What is the Difference Between Linux and Windows Web Hosting?
Many users automatically assume they need a Windows server to host their site since that is the program they run on their personal computer. Actually, your web hosting platform (Windows or Linux) has nothing to do with the programs that run on your own computer. Therefore, if you are running Windows® 98, Windows® XP, Windows® 2000 or using an Apple Macintosh, you can still choose Linux or Windows as your hosting platform. Even if you plan to use Microsoft FrontPage, it is still safe to choose either a Linux or Windows web hosting plan.
Windows
The Windows web hosting platform was developed by Microsoft, the creator of the popular Word and Excel programs. Its strength lies in its compatibility. A Windows programmer can leverage existing knowledge and easily incorporate COM objects and data access directly into web applications. Microsoft Access and SQL Server are very easy to manipulate using ASP. The price to run Windows is the major drawback as licensing fees are exorbitant.
Linux
Linux evolved from Unix and is one of the most popular operating systems on the Internet. Linux is considered more stable and less expensive to maintain because most of the software the operating system uses is open source. In theory, open source software is a more useful and flawless end product because it was created through the collective work of many programmers all over the world. In case you were wondering, this does not mean that your files are not secure and protected; it just means that the software that runs the computer was developed by many contributing programmers. Popular open source technologies you may be familiar with include PHP, MySQL, Python, and XML.
Price
Linux will be the less expensive option for any basic website. When considering cost, it’s important to take into account the functionality of your website. Only if you plan to use ASP, will your website require the Windows hosting platform.
Security
Both Windows and Linux come in equal as far as security goes. NetFronts continuously makes modifications and updates software to ensure both platforms are secure. All servers are maintained with the latest security and performance patches
Server Access
With either a Windows or a Linux plan, you will have FTP access to your files. FTP allows you to transfer your files from your computer hard drive to the web server. Only on Linux, will you have SSH access. SSH offers the ability to open a window directly to the web server and directly manage files using Unix commands. Both Windows and Linux offer FrontPage extensions, which enables you to use Microsoft FrontPage for website editing.
Databases
Both platforms enable you to achieve a myriad of functions with databases. The website developer should determine his or her technology of choice before choosing a plan. Under a Linux plan, you can choose a PHP/MySQL combination. With a Windows plan, an ASP/Access or ASP/MySQL combination would be used.
As you can see, the differences between the operating systems are not very significant. NetFronts suggests focusing more on the resources available in the plan if the operating system is not an issue to you.