# Media Temple or Dreamhost **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [October 27, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907 "2006-10-27T21:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/1 "2006-10-27T21:50:29Z")
I have a feeling this question has been asked (if not many times) but I was wondering what people’s opinion are that have dealt with both. Which has been a better RoR application host? Which has had the best uptime? Which is more customizable, as far as adding gems, etc goes? -Mark ---
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/2 "2006-10-27T23:00:24Z")
Mark T. wrote: > Which has been a better RoR application host? > Which has had the best uptime? > Which is more customizable, as far as adding gems, etc goes? Not sure about Dreamhost because I’ve never hosted with them, just know that Dreamhost has had many reliablility problems lately due to a recent power outage - then a spiraling problem with a mystery network problem. MediaTemple and Dreamhost I believe are both housed in the same facility. As far as rails hosting, I’ve played around with MT’s new GS product and it’s pretty cool if you’re not looking for a VPS solution. Gives you a 64mb rails container (sandbox so you don’t take down the server, is like a mini VPS) that you can run your apps in. They use apache (not 2.2, 2.0 something) and proxie rails requests to 1 mongrel instance. So all images, css, etc is served by apache. My experience is that one rails app on there eats up about 25 to 30mb or ram, so you probably shouldn’t host more than 1 app per container safely. You can upgrade your containers ram (256mb for $25, 1B for $75). Gem install is done via their local servers (for C compiled gems) or can via others. Can run subversion. Is $20 a month. Speed is ok, but have only had it for a week and haven’t really played with it too much. So, my vote would be for MediaTemple just because I have experience with them. Hope that helps. DC ---
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/3 "2006-10-27T23:18:23Z")
David C. wrote: > Mark T. wrote: > As far as rails hosting, I’ve played around with MT’s new GS product and > it’s pretty cool if you’re not looking for a VPS solution. > > Gives you a 64mb rails container (sandbox so you don’t take down the > server, is like a mini VPS) that you can run your apps in. They use > apache (not 2.2, 2.0 something) and proxie rails requests to 1 mongrel > instance. So all images, css, etc is served by apache. > > My experience is that one rails app on there eats up about 25 to 30mb or > ram, so you probably shouldn’t host more than 1 app per container > safely. You can upgrade your containers ram (256mb for $25, 1B for $75). > Gem install is done via their local servers (for C compiled gems) or can > via others. Can run subversion. Do you know if the server has ImageMagick or GraphicsMagick. I need to use the RMagick gem which requires either package. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/4 "2006-10-27T23:20:38Z")
I am also trying out MT but I’m on my way out it seems. It has a lot of potential but for some reason my app (which I host now on three other servers just fine) seems to keep growing on size and it ends up being killed. I also run into problems with their Urchin stats. My rails app don’t seem to taken into consideration into the stats. Their support is good for small things (you can call 24/7) but if the problem is mildly complex they tell you to write a ticket and it takes 24-48 to get a response. So far I’m not very impressed with their support at all. BTW, I have hosted with Dreamhost and I would not go back. They are just not good with performance and stability. Hope it helps, AEM On 10/27/06, David C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > MediaTemple and Dreamhost I believe are both housed in the same > My experience is that one rails app on there eats up about 25 to 30mb or – Adrian Esteban Madrid ---
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/5 "2006-10-27T23:40:40Z")
They have their own RMagick gem and although I have installed it I haven’t tested it yet. AEM On 10/27/06, Donut D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). > > > – Adrian Esteban Madrid ---
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/6 "2006-10-28T02:08:28Z")
Adrian M. wrote: I also run into problems with their Urchin stats. My > rails app don’t seem to taken into consideration into the stats. Yeah, urchin is run against your apache stats only, and it doesn’t seem to log transactions from the containers. Plus their implementation of Urchin counts all domains you host with them as the same, so I don’t really think you could ever count on them to be reliable (e.g.; 5 domains, 1 access log - lame). Google Analytics is free and is pretty good (just Urhin 6 vs MT’s Urchin 5 install). I agree, in concept it sounds like a good thing, and probably will once they start fixing issues (said they are looking into allowing you to run mongrel\_cluster, svn via webdav, more than 1 mysql user, etc.). Also, you only get one MySQL user, kinda lame. They’re “looking into” allowing more in the future. I’m playing, then probably gonna cancel end of the month. Hope TextDrive’s cheaper Open Solaris containers come out soon. I’m sure they’ll be way better. ---
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 4:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/7 "2006-10-28T04:32:54Z")
I’ve been with DreamHost for about a year and my experience has been a mixed bag of potatoes. On the one hand I think they offer a well-priced product with (in my opinion, good support) nice features. On the other hand, they’re not for five-nines hosting…in fact they’re not for the faint of heart hosting 🙂 So if it is a mission-critical, biz-oriented site, DH would be off my list! Now, if it’s for your personal use or perhaps a small biz site I think they are a good value. I’m pretty happy with RoR on FCGI on my shared boxen there (when it’s up). Runs fine and have yet to get the much feare Error 500 (with the fix they published in their Wiki). So…to semi-answer your question…if you need the server and the rails app to be up at all times, and ultra-fast, responsive support and redundant data-centers…DreamHost is NOT what you’e looking for. If you just want get your toes wet and hack away Rails apps and if you’re looking for lame, pseudo-intellectually-unfunny newsletters then DH is the place for you 🙂 Poor Josh…he’s just trying too hard (read his blog LOL). ---
**Author:** ![markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@markthomas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/markthomas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/media-temple-or-dreamhost/73907/8 "2006-10-28T01:18:45Z")
I have only seen complaints about Dreamhost. I host with Railsplayground (don’t let the name fool you, they are very professional) and love their service. I recommend them to all of my clients. I have heard good things about Planet Argon. There is also Engine Y. and Rails Machine. Sorry to make your decision more difficult, but you should really check out these other sites as well. Carl