whats the best hosting company?

hey all. I have been working of my university mysql php database, and web hosting.
but now it is time to get my own database and site hosting for my portfolio.

so i just want to ask a few questions.

1. whats the best php database and web hosting company around?

2. i will be transferring all my php websites from the university hosting and exporting my data base tables to the new hosting. what complications could arise in terms of compatibility between server versions.  

3. should i go for Linux or windows hosting. (i heard Linux is funny if php is formatted without capitals in query's?)

4. Should a portfolio website be my name? and is it best to get .com or .co.uk  example: christopher-sowerby.com was thinking hyphens are bad to use?

here is all the info i can find on what my data base set up is at university:

# MySQL client version: 5.0.77
# Used PHP extensions: mysql
# Server version: 5.0.77
# Protocol version: 10
# Server: Student and Staff MySQL Server (Localhost via UNIX socket)
# User: g7090679@localhost
# MySQL charset: UTF-8 Unicode (utf8)