If you have zero control over your environment and no ability to inspect it, then I agree that static files are probably the way to go.
>> “… means being able to start your website by dumping everything into a folder and you're pretty much done (1 step installs).”
>> “Dumping everything into a folder and it just works (1 step installs) makes it easy for even beginners to get a website running, but also it makes your website, blog, forum, journal, or whatever, portable. Very easily portable. You need to put your website on a thumb drive and/or move it to a different domain? Done. Easy. It's just like backing up any folder.”