Linux vs Windows Hosting
In the world of operating systems used by web servers there is a diverse number of choices but the most widely used operating systems for web hosting are Windows and Linux. Windows currently offers Windows Server 2003 with 2008 coming soon while Linux comes in a variety of different versions each with their own advantages. It is not important for this discussion which version of Linux is being used because generally speaking the advantages and disadvantages of Linux vs Windows will remain the same.
The main difference between when you are considering Linux vs Windows hosting is the technologies they support. ASP is a powerful and popular scripting language for web pages and web applications and is only supported on Windows. A similarly powerful scripting language is PHP and while Windows can support it, PHP works better in a Linux environment because that it what it was originally designed for.
When comparing performance between Linux vs Windows serving only basic HTML pages then you will often find there is no real difference. There are a lot of resources and professionals in the industry that will tell you that Linux or Windows is better but they are frequently not looking at it from the same perspective as a customer but rather as administrators.
Even if you are a casual user of the Internet then it is safe to say that you have viewed pages hosted on both Linux and Windows. Stop for a moment if you will and ask yourself the following question:
Were you even aware of what operating system the server you were visiting was using?
The answer to that question in almost all instances will be: No. You had no reason to want to know what operating system a web server was using. What was important to you is that when you requested a website it came up quickly and with no errors. As a potential creator a website yourself you should consider the fact that if it didn’t matter to you what operating system a web server was using then chances are it won’t matter to your users either.
When it comes to server performance a good preventative maintenance program combined with close monitoring will make a lot more difference than what operating system the server is using. Some highly specialized website developers may need a specific operating system installed on a web server for their web site to work correctly but by far and large most users will never see a difference.
If you are looking for a host you should evaluate as best you can what sort of procedures they have in place for maintaining and monitoring their servers regardless of which operating system they are using on them. A well maintained web server, good customer service, and competitive pricing are the main considerations when you are looking for a new web-hosting provider.
If you find that the code you have implemented on your website is not functioning correctly or if you know well ahead of time that your development needs require a particular operating system in order to function properly then it is in your interest to make sure what operating system is being used and if it can support your particular needs.
If your code is implemented in such a way that it will work in any sort of hosting environment then your range of choices in hosts is far more open and you need only concern yourself with the operation and coding of your website. In spite of what some sources may tell you the truth is that no single server operating system is so much better than another that it will make a huge difference in the end.
Windows and Linux(coming soon)
Hosting From 3Essentials