Linux Hosting VS Windows Hosting

[Pastor Ryan]

Someone please explain to me what the difference is here?


do I have to run Linux to use Linux hosting?

thanks.

[waynehoskins]

It's just which operating system the server is running. WIndows hosting will typically be a IIS (or whatever they call it now) and MSSQL and ASP setup; Linux hosting will usually be a LAMP setup. They both play differently when you start doing custom dynamic things.

[Pastor Ryan]

which is better?

I try to stay away from Linux just because I don't know it all that well, all though I did have an IT instructor who I think was a Penguin at night.

[[Admin] skstarkiller]

All my sites run on Linux. I don't really think it's a case of better, just what you prefer... based on what kind of sites you run. Here is a detailed article that will help you...
LINK

[waynehoskins]

Since most of the web is driven on UNIX or otherwise x-nix machines (and being a penguin myself), I'd be partial to that. Really the main ones it makes a difference to are the Microsoft shops.

[LeAnn B]

I don't know anything about it either but I do know I haven't been able to get Joomla to run on Windows hosting.

[shayward]

It doesn't matter whether your run Windows or Linux or Mac. You can create web pages on any of those types of machines and upload them to a web server than runs any operating system.

But in terms of which is better: it depends.

If you're just looking at making regular web pages yourself in HTML (not using a Content Management System, not using a programming language, not using a database) then either type of hosting will work identically. It's just a matter of picking the hosting company that is cheaper or faster or has better customer service.

For just plain old HTML with no programming stuff then Linux hosting is usually a lot cheaper because Linux is free (more or less) and tends to host pages faster than Windows so hosting companies can use cheaper computers or have more web sites hosted on a single computer.

But you can use a content management system (a special program that is a part of your web site) to make your life easier. Content management systems sit on your web site and let you create pages/menus and change the entire look/feel of your site very easily. Once installed, most computer novices can easily build a web site. And tech savvy folks can make a work of art.

Content management systems usually will only run on one platform (either Linux or Windows) because many of the popular web programming languages run better (or exclusively) on just Windows or just Linux.

Joomla! (a very popular CMS) has some great looking themes (look/feel), is incredibly easy to install, and working with it is pretty straight-forward. You may want to pick up a book. I found Joomla! a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it then it makes a lot of sense. It runs on Linux.

Drupal (another popular CMS) is one of the most powerful out there, I think. It can do nearly everything you ask it to do, but unless you know how to program (specifically in PHP) then it can be a beast. I currently use it but have been thinking of switching to DotNetNuke because I know C# programming far better. Drupal runs on Linux.

DotNetNuke is arguably the most popular Windows-only CMS. It looks slick, works well, and it is unbelievably intuitive. I've found it to be the easiest CMS to use, bar none, but not as flexible. It also needs a SQL Server to run. Windows hosting with SQL Server will set you back a lot more monthly than Linux.