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We are often asked which hosting platform one should choose, Linux/Unix or Windows®.
Below, we've listed the major differences between these platforms that you should consider in making your final decision. In the process, we have also tried to dispel any common misconceptions regarding these platforms.
Important
One of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to run Linux/Unix on your own computer in order for you to host your site on Linux/Unix platform. That is not true. Which operating system you run on your computer is irrelevant in making your decision. This means that if you are running Windows 98, Windows®2000 or Windows XP on your computer, you can still choose Linux/Unix.
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Platform Comparison
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Support Features
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MS FrontPage 2000, 2002
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Flash
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Shockwave
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RealAudio/Video
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Cgi-script
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Perl
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PHP
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SSH (Secure Telnet)
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MySQL / PostgreSQL
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ASP.net Framework
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ASP (active server pages)
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MS Access
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MS SQL 2000
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Visual Basic Scripts
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| Ease of use |
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Over the years, many resources have been poured into both Linux/Unix and Windows® platforms to make hosting as easy as possible. Today, there are no differences in terms of ease of use between these platforms. If you are an advanced user who prefers to work in shell environment, then Linux/Unix is your choice. However, if you are a beginner, you will find both platforms user friendly.
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| Reliability |
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The industry consensus is that Linux/Unix is more reliable. However, Microsoft has made sure that the reliability of the Windows® platform closely matches that of Linux/Unix. What this means is that you can make your decision based on the differences in features rather than on reliability.
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| Speed |
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There is no difference in terms of speed between the two platforms.
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| Functionality |
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This is where two platforms differ the most. There isn't much that can be achieved in one platform that can't be on the other one. The main difference is how the end is achieved. For example, if you need a database driven web site, you can choose either PHP/MySQL/PostgreSQL combination under Linux/Unix or ASP/Access/MS SQL combination under Windows®. The trend is for solutions to be supported in both platforms.
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| Price |
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Here Linux/Unix holds a slight edge due to the fact that the most of the software licenses are free and that it's easier to maintain Linux/Unix servers than Windows®2000 servers for the same level of reliability and performance. You will see that our hosting prices reflect this. Unless you specifically plan to use Windows®2000 platform specific features, it probably makes sense to choose the Linux/Unix platform.
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