Most Important Features

[TSO]

If you had to name the top three most important features of a free Web host (i.e. no ads, Site builder, etc)...what would they be?

[goblin77]

No ads, surely, uptime 99.9% and Side builder.

[TSO]

Thanks for that! :) Anyone else?

[Smitty]

I think reliability is of the utmost improtance in a webhost, free or not. Let's face it, all the bells and whistles with no ads is fine and great, but what is the point of having all of those nice features if the host is always down? Surely all the add ons are nice, but I believe it is the reliability that is most important. Who wants to see their host disappear overnight? I infact think it is important for a host to actually show ads on their user's websites to gain some sort of revenue. But by the same token, I think it is important for those ads to be user placeable (in a noticeable area of course) so it doesn't affect the overall look of their website. -Smitty

[JonnyH]

Reliability/Support/Secure - The top 3 anyday in my books.

[Decker]

Reliability/Support/Secure

The above in any combination :-)

But as a free host, I'd say reliability & support may suffer due to the need to support the whole business not just individuals and the fact it 'will' be abused unless monitored (taking time away from other areas).

[TSO]

Thanks for the great feedback!

I guess the original reason for posting my question is that I've been talking with a few guys who actually work at some of the largest paid hosting providers in the world. What I heard from both of them is that simple shared hosting is on a trajectory to become completely free in the very near future. Hence, it is my opinion that free hosts will need to take on many (if not all) of the same qualities as paid hosts today. The input provided here certainly bears that out.

So thanks again! :D You guys have been a great help!

[Decker]

People would be quite surprised at the companies that actually do provide web-hosting, electricity companies, banks, newspapers, manufacturing, hosting providers to the masses from those - no - never - err!