Rodent Regatta

Textpattern and WordPress are weblog tools based on MySQL and PHP. You might have read some of Shelley Powers’s articles from the LAMP series. LAMP stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP. The use of Linux and Apache on web servers is well-established. Clearly, this is the open-source approach to web-oriented development. Just as clearly, there will always be a religious debate about Microsoft’s alternatives to these four components.

Now, as weblog tools become capable content management systems (CMS), it is clear that this LAMP architecture is, and will continue to be, a significant enabler of future web services and web-based applications. No matter how effectively Microsoft competes, open-source advocates will keep these technologies alive. Some believe they will thrive.

Outstanding hosting, built around LAMP and optimized for LAMP-oriented content management systems, is not really common. It’s easy for novice users to get baffled by the various control panels, terminologies and specifications in the hosting world. If a change occurs at the host and the change isn’t communicated, your next visit to your host will present surprises. The key word in all of this is ”outstanding.” Outstanding providers of products and services are simply rare.

I’ve used only two or three hosts. My current host is Hosting Matters, but I originally signed up for Bloggerzone, which was later folded into Hosting Matters. I like the tools they provide and the help I’ve been able to get. I’ve recommended HM to others.

As of this morning, Dean Allen’s TextDrive service still has spots open on the VC200 list. Dean talked to some venture capitalists about raising money to start a host for Textpattern. Instead of taking that route, he decided to make an offer to charter customers. For $199 you get a rich set of hosting features for life. By signing up approximately 200 customers at $199 for a service optimized to LAMP, he raises the $40,000 needed to cover a couple of years of operating expenses.

The VC200, having helped launch the service, will get their hosting for life as part of TextDrive’s ongoing marketing budget. It’s an incredible deal. He starts a company with no debt. Two hundred or so customers get an outstanding host. Everybody gets to learn together about the future of hosting, web design, development and technology.

If you’re still looking for an outstanding hosting service, take a look.