Sorry for the off topic post, but I know there are lots of web professionals here. I'm trying to help a friend get set up with a reliable, affordable, relatively easy to administer host for his small service-business website. Any that you'd heartily recommend? Thanks!

DO NOT GO WITH DOT5HOSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had way too many issues with them. I am going to go with go daddy when I renew.

Quote - Sorry for the off topic post, but I know there are lots of web professionals here. I'm trying to help a friend get set up with a reliable, affordable, relatively easy to administer host for his small service-business website. Any that you'd heartily recommend? Thanks!

Try this one!

Lots of perks, low cost, very reliable.

My partner and I use GoDaddy

I use 1and1.
Cheap and reliable, support could be quicker but haven't needed it a lot!!

www.a1hostco.net

I've had great luck with Hurricane Electric http://www.he.net/

I use Dreamhost, very reliable, easy to upload and use, good tools.

A Small Orange has decent packages www.asmallorange.com  either shared or full vps and you'd/ your friend would use full cpanel administration to setup and run the site/sites.  Relatively small so easier to get in touch with tech support etc.  Been with them since late 04 or 05.

1and1 for my site, and i'm very happy with it! ^^

Thanks for all the responses! I really appreciate the help in narrowing the field.

LOL if that narrowed it :)

I've got 1 and 1 and have been happy with it so far. :)

Attached Link: http://layingback.net

Lunarpages, no question.  See my site for info ad and links.  Have put half-dozen sites up over 5 years, and not had any problems whatsoever.  24x7 email support.  Forum support, plus 6 day phone support.  Good rates, reliable service:  average of 5 sites for 5 years with no problems takes some beating!!!  And they are nice peeps to deal with.

If you want a reliable - secure - low maintenance CMS, suggest Dragonfly CMS.  PM me here or at my site for more info.

I have 1&1 for my main site but still use (zero)0catch.com for one. I get more space, bandwidth and email, plus a domain name at 1&1 but 0catch has an html editor that is easy to use or you can go with pre-made templates.

Lunarpages is good for small sites (probably even normal sized sites), i used to be hosted with them (i stopped hosting with them because i dont have the time to run and maintain a popular site anymore :( )  for the downloads part of my old site, when you have hundreds to thousands of site visitors visiting your site at the same time lunarpages tends to crap out royally..... they are overselling their servers, i have been woken up a few times by a lunarpages tech person on the phone (usually someone who can barely speak english) because of high server usage, because i had a semi popular site....

Most webhosts offer high storage and bandwidth, at low, low prices... these are companys who are overselling their servers, i.e: they are hoping you and others on the same server wont be using the max of what their hosting packages offer ! If you are intending to have a "popular" site then you have to take into account CPU and memory usage as well, which is something most webhosts dont mention (and tend to limit badly because their servers are oversold !!!

With my old site i had to get a second webhost who didnt oversell his server so i could shunt the heavily visited parts of my old site to it.... a quality webhost costs more, but the server will cope with high server usage....

The cheap webhosts like just about everyone mentioned in this thread are good for small sites, or sites that are just starting out.... but if the site grows in popularity be prepared for a lot of expense in having to find a decent host which doesnt oversell their servers, or maybe eventually have to get a dedicated server !

Quote - I use Dreamhost, very reliable, easy to upload and use, good tools.

I use Dreamhost as well. :)

www.dreamhost.com