Aaargh! There are several Perl portals and other CGI's out there that I would like to install and play with, but they require mod_perl to run. I asked my current webhost if they could install it, and I received this reply:

... There's no way to use mod_perl because all the scripts are loaded into memory... Impossible in a shared envirnoment, with hundreds, even thousands of scripts...

Is mod_perl just not feasible for a shared webhost? Are there any webhosts out there that support mod_perl in a shared hosting environment, or am I stuck either hacking the scripts that are out there, writing my own, or finding a cheap co-lo service where I can put my own box running mod_perl?

My webhost is Superb.net, and they are running Perl 5.8.0 on SunOS 5.9. If a Perl module is not installed, they are usually pretty quick to install it. Their only drawback is that they won't install mod_perl (see the quote above). Their web server is Apache/1.3.26 with tomcat, mod_throttle, PHP, mod_fastcgi, and a few others.

What keeps me there? Reliability and support. In two years there has only been one unscheduled outage that I remember. Every support issue that I had, from billing to configuration issues, has been addressed within 24 hours, and most of the time within 2 hours.

Do I want to move to another host? If I can find a host that offers mod_perl at a comparable price, I would definitely consider it.

Tell me about your webhost's support for Perl and mod_perl.

I found references to the following hosts supporting Perl or mod_perl in articles here on the monestary. Here is a short list of hosts that I came up with:

• pairNetworks from this node.
• FutureQuest from this node.
• jcwren monk hosting from this node.
• Hurricane Electric Internet Services from this node.
• FreeWebSpace.net guide to free webhosting from this node
• ISPs Supporting mod_perl list on Apache's site from this node. (Super search really works ;)
  Superb.net is listed here, but you need a dedicated or co-lo server to have mod_perl, both of which start around $140US. :(

I started writing this article out of frustration from the realization that I may have to pay more every month to get mod_perl functionality from a webhost e.g. co-location or dedicated server. After searching for 'web host' and reading several of the writeups here at the monestery, I realized that the collective wisdom of the monks is uplifting, diverse, informative and helpful just like a community should be. A big ++ to everyone who has posted something here at the monestery. :)

--
hiseldl

P.S. Yes, there are equivalent PHP scripts, etc., but I'm a Perl Monk, not a PHP Monk. ;)