ArticlesReader.com Menu

Newest Articles
Most Viewed Articles
ArticlesReader.com RSS
Submit Article
Login
Signup

Search the articles

Articles Main Categories

Advice
Animals
Automobiles
Business
Career
Communications
Computer Programming
Computers
Entertainment
Environment
Family
Fashion
Finance
Food
Health & Medical
Home & Garden
Humor
Internet Business
Internet Marketing
Legal
Leisure & Recreation
Marketing
Other
Politics
Reference & Education
Religion
Self Improvement
Sports
Technology & Science
Travel
Writing

Subscribe

Receive alert message from us when new articles submitted to our site for free.

Syndicate

Related Products

Home::Web Hosting

UNIX vs. Windows- What server operating system should you use for your web hosting?

Author : Tim Shaw

So youve decided to create a website? The most obvious thing that you need is of course web hosting. Among other things, like cost and features, youll need to decide which server youll need: Windows (NT, 2000 or XP) or Unix (Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc.).

Both have their merits, so the first thing you should think about when making this decision is if you are looking for stability, or ease of use. UNIX based servers are generally superior in the site up-time and stability areas than Windows systems. However, while they need to be rebooted more often, Windows servers are generally easier to administer and use.

Many beginners to web hosting will be confused over the pros and cons of the different operating systems. While, Unix is more stable and secure it uses a command line interface for administration. This interface, which is like the original MS-DOS interface, can be difficult to understand to a website newbie. Also, in order to keep a UNIX machine stable, one must update the kernel and software regularly, a process which is more difficult than Windows. This however, can be made just as easy to do if your web host has good administration software.

Another thing to consider when choosing which operating system to use is whether you will be using scripting. If so what kind? For example, if you will be using a dynamic site, and decide that you want to go Perl as your language of choice then UNIX should be your operating system of choice. This is also true for languages such as PHP, and Pythlon. On the other hand, if you choose to go for an ASP based site then you should choose Windows. However, to complicate the matter further some UNIX systems can run ASP scripts, although the quality of the script execution can be lesser.

Bare in mind that if you choose a Windows-based web server (this does not apply to hosting accounts as the host should take care of it for you) you will need to update the software with patches from Microsoft's web site almost weekly to prevent your site from being exploited. UNIX administrators will only have to do so monthly or so as UNIX is more secure by nature, and needs fewer patches and software updates.

Unix operating systems are generally the preferred operating system, however, in the end, if you do everything correctly, a UNIX hosted web site and a Windows hosted web site will function somewhat equally, and both should make you happy. Be sure to keep operating costs and maintained in mind when making your decision and you won't regret it.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tim Shaw is director of (Big Wow Web Hosting), a cheap and reliable web host. He has written several books and ebooks on web hosting, and has had many years experience in computers, the web and web hosting.

Spam emails More free articles

More related feeds

An Introduction to UNIX Web Hosting | Tech
This is functionally very similar to UNIX, so most web servers will use Linux. What Is Apache? The Apache HTTP Server is an open-source HTTP server for modern operating systems including UNIX and Windows NT. ...

Power failures and IP addresses
Unix/Linux/Mac OS X support by phone, email or on-site: Support Rates. This is a Unix/Linux resource website. It contains technical articles about Unix, Linux and general computing related subjects, opinion, news, help files, how-to's, ...

Web Hosting Affiliate Programs | UK Web Hosting | Linux Windows ...
As far as possible make sure that your web hosting service provider does not change the plan that is offered to you at the start. At least, the plan should be valid to you for another year or two. If this web hosting company changes the ...

egroupware install on remote host by ksystems0000 | FreeLance Home ...
I need to install egroupware as soon as possible on my web server.I use cpanel for my server hosted by resellerzoom.com I would like this to be done ASPS.You can find the program here:http://www.egroupware.org/ (Budget: $30-100, ...

Linux: Should You Use Twice the Amount of Ram as Swap Space?
Now, many admins (both Windows and Linux/UNIX) follow an old rule of thumb that your swap partition should be twice the size of your main system RAM. Let us say I've 32GB RAM, should I set swap space to 64 GB? ...

VoIP Auto Dialer (skype). by nouxiouss | FreeLance Home Jobs
Hi, We are an VOIP service Provider and want a mobile voip dialer that will work with mobile phonessupporting symbian, windows mobile5 and 6 or any other compatible operating systems. The dialer should also: -operate on 3G, wifi, ...

Codeflux’s Fast and Easy Internet Diagnostic Tools | MakeUseOf.com
They often use a command line to run programs such as ping, traceroute, nslookup, whois, etc. Codeflux has an Internet tools gateway that allows you to run such programs from the convenience of your web browser. ...

Web Multitrack Player . by otproject | FreeLance Home Jobs
Keywods:Page / Site Design,Microsoft Windows,Java,Hand Held / PDA,PHP,Internet Browser,Music,Web Services,MySQL,Embedded Systems,Audio Editing,Other,IPhonePlace Your Bid Post similar project ...

IETF: Should we ignore the Kaminsky bug?
Learn why relying on off-the-shelf operating systems and Internet-based remote access control to carry out production tasks, traditional control networks can leave today's global industrial infrastructures vulnerable to hackers, ...

Judge to SCO: shut up and pay up | Computerworld Blogs
Welcome to a special IT Blogwatch EXTRA: as Richi Jennings watches the "final" judgment in the SCO vs. Novell saga. Not to mention how Firefox reacts to pop-ups...

UNIX vs. Windows- What server operating system should you use for your web hosting?

Related articles