Query on Unlimited Reseller Hosting:

I’m currently stuck on deciding between 2 great free web hosts!
Here’s the breakdown:

Host # 1:
- short subdomain (about 3 char. long)
- cPanel w/fantastico
- PHP and Perl Support
- Unlimited Sub-domains, E-mail, & MySQL Databases
- Somewhat inactive owner
- somewhat active hostees
- very slow response (I posted a question at the forum and I only got a reply from the owner 10 days later)
- not responsible for back-ups
- owner has to review apps first
- reseller at surpasshosting

HOST # 2:
- long subdomain (about 14 char. long)
- No cPanel but has Webmin control panel instead
- Unlimited space and bandwidth
- Up to 2 subdomains (more upon request) and up to 5 websites
- PHP 5.2, Ruby on Rails 1.2, MySql 5.0, phpMyAdmin, etc.
- regular offsite back-ups
- Very active owner (I sent 2 questions through email to him already and responded less than 30 minutes!)
- Somewhat inactive hostees
- very selective when it comes to hostees (But I fit)
- own server
I’m not linking to the sites because I don’t want to attract applications from noobs and abusers if you know what I mean…

The site I’m planning to make is a personal site and portfolio/fanlisting collective. I might buy a domain name and my own hosting account next year when I get my online payment stuff set-up. But for now, free-hosting will do.

What do you guys think? Any opinion is much appreciated.

(more…)