Yes, they are probably not for newbies, but overall I have been happy with them. I have had less problems with them than I did with EV1. Again, you get what you pay for, but still. I just ordered my second server from them today. Fred
Go for the most reputable hosting companies ... GoDaddy, HostGator, ServerBeach, etc etc. I have dedicated hosting at GoDaddy, absolutely love it. Site is never offline. I used Hostony.com before (shared, mind you) and it was horrible. I learned not to mess with noname companies.
So I'm a noob...heh! Anyway, let's not go into how many VPSs and dedi boxes I manage myself. You had your say...so I stop here
No specific recommendation here. What you really need to do is develop a checklist of features and deliverables required for your specific needs. Put them in a spreadsheet, and start doing the research. Part of your research ought to be searching on "hosting company x sucks" for each and every company.
That honestly wasn't directed towards you. That was really just a general statement. In other words, if you are someone who is going to send a ton of requests for support, then it is definitely not for you. I think overall it is really just luck of the draw. Some people purchase Mercedes Benz's and have problems with them as well.