There are basically two operating systems out there to choose from when you select a web hosting provider - Windows or UNIX. LINUX is a derivative of UNIX and is most commonly found in the hosting world under the RedHat label.

But which one is the best? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Both have their supporters and detractors too. I have to admit that I am squarely in the LINUX camp.

Why? Let's look at some of the features and benefits of both.

The Windows servers integrate Microsoft programs such as FrontPage, Access and MS SQL (not to be confused with MySQL). They also offer specific programs such as Active Server Pages (ASP), Visual Basic Scripts and Cold Fusion that make web hosting a breeze.

Most important, Windows servers can be easily managed and multiplexed due to .NET technology. They provide excellent levels of support, security and integration for the Microsoft family of products. But note - Microsoft is not Open Source, and almost all of the Microsoft Products have licensing requirements. There are very few 'free lunches' associated with Windows hosting. This does not make it a good option for small businesses.

The UNIX platform is mostly represented by LINUX in the shared hosting world. Their most important characteristic is that they can handle large volumes of traffic, are robust and capable of hosting multiple sites. Moreover, they are very flexible and webmasters can customize their services in real time from any computer. Also, unlike Windows, UNIX system is not limited to special remote administration program. Any computer connected to the Internet can access a typical UNIX system without special or costly software.

Many webmasters choose UNIX or LINUX servers because of the server uptime. It is not that Windows servers do not promise 99 per cent uptime. But to achieve it the web host has to be extremely capable and proficient in Microsoft systems. This is not a limitation in the case of UNIX servers.

In summary then, the biggest advantages of LINUX hosting as opposed to Windows hosting are the following

1. LINUX hosting is much more cost effective than Windows hosting for small to medium businesses getting into the Internet arena. This is equally valid for personal or hobby websites. You are going to have to pay licensing fees (or more expensive hosting to cover the license fees) if you opt for Windows Hosting.

2. There are tons more free scripts, tools and utilities available for PHP and MySQL than there are for ASP. Just as an example - on the Hotscripts site where there are thousands of free scripts available, there are over 15000 scripts available for PHP, which is the dominant software that runs on Linux hosts (where ASP runs on Windows hosts). The amount of scripts available in ASP and ASP.NET combined is just over 5000. Most of the Open Source (in other words, free to use) tools and utilities have been written in PHP and MySQL.

If you want to easily install and run shopping carts, forums or blogs - Linux hosts that offer PHP and MySQL is the answer.

Christine Anderssen is the owner of Tailormade4You Web Design and Web Development Services and Internet Web Hosting for South Africa. Visit our site for free Joomla tutorials and tips on how to get the best performance out of your website. Read the original article and more on http://www.internet-web-hosting.co.za/webhosting-info/webhosting-the-right-operating-system.html

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If you are looking to get hosting for your web site, there is one major decision you have to make. Should you get Linux based hosting or Windows based hosting? Here are a few facts to help you decide which one is best for your needs. At most hosting companies, there is no difference between Linux based hosting plans and Windows based hosting plans.

Most people think that if they use a Windows operating system, they have to use Windows based hosting, but this is not the case. Many people that have Windows operating systems and use Linux based hosting over Windows. Both Windows, as well as Linux, allow the use of PHP, MySql databases, and much more.

So, what is the difference between Windows and Linux based hosting?

Well, Windows based hosting is better for hosting files you created using Windows based technology. For example, if you created a web site in html using Windows FrontPage, or used ASP or the .NET environment, or any other Windows program to create you site, than you should choose Windows based hosting. If you did not use Windows technology, then Linux based hosting may be a good option.

As far as security is concerned, there is really no difference between choosing Windows and choosing Linux, The difference lies in the hosting company you used and the plan you signed up for. Both Windows based hosting applications as well as Linux based hosting applications have been hacked. However, it is a general rule of thumb that Windows based hosting is more insecure than Linux based hosting. While making your decision, if you are unsure which to choose, call your host’s support number or send them an e-mail outlining what exactly you plan to host and what the features of your site are. A web host support technician will be best able to assist you if he knows exactly what you plan to do with your hosting account.

