[FidiBus]

hi,
this question can never be answered by: i use xxx they are ok.

1) if you start to looking for a host it will take about 1 to 3 month to find the right one
2) where do you live?
3) what connections use your internetprovider
4) from where will your site visitors come mostly
5) where is your hoster located
6) what infrastructure has the hoster (connections to the internet)
7) do the hoster have a forum (read it read it read it)
8) don´t look only at the price (you get what you pay for(mostly))
9) big hosting companys are not allways that good (it can be a nightmare)
10) try allways to registrate your domain(s) with a external providers where you have full control(makes life more easy) and eaven they have to be watched because it is importand how theire dns-servers work.
11) may look out for small or middle local hosting-providers in your area
12) never think on a unmanaged vps or root server if you have no clue how to secure such toy. in worst case it can cost you a lot of money because you and only you are responseable for this.

these are just a few points to think on but eaven then you will make misstakes and have to learn from them.
all hosting providers just cooking with water as everyone. they just work with computers but the point is how smart theire admins are when it comes to problems. it is no problem to setup a server with c-panel it can be done in less then 30min. and wooosh the money is roling in. no it is not that easy you need a very smart and flexible admin to serve a server.
eaven if your friend may is fully satesfied with a hoster it is not for sure you will be. all depends on on wich server your site will be exists and of corse of your neighbors on the same server.

and a last point is:
be aware of what you install on your webspace. many scripts out there are really dangerous when it comes to security. these days there are excisting many good coders but most of them have no clue about security or think on server-recources.

and after reading all this you are now really confused
but that´s how life is.