I started to look for advice with general searches on Google but every site that popped up was a self-proclaiming "we are the best" service site. I was lucky to find this forum with seemingly real people.

Now after combing through these threads, I can see the pathetic attempts from these so-called "ordinary customers" to recommend their host. I'm glad I'm not stupid enough to fall for these scummy, deceptive tactics. Do you vultures all use the same form to lure customers? I swear, just about every profile is the same. I especially find it funny that people sign up with this forum just to say how great their webhost is. There are no previous posts inquiring about services or anything...nope.

I apologize to the real people who make honest recommendations for saps like me. And if you are one of those people, you shouldn't take any offense from this post.

I will persevere and I thank the honest people for your help. But for all of you deceptive, salespeople: your tactics aren't working on me :angry:

I dont understand what the problem you are having with "US"


All we are trying to do is help by giving you as much option as posible.

For example you are loking for a site to put your portfolio
look at illustrationonline.biz

to show you that the hosting you are looking for has the same kind of client as you, and this can only help you in your adventure.

now how what i just told you upset you ?

Yoram Azoulay
Press-host.com

If it's a straight sales pitch, that's fine :)

But when someone puts on an act like they have no affiliation with the host, I feel like they are trying to dupe me.

I've seen so many fake testimonials tonight, I just had to release.

I feel better now :D

I totaly agree with you

like in every think, there are good and there are bad.

if there is one thing that i am trying to do is give the best experianc to pepole on the web.

You know as a web hosting i get many new pepole to the internet

and i think that if i give them a bad experianc then they will alowas have a bad filling about doing buissnes online.

and i have seen many like that too.

any how i hope you are not one of them that think the web is all bad (:mad:)

good luck finding the good part f the web

well finding a good host can be tricky, but only if you are looking for the $2 hosts that offer everything..........

To get a decent host just dont go for the ones offering "unlimited", be willing to pay that little more, and most importantly contact the host with any questions you have and see how they respond.............

good luck.........

Originally posted by 21inchguns
well finding a good host can be tricky, but only if you are looking for the $2 hosts that offer everything..........

To get a decent host just dont go for the ones offering "unlimited", be willing to pay that little more, and most importantly contact the host with any questions you have and see how they respond.............

good luck.........

I totally agree with this too. So far I have always found good hosts by emailing them with questions and testing support in the trial period :). Good luck finding a good host!

(oh and make sure to read the TOS and AUP before signing up with anybody)

I had no idea :confused:. I came here to look for a good host, and I got two kinds of replies: sale people directly offering their services and users sharing their opinions. If you are right, though, it is all the same - just sales people promoting their services. So how does one get real opinions from real users in a search for a host?

Originally posted by serega
If you are right, though, it is all the same - just sales people promoting their services. So how does one get real opinions from real users in a search for a host?

The mods are looking after each newbie promoting a host, so this should be no big problem. And if you use common sense you are able to detect them yourself:
very low post count, never posted a question asking for services or something else, only promoting one hosts, doesn't show the URL of his web site,....

It's especially bad when asking for advice in newsgroups. I used Google's newsgroup search, and because it brings up results with your search terms, you will see the same "testimonials" over and over again.

I just hope nobody falls for that stuff.

There is really good advice on this forum (thanks!) but I'm learning that some of those sleazy marketers tactics still seep in.

It's good to be a skeptical consumer, IMHO

tekkendork..You might also try checking with your potential host to see if they have a clients comments page, etc. and follow up if any testimonials have their email addresses listed?
Some hosts also have a users forum..that might be a good idea to browse their forums, if one is offered.
Above all, I think sending the host a few emails directly might give you a feel of how they are at responding, etc.
For sure, read their TOS before signing up and make sure you will be covered by their guarantee.

I completely agree with you. And while most of the newbies posting recommendations in here are probably genuine, some are definitely not! Some of the time at least, you may be able to filter out the fake recommendations from the real ones, other times you may not. BTW kudos to the WebHostingTalk moderators on this one -- they're doing a good job, and have cought a lot of those people and companies posting fake recommendations of themselves and pretending to be customers.

I'm really quite sick of this myself at this point, as it's giving honest hosts a bad name. Basically it isn't just hurting people searching for a good reliable home for their web site, but also the honest genuine hosts who do not take part in such activity. :angry:

I do not own a hosting company.
Own Apartments.
A plumbing company.
A painting company.
Sell products on the net.
Retired USMC
Been to law school.
Any posts I make, I call it like I see it.