The Bottom Line: If you used any Windows program to create your web site, choose Windows based hosting, otherwise, go with Linux based hosting.

If you are looking for information on Linux please visit our Linux forum at http://www.linuxforum.ca

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There are many choices for web hosting companies available and for blogging there are many free choices offered as well. The question that comes to mind to me is, “Is free webhosting cheap?” What I mean by that is what is it going to cost me in terms of functionality and accessibility. Let’s take a look at some of the comparisons between free web hosting and paid web hosting.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last couple of years then you know that blogging has become a formidable force on the internet and has allowed many people to get an online presence that may otherwise have been unable to do so. Many of these people are making their living by blogging and some like Jason Calcanis have become wealthy from it. Jason built a network of blogs over about eighteen months and sold them to AOL for nearly $30 million! That’s a pretty good ROI. Anyway, I digress, back to our discussion on web hosting.

If you have decided that you want to operate a blog your next choice will probably be what blogging platform or software you want to use to accomplish you blogging. Relax, it’s easy. Most of the blogging software out there today is open source which means it’s, you guessed it, free! In this instance free is not a bad thing, I use Wordpress almost exclusively, it is free and has more options that I care to learn or use. There are other blogging software options available, but I won’t go into them here because this article is about web hosting.

As far as web hosting for your blog you can choose free web hosting or paid so let’s take a closer look at our choices. First off, you can choose Blogger which is owned by Google. Blogger is a good program especially for beginning bloggers because it is easy to use, it is web based, and the price is right. It’s free. With that said however, if your intention is to blog professionally and possibly run a large number of blogs with automated content then Blogger is not for you. I have seen Google shut down many blogs because they considered them to be spam. If you want control over your own destiny then you want to use paid web hosting and have your blogs on your own server, or at least a shared server.

Still in the realm of free web hosting you also have a fairly new option from Wordpress who now offers a free web hosting for Wordpress blogs at their .com site as opposed to the .org site where you get the software and plug ins. The problem is that like Google, they are very restrictive with what you can put on your blogs and how you update them.

Another big issue with free web hosting is that you will usually have to display advertising of some sort which “pays” for your web hosting. This is great for the web hosting companies because it gives them tons of virtual real estate out there with their name on it, not so great for you. If you are blogging professionally, and if you are trying to make money for it then you are blogging professionally, you do not want any distractions on your site that leads visitors away from your site unless you are being paid for it like you do when someone clicks on an Adsense ad or affiliate banner.

My recommendation is that you pay for your own hosting because it gives you a wealth of choices, much more storage space, and takes almost all restrictions off of you within reason. There are still some web hosting companies that will not allow you to host gambling or porno blogs but other than that you are pretty open. Paid web hosting is not that expensive. You can get an account that will host as many blogs as most people will want to deal with a few bucks a month. So for the cost of a domain name and your hosting you will probably be around $100 a year. That is a pretty cheap investment for something that enables you to plug into all the ways of earning money on the net.

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. He operates over 500 websites personally and therefor has a lot of experience dealing with web hosting companies. For more on inexpensive Web Hosting or other web hosting issues go to http://www.virtualwebhostingplus.com

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With Yahoo web hosting you can get your website on the Internet quickly and easily, and have Yahoo take care of all the technical details of hosting and managing the files that make up your website. They monitor the network, take care of backups and protect your data, all of which allows you to spend your time on promoting and developing your business.

There are four important things you need to consider when deciding on a Yahoo web hosting packing. First is how much disk space you will need for your disk. The disk space you need will be determined by the number and sizes of images, audio and video files and other content files you will want to be able to display on your website.

The second consideration is the amount of traffic you want and expect to get to your website. This traffic includes all the customers and prospects you want to check out your website to see your products. This amount of traffic will determine how much monthly data transfer you need. In the third place is the number of e-mail accounts you require. With your Yahoo web hosting account you can create e-mail accounts for your business, such as you@yourdomain.com or info@yourdomain.com.

