Help! Need advice...

[Guest benzo]

I am planning to set up a php forum for science geeky types.

I have downloaded the latest php package.

I need to buy a domain name (I've investigated and got the perfect one in mind).

I need to find a host the forum (that sounds so Stargate-ish!).

Paul has advised me that I should run it off a unix host.

Does anyone know a company that can register domain and reliably host the forum on a unix platform?

Will I need to learn sql and stuff like that?

Thanks in advance!

Benzo