I know this posting answering is late, but also a "heads up" to LP. Fantastico is basically for beginners who want to install script often with MySql with "1-click", maybe more.

The best thing to do is to manually install the script and create the MySql database yourself through the cPanel uploading Drupal, WordPress, SMF, etc. etc. so you have much better control in each step of the installation whether on a Shared Server, VPS, Dedicated.

There are times when I don't like the latest product and I prefer to stay with an older version and I don't want to be forced to use the latest version. Sometimes I want all the "bells & whistles" of the latest version or even 'beta' or early 'RC(release candidate)' of a certain product.

I was with a hosting company some years ago that was the *HOTTEST* hosting company. Reliability and Uptime was great. This former company that I used decided that they didn't want to pay cPanel and went with their own in house proprietary system. The 1st round was problematic so I asked to go back to cPanel. Bugs were worked out and forced to their propriety 'control panel'. It was okay, but not great. So then they come out with Version 2, new and improved .

This was the most horrible experience I went through. I had my websites with this company and my client websites with this company. They outsourced their customer support to another country as they struggled with English. I spent two month trying to work with this webhosting company -as they were formerly the *BEST*. Within months all the web hosting reviewers downgraded this company. Websites went down, manual MySql installations were impossible, email didn't work, etc. etc.

Many of these clients came to LunarPages including myself. Even at this time I feel very uncomfortable having all my websites and customer sites with one web hosting company so I use LunarPages and another reputable hosting company. I am also thinking of spreading my clients over 3 web hosting companies.

This former company I was with is downgraded so badly that on most reputable hosting reviews, they have asked that comments be removed. A simple search and you can easily find more bad reviews on this former company. I would post their name, but LP has a policy not to put the name of other web hosting companies.

So when I hear about LunarPages coming out with some proprietary cPanel to save money, this really makes me feel uncomfortable and I start looking for other companies as alternative. I have been with LunarPages for over 4 years, but I have no problems leaving LunarPages tomorrow -if they became unreliable like my former web hosting companies I have used in the past. I am using only one example regarding 'control panels', there are other hosting companies trying to cut corners and instead cut themselves out of business

Some of the former hosting companies are now bankrupt or sold out to other companies and barely survive. I know it is uncomfortable to learn to install your own scripts, but it is even worse when uptime is completely unpredictable, email doesn't work, customer service can barely speak your first language, etc. Also very frustrating when a webhosting company takes 5 minutes to load an html page with only simple text, tech support ignores your problem and ignores you...

As long as LunarPages can maintain it's stable uptime, fast loading of websites, reliable email, good customer service, etc. I don't care about Fantastico and all the programs available,  I don't care if LunarPages got rid of Fantastico If I want any script, I'll download it myself and install it myself! I do need the reliability and quick loading of pages. If and when LunarPages cannot deliver on reliability and performance, I'll find another hosting company tomorrow -because there are other hosting companies just as good as LunarPages looking for your business

If you really need a certain script installed, I'm sure that LP will have one of their professionals install a certain program for you. Not everyone wants to learn to install scripts, tweak PHP or play with MySql. If this is something that you do not want to learn -by all means call LP and for a small fee or less, they will install the specified script that you want

You sure are asking about a lot of things today! Anyway, for matters Drupal, start with drupal.org. They'll tell you what it's about and point you to a lot of sites built with Drupal. It's a "Content Management System" that gives you building blocks for making a complex site without having to do any HTML or PHP coding.