Why I ditched Bluehost and went to Dreamhost

I've been slightly miffed at Bluehost ever since the beginning, when I was having some kind of casual day when I signed up and actually gave them my real phone number, and they CALLED it-- why?  Just to verify that it was the right one!  That was so irritating.  What does my hosting need my real phone number for?  It was just more of this verification (read denial of privacy) that's so fashionable these days.
And what if it hadn't been my real number?  It usually isn't.  Then what if it wasn't?  Would the money they got off my Visa card not be valid any more and I'm gonna have to do without the privilege of being their customer?
The hosting itself was okay and earlier this year I even renewed my hosting with them for another three years, more out of laziness than anything else. 

I got a free domain with the Bluehost hosting.  I wasn't doing anything with it, it was just floating along above my other domains.  At some point I noticed they had changed the Whois records on it from the information I had put, to something about Bluehost privacy service.
I figured maybe they were taking a page from Dreamhost's book.  Dreamhost says, "Why should we charge customers for something that doesn't cost us anything?" Good question!  All the other hosts charge extra for "privacy service".
I can't say I was thrilled that Bluehost applied it without even asking me.  That's my domain, not theirs, and they don't have the right to changed the registration info without my approval.  What if I hadn't wanted privacy? 

Then I get this delightful email from Bluehost:  "DOMAIN PRIVACY HAS EXPIRED"  It was seven in the evening, I was in a hurry, and I only glanced quickly down the email, to: "This information will then be viewable to the public in the WHOIS database and may put your personal privacy at risk. The following is your private information which is currently masked:" and they had my name, address and phone number as it appears on my bill! 

I replied:

Thanks a BUNCH you buttheads. You changed what I had up there before, took it upon YOURSELF to privatize it without even asking me and now you put my PHYSICAL HOME ADDRESS on the INTERNET all this without my permission. I officially hate you and I'll be cancelling as soon as I can transfer all my stuff off. For pity's sake you could have at least WARNED ME!!!!!!!! That the "free privacy" you put on there without asking me was going to expire! You SUCK!

Yes, a little stronger than usual from me  :-)  

I was already busy and had to run, but that stayed on my mind, as just another annoying item added to my to-do list when I really don't need any more items added.

Oh sure, of course I read it more slowly the next day. They were only threatening to turn privacy off in the next 14 days if I didn't ante up for another years' worth of this "service", and it did say "your domain name will return to showing the information you previously entered."

So, is that my fault for skimming my email too fast?   I think not.  Someone in marketing sent it that way on purpose.  It was designed to make people pay the $15 rather than fuss with another item on their to-do list, and phooey on THAT.

Being ticked off about a small matter that it's within my power to change, is a powerful motivator. I was over at Dreamhost instantly, checking into hosting. I already have some domains there, attracted by the free privacy and the overall coolth. Dreamhost is laid back. They tolerate privacy freaks, even cater to them. Their TOS say they'll wait for an actual court order before taking action against you, not just some scary-looking letter from a lawyer. Last April 1st they sent a newsletter around saying they were outsourcing their tech support to India. I was alarmed about that for a few minutes too, though nothing to the above extent-- April Fools!

Dreamhost is $10 a month, an unfortunate $3 more a month than I was paying with Bluehost. I emailed Dreamhost asking when they were going to do the fantastic one-year hosting sale (explained my problem) and was told that the sale is on major holidays-- and now! That's right, he gave me the huge discount, just to be nice! With the discount applied, I'm set up for the next three years at the same price as Bluehost was. Starting year four it'll be more, but if TEOTWAWKI hasn't happened by then, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Anyway, cheapskate that I am, I'm always willing to pay to support something or someone admirable. Dreamhost deserves to live long and prosper.

Back to me-- now I had to switch hosts, which on dialup is no small or laughing matter. Just stay connected all night and let it crank away! It's all done by now, and I take a moment to tell you about it :-)