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Hosters are impossible. (A.k.a. get me what I want, not what I don't want!)

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worstje:
Why do all webhosters insist on selling me shit I have no interest in? Sure, cheap packages are cheap, but they are only cheap if you use what they offer! And fate has it that what I want isn't in their packages, unless I pay through the nose for shit I don't want.

What I _do_ want:

* One POP3 box, minimum of 100mb. More are nice, but not required.
* Wildcards for all addresses. (worstje+test@... and worstje+crap@... both go to worstje@...)

* Aliases and/or mail-forwards. (abc@... and def@... to either worstje@... or even [email protected])
* Optional-and-probably-nice-to-have: Webmail access.
* Optional-and-on-the-edge-of-unwanted: Really basic html webpage.
What I do not want nor need:

* Tons of webpage host space.
* PHP support.
* Upto 10 MySQL databases.
* Subdomains
* Sitebuilders.
* Guestbooks.
* Blogs.
* Visitor trackers
* Photo gallery.
* Etc etc etc.
In other words: I've got a domain already in my possession. I just need somewhere to point it that allow me to do the shit I want without paying for 'cheap' packages that aren't cheap to me because they sell me shit I have no need for. Think of a post office box, but digital. That's all I seek.

Oh, and Google is not an option. Besides the very annoying multiple-domains-are-not-supported-for-simultaneous-logins-anymore thing, they are free and an adfest. If you don't pay, you aren't the customer. You are the PRODUCT. As I want to use this for my private and semi-businesslike dealings, that is not an amount of trust I'm giving to them.

Anyone able to help out with suggestions for good hosters and such?

40hz:
You might be looking in the wrong place. You don't appear to be looking for a web host; you're looking for an email hosting service that supports address forwarding. (All of then can do that BTW.)

Only problem is they're usually not any cheaper than a provider who tosses in all the other stuff. Most times they'll cost more because email hosts tend to cater to a more 'professional' security and reliability conscious market. Great if you're a doctor, attorney or financial advisor who has regulatory compliance concerns regarding your electronic communications. For the average individual it's mega-overkill.

From what I've seen, the minimum entry price point for semi-decent web anything runs about $7-$10 USD per month no matter where you get it. You may not always get what you paid for. But from my experience with buying hosting you'll also never get more than you paid for. Besides, these guys are smart business people who watch each other like hawks and quickly match each other's offers. With the result that most are within the same ballpark. And probably why it seems they're competing by offering boatloads of features 90% of their customers are impressed by - but never use. (Like I said - they're smart businessmen! ;D )

Since you're not interested in 'how much' you can get for your money, you can feel free to focus more on host quality, security, and reliability when picking your champion.

Luck! :Thmbsup:

Eóin:
I use GeekISP, they provide everything on your "want" list, and some things on the "do not want" list. Been with them for years without a hitch. It's very much lowlevel shell access, not control panel stuff, though the FAQ tells you everything you need.

worstje:
@40hz: I tried searching for email hosters, but it's sorta tricky. Fact of the matter is that old fashioned web hosters also advertize with email hosting, so most of the google results go to them. (At least for as far my experiences today have gone.) While $7-$10 isn't much, I still feel it is a lot given my list of requirements. There's no abundant amounts of bandwidth involved (unlike the average website), nor is there a lot of storage capacity involved. (Unlike the average photo album that just keeps on collecting and collecting...)

@Eóin: That hoster does look good, especially the IMAP part. :) Their website sort of lacks an easy overview that I've been able to tell. Basically, I think the Email-Only+Domain is what I am looking at, which basically covers the first four points on my list, and not the very optional fifth. Then again, their pricing plan for that seems to link to some @mval.net domain, rather than my own. Can that be combined and such?

If you do not know, I'll contact them; but it is nice to know these things that are pretty much the prime advertising numbers for every other service out there.

Stoic Joker:
Many of the domain registrars offer mail hosting for parked domains for only a few dollars more than the standard registration fee ... And if you only want one mailbox it sometimes included for free.

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