I was wandering, how could you provide decent web hosting on a Cobalt RaQ? I have been using one to provide very cheap web hosting plans, however, the control panel is terrible and it doesn't have near half the features found on other control panels.

How would you be able to provide your customers with password-protected directories? Would you just have to install individual cgi scripts on each virtual site to be able to offer features like that?

I am probably missing something here, but I am ready to switch to a Linux box ASAP or else I would never be competitive enough.

Any suggestions? Anyone using a "custom made" control panel on a RaQ? What do you guys do to keep your customers? It is obvious that the average customer would prefer moving to a host that can offer something like CPanel.

Thanks for you assistance!

I've seen some scripts on hotscripts.com which help in setting up .htaccess and .htpasswd files (can be put in one place on the server and everyone would be able to use it). Or if they just want to protect the directory, they can use a simple .htaccess file (to just allow access to the directory for themselves).

Depends on which type of protection you are looking to provide.

If they just want to protect the dir from other users and be able to access the dir. themselves, then this will work (billy would be the user):

order allow,deny
allow from all
require user billy
Authname 'Restricted Directory'
Authtype Basic

Otherwise, check hotscripts...

As of now I actually install a script that writes to a .htpasswd file every time I sell a hosting plan that includes password-protected directories. This is a hassle though. I just basically want to be able to offer a better control panel, more customized and with more features. It is kind of confusing for the "average" customer to go to different places to do different things. Would you recommend leasing something like a regular Linux box and getting something like Plesk or CPanel?
Do you think RaQs are that good for hosting?

Thanks for your help.

In the near future www.smarthostingtools.com will release their control panel for a raq too. And webcp.can-host.com will be compactible with a raq too in the near future.

So I would suggest, just wait and you'll get a wonderful control panel. But if you are able to switch server at low costs I would suggest that to you. (That's what I should do if I hadn't a contract for a whole year :angry: :angry: )

I don't have a contract. I just go month-to-month. I guess I'll probably start shopping around for a different host. It will probably be a pain though to move my customers. I only have about 150 now, but still. I guess I'll just think about it.

Thanks a lot for your help!