Windows hosting is often preferred by webmasters and hosting users because of its trusted brand (Microsoft) and user-friendly site management platform. But, what more and more web site creators and web users are learning is that Linux web hosting is perhaps a better choice- for many reasons.
Linux and the Linux Operating System are based off of Unix, an open source programming language known for its stability in the midst of heavy multitasking. What does this mean exactly? In addition to being free, Linux’s stable nature can provide better website performance- especially with the growing use of graphics and databasing in web sites. Compare Windows to Linux web hosting and it becomes apparent that high cost and brand names aren’t always the ideal choice.
Because it is open source, it’s easier for developers and programmers to experiment with different innovations in Linux web hosting; high fees and licenses are not an issue like with Microsoft Windows hosting. Thus, Linux Hosting provides you with a lot of flexibility at almost no cost. When technologies update, you can upgrade without worrying about the expense.
Linux continues to be the recommended choice for ecommerce needs and those sites offering online purchasing should opt for Linux web hosting because of its stability and security. Sabotage is more likely in Windows hosting, as people try to exploit Microsoft. Furthermore, the uptime of Linux web hosting is unmatched by Windows hosting and has even been listed as high as 99%!
Despite the fact that Linux web hosting supports most scripting languages and types of web files (you can use files with all the following extensions: .html, .htm, .pl, .php, .shtml, .asp, .xml ), you may run into the one problem of Linux based web hosting: it is not compatible with Microsoft technologies, like ASP scripts. But, this roadblock can often be avoided with alternatives for whatever it is you’re trying to achieve.
If you are new to website building, Linux Hosting is a good place to start. But, as you grow, you may find you’ll need to utilize applications and specialized services unique to Windows. A Linux website can easily be converted to a Windows website, making Linux web hosting a good place to start. If you begin with this open source language, you could considerably cut your costs as you grow and may even find you’ll never have to shift over to Windows. (Conversely, if you being with Windows, you’re incurring high costs right away and may eventually end up at the free Linux system anyhow.)