TextDrive, opinions?

Kosmo

My company has been talking for a while about changing host, the current one costs 6000€ a year, ridiculous amount by todays standards. And especially when taken in concideration the fact that all we get for that amount of money is just WAMP (yes Windows server) with one database. I have been watching the TextDrive since I would love me a host that supports RoR, and the Mixed Grill sounds just too good to be true. So I'm asking, has anyone hear/read anything about it, how can they offer such thing, 500$ for a lifetime of hosting. Should we go for it, it can't be worse than our current deal with the POS host.

Denied

I hear good things about text drive. With the RoR angle, they're probably doing some pretty swift business at this point.

I would suggest, however, that you consider dreamhost. Their plans are very competitive, and I've been with them for quite a while now, and I really like them. You can also build your on junk on their servers (Including rails, if I'm not mistaken), so that could be an option. Not sure if they do Windows boxes, if that's something you really need, though.

giginger

Dreamhost does look awesome. Wish I'd seen that before. My current hosts are being fucking cunts right now. I may well tell them to stuff it and go there.

aloicious

I managed about 18 or so web sites at Textdrive and couldn't be happier. It's got a dream-team of incredibly smart people at the helm.

Gopher it.

If I had the dosh to spare I'd be grilling it up. In fact, I would've gone for one of the previous lifetime offers a while ago as well.

Denied

Any and all dreamhost signups should use "jcruden" as their referral. Cause that's nice.

aloicious

I don't get anything out of people signing up with TxD. They're just good, that's all.

thebludrop

Go for it. Their deals are for real. VCI, VCII, VCIII, Mixed Grill, etc... They have great support and a great community. And if you are working on developing programs or using RoR programs, then Textdrive is perfect, as many of the "big guys" host from TxD.

Kosmo

I have to see what fits our bill in the TxD services, since if A List Apart is hosted by TxD and TxD is the official RoR host. I don't think that they can be worse than what we have now. Can Dreamhost put RoR on the server? Since if I can get RoR I could write the Stronspace and groupware myself.

ADM

I'd suggest A Small Orange: http://www.asmallorange.com/ They support RoR as well and when I was doing my research I heard that TextDrive's service wasn't that good, but alot of people were suggesting ASO so I went there. Haven't had any problems at all and I've been there for nearly two months now.

giginger

There was a thread a while ago where someone linked to a discussion on the textdrive forums where an admin made pig oinking noises instead of offering true help to a customer. I can't remember the full details but I was pretty disgusted and, personally, wouldn't use that company because of that.

I'll try and find the thread.

Kosmo

I remember that too. But I got more sense than judge a whole company by the actions of single employee.

giginger

I'm judging them by the fact that that employee is still there despite showing utter contempt for customers. I didn't see an apology there.

Kosmo

I agree that he could have done better job adressing his thoughts so that people didn't think that he is an utter idiot. BUT, none the less, I guess a man has the right to comment on a web application. So he thinks typo is bad and a resource hog, big deal, all the other admins seems to agree with him so I'm fine with it, besides why should he apologise when the didn't actually insult anyone directly. Are you offended by "oink"? I say stupid words all the time in here and I don't think I should apologise by me using *narf* or *poit* just because someone does't like the order four letters are arranged in. We don't need to be so sensitive.

ADM

Here's the thread that giginger mentioned: http://forum.textdrive.com/viewtopic.php?id=8371

giginger

You have a point Kosmo but in my personal opinion he's a representative of a company. That's the first thing I saw from the company so I've been given a bad representation.

The thing with yout stupid words is that they're not done from a point of customer support, nevermind the fact I've not noticed it.

I think it's best we agree to have different viewpoints on this

LoOkOuT

This may not be the kind of host anyone here uses, I don't know, but has anyone used or heard of inmotion hosting? Was thinking of going with this for a vanilla, podcast, videocast community site: http://www.inmotionhosting.com/pages/powerPlan.html Any views?

c-unit

lookhere - It looks like a very average if not sub-par host. They're still on PHP 4. Plus their site sucks.

alaithea

I've been with TxD since last summer and have been pleased with their service and support. I just got a RoR project working on there with Shovel -- it set up Lighttpd for me and now I've got automated deployment with Switchtower. Swweeeet. I was looking at site5 for a new project I need hosted; they seem good as well, but I think I'll stick with TextDrive, as I have no real reason to move. Plus, it's cool that half of our hosting fees go to support open source development.

Minisweeper

I think you'll find a lot of hosts are still on php4? 6000$ a year is absolutely mental. Move your business to me!!!

c-unit

Yeah, you may find a lot of hosts still running 4, but I wouldn't pay for them.

Minisweeper

Any particular reasons to rush the upgrade to 5? Seems to have been trouble to me.