HostMonster Web Hosting Package

HostMonster is one of the very few hosting companies that support Fantastico and SimpleScripts for auto script installation. This makes HostMonster stands out from the other hosting companies as they support a wide range of web application and scripts.

Applications supported by Fantastico

Here’s the list of scripts supported by Fantastico at Hostmonster. With the help of Fantastico, these scripts can be installed in just a few minutes. All you need to do is to input some basic configuration info (such as installation path, naming, users password, etc) and the system will helps you to setup everything including script installation and database configuration.

Applications supported by Simple Scripts

On the other hand, here’re what you can get from Simple Scripts.

In case you had installed WordPress at Hostmonster via Fantastico, be aware the version available is quite outdated (WP 2.6.5). It seems that folks at HM is not updating scripts at Fantastico as often as they do for SimpleScripts.

What to do if your WordPress is installed with Fantastico?

For those who had WordPress installed via Fantatico, the fastest way to keep your WP blog updated is by switching your installation from Fantastico to SimpleScripts. There are several ways to migrate your installation from Fantastico to SimpleScripts and the old methods used to be tedious and very risky.

However things are improved by now as SimpleScripts provide a one-click switching utility at their control page. To start switching, simply login to your Hostmonster cPanel and get to SimpleScripts control page. Click on ‘WordPress’ and scroll down once you reach at the installation page for WordPress. You’ll see a link under the title ‘Convert a Fantastico installation’.

Click in and select the WordPress you wish to convert. Click convert to proceed and everything should be done in seconds. By the time your WordPress installation is converted from Fantastico to SimpleScripts, login back to your WordPress installation page at SimpleScripts for the updates.

The switching process is pretty simple but it takes a few more steps than the usual for a standard WordPress updates. In case you need help, please do not hesitate to post your questions here. I’ll try my best to help.

As mentioned earlier, there are two script library available with Hostmonster services – Fantastico and SimpleScripts. While Fantastico is the better known automated script installer; SimpleScript turned out to be my favorite (just recently) as the installer works extremely simple and fast.

Details on Hostmonster SimpleScripts

As a followup post on my previous SimpleScript related entry, here’s the full list of scripts available in Hostmonster SimpleScripts Library.

With the help of SimpleScripts, installation of all these software is now ultra-easy and you can get it done within seconds!

What is Simple Scripts?

In short, SimpleScripts is an automated script installer just like Fantastico. The purpose of Simple Scripts is simple and direct – to provide an ultra-easy way to install web applications in your web host.

At the time of writing,  Simple Scripts include one-click web application for about 30 web applications. Not as much as you can get with Fantastico but it’s definately not bad for new comer in the industry.

A print screen of Simple Scripts on HostMonster looks something like this:

Featured Web Applications on Simple Scripts:

Where to get into Simple Scripts control panel from Host Monster?

Simple. There’s a list of software and services available with HostMonster at your cPanel main page. Look for the particular row and you’ll see the ‘Simple Scripts’ icon there. It should be grouped along with RubyGems, PHP Config, Fantastico De Luxe, as well as Agora Shopping Cart.

What’s good about Simple Scripts?

Honestly, I am happy with what I can do in Simple Scripts as an end users. However, I failed to notice any differences between Simple Scripts with Fantastico – thus it makes no sense for me to switch.

Nonetheless, from the web host’s point of view, Simple Scripts claims that they are much better than Fantastico as their system is better in term of maintenance, future expansions, price, branding options, as well as rapid updates.

Is this true? Well, I can’t be sure as I’m just a web hosting customers but not a owner of web hosting company. But what I do know is that many web hosting companies are already upgrading their services with Simple Scripts, including HostMonster.