DreamHost

DreamHost is a Los Angeles-based web hosting service|web hosting provider and domain name registrar. It is the web hosting branch of New Dream Network, LLC, founded in 1996 by Dallas Bethune, Josh Jones, Michael Rodriguez and Sage Weil, undergraduate students at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, and registered in 1999 by Michael Rodriguez. DreamHost began hosting customers' sites in 1997.

Web hosting
DreamHost's shared, virtual private server and dedicated hosting network consists of Apache, nginx and lighttpd web servers running on the Debian GNU/Linux operating system. The control panel is a custom application designed in-house, includes integrated billing and a support ticket system, and has received rave reviews from some customers. DreamHost's staff contribute to an official blog and a customer support wiki.

DreamHost does not offer call-in phone support, but customers can pay extra to request callbacks from support staff. Furthermore, a live chat option is available for all accounts when the level of support emails is low. This option is always available for customers that already pay the monthly fee for callbacks. The company hosts in excess of one million domains.

File hosting
In 2006, the company began a beta version file hosting service they call "Files Forever". The company states existing customers can store files "forever" after paying a one-time storage fee, and may redistribute or sell them with DreamHost handling the transactions.

Free application hosting
In 2009, the company began offering free web application hosting. Either with their own domain, or with a free subdomain, customers are able to make use of a number of open source applications, such as WordPress and MediaWiki without charge. The service is similar to, and can be integrated with, the Google App Engine. Through a control panel, customers are able to manage their applications or upgrade to the standard, fully managed hosting service.

Opportunities for nonprofits
DreamHost provides shared hosting services free of charge to qualified nonprofits.

The offer is limited to one shared hosting plan per nonprofit, and is only for US-based 501(c)(3) organizations. Domain registrations (other than any included with the plan) are not eligible for any discounts. Groups must be able to furnish DreamHost with an IRS-issued 501(c)(3) determination letter to qualify. The offer does not apply to virtual private servers, dedicated servers, domains or DreamHost's other services.

WikiQueer hosting
WikiQueer was hosted on DreamHost from October 28, 2010 to January 22, 2012. The hosting was shifted to a virtual private server on June 30, 2011 in preparation for WikiQueer's soft launch. Just prior to WikiQueer's Inauguration, the web hosting was changed to Linode. The selection of DreamHost as a WikiQueer web host was based, in part, on:
 * Green web hosting compatible with WikiQueer's green initiative
 * Compliance with WikiQueer's vendor policy
 * A commitment to standing by WikiQueer and its mission should the site ever come under attack
 * Ability to run WikiQueer on a nginx server with root access
 * LGBT friendly reputation
 * Financially supportive of nonprofits
 * USA based server