At the time of writing, the Yahoo web hosting Starter package includes 5 gigabytes of disk space, 200 gigabytes of band width per month and 200 e-mail addresses. When your needs change you can upgrade to a larger hosting package.

As a bonus each Yahoo web hosting package includes free registration for one domain name. Yahoo will pay for the initial registration and the annual renewal fee for your choice of domain name for as long as you keep using Yahoo web hosting. This represents quite a good value. They also offer other features such as their own web site design software, and support for applications such as MS FrontPage. They also support scripting languages like PHP and Perl and MySQL databases and 24 hour toll-free phone support.

The process of signing up for Yahoo web hosting is pretty simple. First you have to select the package you want. At the time of writing the packages range from $11.95 to $39.95 per month, however they have regular special offers. The next step is to select your domain name. If you do not have a Yahoo account yet, you will be asked to create an account and finally you will enter your payment information. And it is as simple as that. You are all set to start up your website.

Evert Du Toit is a writer and website publisher from Pittsburgh, PA. For more help and information about web hosting and Yahoo web site hosting visit our regularly updated blog at http://www.webhostingpages.info

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There are literally hundreds of thousands of web hosting companies out there. Many of these companies offer both Windows hosting and Linux hosting plans. Windows plans usually cost more because of the license costs imposed by Microsoft. Knowing this, how can you know when you need Windows hosting and when Linux hosting will work just as well or better? Keep reading to find out.

Windows operating systems are found on something like 95% of all personal computers in the world. With such a total dominance, Microsoft Windows is top of mind to most new people looking for web hosting.

In the web server world though, Windows based servers are behind less than 20% of all websites on the internet. This is according to the latest web server survey from securityspace.com. By choosing a Linux hosting plan, you will find yourself in good company.

When do you have to use Windows Hosting?

1. .NET technologies including ASP.net are not available on Linux platforms. If you have a website built with Microsoft .NET technologies you will have to choose a Windows hosting plan. In fact, if you need ASP without .NET features, most Linux hosting plans do not offer support for it.

2. Access Databases are only available with a Windows hosting plan. Access runs on a Microsoft Windows platform and cannot run on a Linux Operating system.

3. MSSQL is an enterprise class database put out by Microsoft. If you need an enterprise class database there are some alternatives that run on a Linux platform but if you need Microsoft's MSSQL database, a Windows hosting plan will have to be your choice.

4. If you are using Microsoft's Sharepoint services like some of the Sharepoint features found in Frontpage 2003, a Windows Hosting plan is your only choice.

What is the advantage to choosing Linux Hosting?

All the major services you need to run an enterprise class website are available on Linux based systems for free. Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP are being used together to provide the infrastructure behind some of the most traffic intensive sites on the internet.

PHP runs better on a Linux server than on a Windows server. Having said that, unless you are putting a heavy load on your PHP scripts, this will not be noticable.

In general, Linux hosting plans are at least 20% cheaper than Windows hosting plans. If you don't need any of the features mentioned above, Linux hosting is a fine choice for your needs.

For Microsoft specific technologies, Windows hosting plans are usually your best bet. For everthing else, Linux hosting plans will usually do quite well. With the cost savings usually found with Linux hosting plans, Linux hosting is usually the right choice for you.

This article was written by Joe Duchesne, president of http://www.yowling.com/, a web hosting company that offers Linux Hosting plans. Copyright 2004 Yowling. Reprint Freely as long as you provide a clickable link back to my website from this resource box.

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If you have an online business or maybe even several like I do, web hosting can be a significant expense not to mention the fact that reliable web hosting is absolutely crucial to the success of your business. All it takes is a server going down during a big marketing promotion and your reputation suffers. In this article we will explore some of the things to look for in a quality web hosting company for a fair price.

First off let’s get some basics out of the way for those who may not fully understand what web hosting is. Web hosting is simply the place that your website’s files and documents are located which allows your site to be pulled up on the internet. This is why it is crucial that the web host be reliable, if there server isn’t working neither are you.

