Windows and Linux are software packages, commonly known as operating systems, which are used by web servers to perform their various functions. Whether to opt for Windows or Linux is a dilemma which is encountered by many clients and a word of advice in this matter is that the web hosting platform is seldom affected by the operating system. This implies that a Windows desktop PC need not be restricted to Windows web hosting and as long as the user has an understanding of his web publishing software, he should be able to make a decision in accordance with his particular needs.

An individual overview of both operating systems would provide the necessary guidelines –

Windows – An operating system made by Microsoft, this package allows integration with all Microsoft products and is particularly noteworthy for its user friendly interface. Some of the available options are Windows 2000 server, 2003 server and Advanced Server and the only factor not in its favor is its high price and extra charges levied for additional software packages. Windows web hosting has the following advantages –

• Provision of ASP support and ASP .NET support

• Seamless integration with the powerful SQL database

• Easy compatibility with PHP and MySQL

• Database support is readily accessible

• IIS web server

Linux – Linux is the collective name given to a bunch of different operating systems and there are a number of companies and individuals who are involved in its subsequent creation and evolution. While its universal compatibility is its foremost benefit, there are other advantages attached to it like affordability and safety with the only drawback being a slightly complex interface. The advantages of Linux web hosting are listed as follows –

• Support for PHP and MySQL is guaranteed

• Compatibility with Apache web server

• Provision of support for Mod Rewrite

• Chmod file permissions are granted

On comparison, it has been found that a user who wishes to cultivate his website on ASP lines must opt for Windows web hosting where as a user who is more interested in PHP development must go for Linux web hosting. There are other factors like OpenBSD and compatibility with Microsoft products and while for the former Linux id recommended for the latter Windows is the perfect choice.

Last but not the least is the security issue wherein Linux scores above Windows as it is considered as being safer and hence more reliable.

Linux and Windows are the two operating systems used by most web hosting providers. Majority of users request web hosting packages based on either of the two operating systems. Although both systems can equally support different forms of web hosting plans, there are some distinguishing aspects that persuade users to prefer one over the other.

One aspect that puts the two operating systems apart is pricing. Linux web hosting plans are considerably cheaper than Windows hosting plans. This is due to the fact that Linux is available for free since it is an open source operating system. Providers using windows operating system as a hosting platform have to pay for a permit fee. The fee is obviously factored in when pricing Windows hosting plan making them more expensive than Linux hosting plan. Given that Linux hosting is as efficient and sometimes superior to Windows hosting, most providers and users alike prefers Linux.

Low prices notwithstanding Linux hosting plans are considered more reliable than the Windows hosting plans. Most users will first consider reliability over everything else while searching for hosting services. The deal is even better when such services are offered at a cheaper price which is the case with Linux hosting services. It should however be noted that to enjoy reliable Linux hosting services a user should seek a credible hosting provider who among other things ensures a regular maintenance of the server.

Security is equally a critical factor when searching for hosting plans. With increasing incidences of hacking a user should always keenly asses’ security features of a hosting plan. Linux have an edge over Window hosting on security issues. It allows users to put in place customized security measures unlike Windows which offer limited options.

Windows operating system is a Microsoft product and therefore compatible with all web related products from Microsoft. Web pages and scripts developed by Microsoft will only work on Window based hosting plans and good examples of this are Classic ASP as also ASP.NET web pages and script. Both are quite popular with users and since they cannot work with Linux operating system providers have to offer windows web hosting packages in order to serve their customers.

Similar users who wish to use Microsoft SQL and Microsoft access database for their sites have no option but to go for Window based web hosting services. Both are Microsoft products and can only be used with Windows operating system.

Both Linux and Window based web hosting services have unique features that appeal to different users depending on their needs. Linux is suitable for individual users due to low prices while Windows is more appealing to businesses since its rich with features required for online businesses.

Many people do not understand that they will need a company for hosting their website on. In this regard, not only do you need something that is going to be easy to maneuver around on but something which is not going to break your pocketbook as well. These two reasons are why more people are going with Linux web hosting. The site is capable of helping everyone with their hosting including people who do not have a lot of knowledge in the technical department.

Linux can help you whether you are building an ecommerce site or you are an amateur just getting started. As with any company there are going to be pros and cons when working with the company.

When you are looking around for a company to host your site you are going to need something that is reliable and not crashing all the time. If a site does a lot of crashing this is the fastest ways for you to lose your customers. Linux is known for being reliable and even has an operating system that is known as open source. The company understands when there is a problem a person is going to need instant support so the problem can be fixed in a flash.

One thing to remember is a hosting system is just like anything else you will purchase in your lifetime. If the host is a big brand name then you will be charged more money for their services. If the company is smaller then you will pay less money because there is no monopoly controlling everything. Linux is a smaller company that will not cost a fortune for you to do the hosting with. If you get an error at anytime there is no reason to be stuck until there is an update put out. If you receive an error today it will be fixed promptly so your site will keep generating money for you.

Linux is able to interact with almost any operating system. The company does not believe in making one type of software package that can only be used on a particular system. It wants you to be able to utilize their software no matter what kind of operating system you may be using. An added advantage is the provision of virtualization software called VMware that is handy for web hosting. Unfortunately though, it is for the more experienced users.

If you are looking for a company that believes all platforms are equal, will not charge an exorbitant amount for your hosting, is easy to maneuver around in, and will fit the problems immediately so you can continue to generate money on line then Linux might be the company you have been looking for.

First of all, what is Windows web hosting and what is Linux web hosting? The answer to this query can be traced from the question itself and if you know what Windows and Linux are then you would most probably be able to guess what these two web hosting means. Windows web hosting can be defined as hosting of web services which can run on the Windows operating system while Linux web hosting means web hosting services which can run on the Linux operating system.

If you do not have any idea about the Linux operating system then it is a leading alternative to the popular operating system namely Windows. Linux operating system is used by a lot of companies as well as individuals around the world and it can come in a variety of ‘flavors’ like Ubuntu and RedHat.

If you are using Linux web hosting plans then you will be able to get the LAMP (Linux Apache MySQL PHP/Python/Perl) software bundle because it is included with it. Perl, Phython and PHP are different kinds of programming languages which are used for making advanced web applications. A vast majority of Linux web hosting services support PHP. Sadly the same cannot be said about Python or Perl because these aren’t fully supported.

Comparison between Linux web hosting and Windows web hosting

If you do not know the basic points of difference between Linux and Windows web hosting then it would be a difficult task to choose between the two. On the surface there is no major difference, which means that these two web hosting solutions are so similar that it would be hard for the average user to tell the difference between the two. But that doesn’t mean that they are completely similar because there certainly are differences. If you have an intention to use tools such as ASP.NET, FrontPage, Visual C++, etc then you should not choose Linux web hosting because these tools aren’t supported by this operating system.

In terms of security and performance, it is safer to use Linux web hosting than Windows web hosting. One can expect more reliability and uptime if one chooses Linux web hosting over Windows web hosting. Another difference is that Windows servers require rebooting after every upgrade but Linux servers do not require to reboot immediately, it can also function by delaying the reboot.

In terms of performance there is not much difference between the two but in terms of price Linux is most definitely cheaper than Windows, so this makes Linux more appealing to the people who are on a budget.