Django back on Dreamhost?

I just received an email from Dreamhost regarding a suggestion I had voted on:

This is just a note to let you know that the suggestion:

“Add support for Django (a python web-development framework).”

from the category “New Features” has been marked as completed.

…

Done! We’ve had FastCGI support available for some time, and we’re working on supporting Python web apps through Passenger too.

While they’ve had FastCGI support in the past, Dreamhost’s servers repeatedly killed long-running Django instances. I’d like to receive some clarification about what has changed.

Passenger is also known as mod_rails so I’m curious to see what they have planned.

If Django support really is implemented, Dreamhost could become a really low-cost way to get a Django site on the web. Maybe Dreamhost’s abysmal score on Djangofriendly will improve a bit.

Some more info courtesy of Dreamhost’s customer support:

We’ve recently (last month or so) been working on changes to the process watcher script that make it less prone to killing long-running processes. As far as software support, there’s currently an open internal bug for installing/updating certain Python modules such as MySQLdb - hopefully that’ll address at least some of the issues people are having with us.

I know it’s still not perfect. But I’m trying to make it better. :)

And a final update, after I asked if they would be listing Django on their hosting page as a supported programming environment:

Not quite yet. But we’re working on some improvements (support for WSGI through Passenger, in particular) that will hopefully bring it up to a level where we’re proud enough about it to specifically mention it. :)

So, the email I received about support for Django does not mean that Django is officially supported, just that Django has a better chance of running now than it did before.


Discussion
Link to this comment

Hi, I also received mail, but exactly needs to be done to activate, I search in the wiki.dreamhost.com but nothing found. thanks

July 18th 2008, 5:43 a.m. by ferran
Link to this comment

If that e-mail doesn't mean, that it is officially supported, it is rather pointless. You could always replace the whole Python stack on there up to flup with your own stuff. And if core modules like MySQLdb are still out of date, ... you're getting dangerously close to just doing that.

July 18th 2008, 6:26 a.m. by Horst
Link to this comment

I've been running my little blog on django there for a little bit with success. I'm running my own compiled version of python instead of the one on the server, so I already have all the modules I need on it.

July 18th 2008, 8:42 a.m. by William Stearns
Link to this comment

William, any chance you can link to (or post) instructions on how to recreate your Dreamhost setup for those that might want to go this route?

July 18th 2008, 2:02 p.m. by Ryan Berg
Link to this comment

Based on my non-Django-related adventures with Dreamhost in the past, I'm still inclined to avoid them like the plague. I recently started developing with Django, and I've found Webfaction to be very affordable, without the randomness of DH.

Plus...last time I used DH, their admin looked like ass. I know that crappy form doesn't necessarily mean lack of function, but it sure doesn't inspire confidence.

August 11th 2008, 3:17 p.m. by David K.

Comments are disabled for this item