When you are looking for web hosting online there are so many to choose from that it can be an overwhelming task to try to hone it down to a handful to consider. You need to keep a few things in mind before you get started however, and the first is don’t just go with the cheapest because of that reason. They are the cheapest web host because they aren’t giving certain features so you need to identify basic features that you need before you start shopping.

Some of the basic features that you will want from your web hosting company will be a choice of programming languages, databases, email addresses, bandwidth allowance, disk space and how many domains you are allowed to host. You will also want to know what kind of server and administration or control panel is offered, basically your choices will be Linux or Windows based servers. I prefer Linux servers with Cpanel installed because I am familiar with it and it makes my job a whole lot easier. Linux systems are usually less expensive than comparable Windows web hosting services plus they will offer the MYSQL and PHP programs that you will need for your online business. Most Linux based programming and databases are free, which is another reason why servers offering Linux are less expensive.

It is nearly impossible to find inexpensive web hosting with a Windows based server due to the fact that it cost the hosting company so much to get it in the first place and like anything else in life, that expense is passed on to the end user. To get a Windows based system at the same price as a Linux one you will probably have to give up many features so bear that in mind as well.

When assessing the reliability of a web hosting company do a little research on them, don’t just take their claims of 99% up time on their sales page as gospel. There are many web hosting companies out there that allow spammers to operate on their servers and they end up causing problems for everyone on that server, especially if you are on a shared server that is also sharing a block of IP addresses. You could end up having your site delisted and banned and have your emails blocked because of something someone else is doing.

One way that I like to check out hosting companies support is to either email them or if they have it enabled, have a live chat with them and ask them all my questions. If you email a web hosting company and it takes them awhile to get back to you when you are a prospective client what kind of service do you think they will give you once they have your money?

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. He operates over 500 websites personally and therefor has a lot of experience dealing with web hosting companies. For more on inexpensive Web Hosting or other web hosting issues go to http://www.virtualwebhostingplus.com

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What exactly is web hosting? What features will you need from a web host? Questions like these often overwhelm would-be web publishers that are just starting out. But we are here to help. After reading this article you will not know everything there is to know about web hosting, but you will understand enough to get you started.

To start off with - what is web hosting? A web host is a company that manage computers that are part of the Internet, and web hosting is leasing disk space on those computers to store the files that make up your website. This means that there is a computer in a data center on which your files are stored, and the computer will present the web pages of your website to visitors. It should be clear to you that if you want to have a website, you will need web hosting.

What are the most important features to look for in a web host? Different web hosting companies offer different sets of features, and usually at various price points. Two of the most important things for you to look at is the amount of disk space you get and the amount of bandwidth they offer you. The more disk space you have the larger you can make your website. Some web hosts will even let you host more than one website on a single web hosting account, and in this case the amount of disk space will play a large role. Bandwidth refers to the amount of data that is transferred to and from your website. You want to make sure you have enough bandwidth to display your website to all the visitors you expect to get. Sometime a web hosting company will offer unlimited bandwidth, but read the fine print carefully because there is usually a catch, often the terms of service restricts the kind of data you transfer. For example you may not be allowed to use audio or video on your website.

Other features to look for in a web hosting account include: is the web host Windows, Unix or Linux based, script compatibility, the number and type of databases, the type of control panel and number and type of email accounts. The operating system of the server will determine what software you can use on your website. The software programs you use on your website is often referred to as scripts. Not all web hosts are compatible to all scripting languages, like Perl, PHP and others. The scripts you want to use on your website often needs a database to manage the operation of the script, so you will need a compatible database. You will usually be able to create one or more email addresses using your own domain name.

Before choosing a web hosting company, decide what you want to accomplish with your website and choose a company that offers you the features and options you need.

Evert Du Toit is a writer and website publisher from Pittsburgh, PA. To learn more about web hosting, and What is Web Hosting?, please visit us at webhostingpages.info.