Following on this thread: http://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/9001/free-webhosting-site-name
I've periodically thought of starting a free web hosting company. I think if I was going to do it, I'd do it like this:
Server
Either
- Kimsufi 2x500GB disk, 4GB RAM, 2-CPU/4-Thread Atom. Cheap and you don't need a lot of horsepower for free web hosting. About $23/month. @rds100 has similar
- Or a large DDOS-protected VPS. $25 + $3 = $28/month from BuyVM in Vegas for 2GB/4GB+70+4TB + . @KuJoe has DDOS-protected-VPS as well.
Client Panel
Have to be a free panel - Zpanel or Kloxo. I know cPanel is more popular but this is free.
Other Software
Have to find some sort of free-ish billing software.
And of course the usual - some sort of anti-Spam, ClamAV, CSF/LFD, etc.
Ah well just musing at this point...I have enough other projects that aren't done yet :-)
...though I couldn't resist registering HostItForFree.com