Hardware and performance

Hello,

1 and 1 is a good choice in Germany. You have a large amount of space and you can choose, how many databases you will have.In Germany you get with this package licences for several software.But
you have chance to get the apache log-files.

At the moment we have a problem with the development Moodle version 1.2.. You can see it here.
I have no idea to solve the problem, and I don´t know is that a problem with 1 and 1 only.

WP1, I also signed up for one of the free 1 & 1 accounts about a month and a half ago. I already have what I think is good inexpensive hosting (will post a recommendation after this coming semester is over if everything works out - if anyone is really interested email me at pmnorrod@yahoo.com and I will let you know who it is).

I immediately found the 1 & 1 "control panel" to be extremely cumbersome and slow. I think it is better to pay a few bucks and at least get a host that has Cpanel or a similar good control panel. I also would never pay what they want after the three years are up ($29/month). Still, for free I am keeping my 1 & 1 account open to use as backup site in case my main host ever fails for an extended period.

As to Putty, it is quite easy to use. Just download it at www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html
and use the exe file (there is nothing to install). When you run it the first time just put in your domain name or the one 1&1 gives you (xxxxxxxxx.onlinehome.us) in the "Host Name" window and click the SSH radio button. Then go to the Connection category and enter your 1&1 userid in the "Auto-login username" window (for 1&1 it is the userid they assigned you when you signed up - probably a "u" followed by some numbers). Go back to the Session category and type in the name you want to save the session as into the Save Sessions window and click Save. When you want to run this session in the future, just click on the name in the Session window, then click Load, followed by Open. It will start an SSH session on your 1&1 account and you will have to enter your password to get in. Once in you can use Unix/Linux commands to do what you need to do (you will need to get a book or read-up online about Unix command line stuff).

Another nice SSH client I use is SecureNetTerm ( www.securenetterm.com/html/downloads.html ) . It is shareware so you have to buy it if you want to remove the nag screen you get when you exit it. It has more features than Putty, but either one will do the job.

Good Luck!

If we are plugging our host, let me mention www.hostrocket.com

I checked out their web packages.  I will check them out further when I have more time. 

Thanks for the information.

WP1

First, as has been posted before, I would say that if you can possibly swing it the way to go is to host with Martin at moodle.com (hosting with the person who designed the software that you are running - it has to be a dream of us moodle admins out there ).

Unfortunately, many of us are running our operations on a shoestring (almost always the case in education), so we need to look at alternatives. I, for example, am paying for my host out of my own pocket and since I host screen capture videos on my site I need tons of filespace and bandwidth. I have found the inexpensive hosting world to be a rather slimy business with hidden policies and sometimes outright lies. Still, if you are willing to work at it and are careful (very careful), I think you can reliably host for a reasonable amount of money ($300 or less per year).

Fred Langa who writes the Langa List (langa.com) recently wrote a story about hosting for Information Week that you might find helpful if you are searching for a host. It is at http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16400938