I know this probably isn't directed at me, but I for one would not ask a customer (or make up a customer) to post a good review about us. (In reference to the recent "HostCulture Feedback" thread)

Originally posted by avara
BTW kudos to the WebHostingTalk moderators on this one -- they're doing a good job, and have cought a lot of those people and companies posting fake recommendations of themselves and pretending to be customers.
Thanks Avara, we try to provide everyone with the cleanest forum humanly possible. I know we remove a whole bunch of advertising from the forums, but I'm sure we don't get it all. Some slip by, but the mods and some members are very active in keeping the ads out to the best of our abilities.

New users aren't all evil spammers, they just lack credibility (just being new). If you needed a mechanic, you'd probably listen to a friend's recommendation than some guy off the street. Same applies here. You just have to use your noodle and consider everything. In the end, you can only try your best to pick your host, it doesn't always work out, no matter how much your research, etc.

Originally posted by Martie
tekkendork..You might also try checking with your potential host to see if they have a clients comments page, etc. and follow up if any testimonials have their email addresses listed?
Some hosts also have a users forum..that might be a good idea to browse their forums, if one is offered.
Above all, I think sending the host a few emails directly might give you a feel of how they are at responding, etc.
For sure, read their TOS before signing up and make sure you will be covered by their guarantee.

Bingo. Listen to Martie.

I believe if you invest a bit of time here you'll find a good home. WHT is probably your best resource: tough crowd, good education.

Yep. I'm listening to your suggestions and learning.

Just like buying a car, computer, etc., it helps to be smart and patient and do a lot of research

..really glad I found this board

well, my host does have a support forum and I'd say best thing to judge my host would be having a look at the support forum. In there you get to know a lot of what's going on, where trouble is and so on... you can see what other customers thing.
If you're looking for a host and they offer a support forum then I think it's a good thing to have some close look at that forum.

Sorry Martie, somehow I just skipped your post!

I truly believe that the majority of members of WHT are sincere in their intentions; they want to help others - and frequently do, but
WHT suffers the same fate as many others out there - 'human nature' in all its glory and in its many different permutations.
Despite the efforts of the MODS, things slip through, often because certain 'posters' are extremely clever at disguising there true intentions when posting.
Others just blatantly post a reply of one word, purely to get their signature advertised.

Often when a request is posted for ‘I need XYZ hosting’ numerous replies are made, sharing experiences and listing possible ‘good’ hosts to be considered. Personally I don’t subscribe to 99.9% of these threads as I either have no experience of the host being enquired about (and therefore can’t recommend them) and because rather than break forum rules (and have the opposite effect by looking un-professional) I simply don’t reply. However, I often send the ‘poster’ a PM introducing myself and my services, leaving it for them to decide. Why a PM? Because it’s direct, personal and doesn’t blatantly break WHT rules and because I’m not into the ‘I’ve got XZY posts to my name”, game (preferring to think quality rather than quantity).

You’ve received some good advice in this thread, from my experience its best to sit back, watch and learn. You will find a good host out there – have faith, not everyone is trying to make a quick buck and hopefully (like me) you’ll also find some good friends ;)

Maybe someone could post a list of the various host database sites (hostbuzz.com, hostchart.com, tophosts.com etc etc) in which (supposedly) real users rate their webhosts.

Or does such a system exist here?

Originally posted by magnafix
Maybe someone could post a list of the various host database sites (hostbuzz.com, hostchart.com, tophosts.com etc etc) in which (supposedly) real users rate their webhosts.

Or does such a system exist here?

A simple search of WHT will show this has been done numerous times already.

A simple search of WHT will show this has been done numerous times already.
Many of us mortals would greatly appreciate specific references to those multiple posts :homer:

Originally posted by serega
Many of us mortals would greatly appreciate specific references to those multiple posts

Really, this was one click for me on the search button - you don't need a hosting guru for a click.

www.hostpulse.com
www.findsp.com
www.hostingcatalog.com
www.hostsearch.com
www.tophosts.com
www.webhostdir.com
www.hostrecord.com

But don't trust "customer reviews" on a hosting directory.