Hello,

I am wondering whether I should get a Windows or Linux server?

Linux is great and runs most of open source scripts and utilities.

Windows:
- Can run PHP, mysql as well as ASP, MySQL, MS Access
- I can write CGI programs using Delphi
- I can write servers that wait for any connections on the internet

Of course I can do those with C script and C daemon in Linux, but I have to learn it while I am already very familiar and fluent in Delphi / Windows programming.

What I want to do with the serve is
- Host a small number of sites for clients
- Host some of my own sites
- Perhaps host a company newsgroup
- pop server
- use it for experiments such as writing specialized tcp/ip servers

I would appreciate if anyone can give me their pro's / con's or any thoughts...

Thanks for reading this rambling :)

[Edited by jh on 12-16-2000 at 01:20 AM]

Depends on You,
Most of NT hosts get clients more easliy as less competion and Linux is getting tuff competion...
If all the languages you want to write will work on NT - I suggest Windows Nt


Rajiv Mehta

PHP runs like CGI on NT, i.e. it is read,parsed,excuted each time it is run, this is not ideal especially if you get many hits. On Linux/Apache combo then you can use the php4 module which is must faster since it is intergrated in to Apache. Same with Perl. The only PHP4 modules for NT are not stable and single thread only.

Again Delphi would run as CGI, unless there are any Delphi containers. Why not switch to server-side Java programming.

- I can write servers that wait for any connections on the internet.

Easier done in Linux, you can write a perl script to act as a web server, a Java script to run as web server. Then to startup when the server start just add the line to the correct init file. eg.

perl /usr/home/site1/private/port85script.pl
java myserver.java

mySQL is also more stable on Linux and is free for Linux, deployment license is required for NT.


I own an NT server at DigitalNation, I used to write ASP/COM stuff, Hostinvestigator.com is written in ASP. PHP is better, Java/JSP/Servlets blow PHP and ASP out of the water. Plus I have to reboot the NT twice a day for smooth performance, Linux runs for months, years....

Go Linux.

Ohhh.. And POP3/SMTP servers are free for linux/unix sendmail.org qmail.org and few more. POP3 servers are charged for NT, imail.com etc...


I've been there and done it, Windows yeah I thought, point and click interface using PC Anywhere, write Applications in VB, but its honestly not worth it... Licensing issues, Lack Stabilitity/Reliability, Lack of free software, Poor web-server, Poor Linux application ports, etc...

Isn't there a Linux port of Delphi anyway? I would also suggest Linux above NT anyday of the week.

Linux is a much better choice, as it doesn't waste ram and cpu.

Go Windows 2000, especially if you are using MS technologies on the back end.

I have nothing against NT/2000, I use it on two workstations, but if I were you I'd go with Linux. As a web server platform I find it is more stable and preferable. What really sets it apart for me though is cost and efficiency. I think you'll find that NT servers will cost much more compared to an equivilant Linux server. Somehow the license fees have to be paid to Microsoft whether you pay for it up front or over time in the monthly fees. Linux is free as is all of the software that you will probably want to run on it.

You can also run Linux on almost nothing compared to NT. I have a couple of Linux servers, one of which is a 400 Mhz AMD with only 32 MB of RAM and it handles mail, DNS, and about 60 web sites without a hitch (nothing too CGI intensive although it does handle a UBB bulletin board). To run NT you'd probably want at least 128 MB of RAM just to get the OS running as smooth as it should. Since you only need to put up a few small sites and do some development why spend extra cash on hardware you don't really need?

By the way, if you really need ASP, there is an ASP server for Linux (Chillisoft makes it I think). Some companies offer it as an option, in fact I think Dialtone Internet installs it standard now on all their Linux servers.

AP

If you want to run a taxi service you buy a 1976 ford escort, if you want to run a limo service buy a S class merc. Hardware is cheap. If you want to run sites for customers, and they are paying you money to run it, the least you can do is supply good quality hardware (i.e. new) instead of digging an old workstation out of the attic.

AP: not a dig at you, just want to make that clear, more a moan abou the linux/nt argument. A lot of the linux/NT (why NT, you should go 2000) argument is that you can run Linux on lower spec hardware. If you are running a hosting company, when buying a server you buy a server that gives you low TCO, i.e. new with good quality hardware. All new hardware in the server market can run 2000 comfortably, making the argument less relevant.

By the way, if Linux is so great on low end hardware, why is IBM investing $1billion in linux for high end (i.e. million dollar boxes)?

I guess the question for JH is, are you going to buy hardware or lease from a company like rack space? If leasing, and cost is an issue then go for Linux. If you want to pay that little bit extra and make use of the technologies you have quoted go 2000. Don't use NT, 2000 is better.

Originally posted by inwks
By the way, if Linux is so great on low end hardware, why is IBM investing $1billion in linux for high end (i.e. million dollar boxes)?
The obvious answer is that Linux is great on high end servers as well as on low end hardware. That's why!

There are many advantages to Linux over Windows 2000. Security is inherently better, patches are developed much faster, it is advanced faster and is a more stable operating system that makes more efficient use of resouces as well as putting less of a demand on them. There are no license fees to pay to a company that wishes to dominate the computing world and assimilate all the useful technology.
See http://diverlink.com/files/gateborg.jpg

I hear ya inwks, and you make a good point. I just think that it is a testament to the efficiency of Linux that it can thrive on a low end machine as well as high end where as NT/2000 can only really do well on higher end machines.

I guess when you look at the problem, JH should really consider what applications and languages he needs to use. If he needs to use Delphi and Access then he has no choice but to go with NT/2000 (and I agree that 2000 is preferrable to NT). If not, I think he would be well served to give the job to Linux.

AP

Hi,

While I am very fluent in Delphi, I do not mind learning how to program in Linux. I know it is not easy, but well I have to try.

What I find hard to decide is that with Windows I can also run most of Linux stuff like PHP, MySQL etc (I think MySQL is now also free for Windows?), except I don't think PostgreSQL has a Windows version.

With Linux, I will be pretty much stuck with Linux stuff.

However Linux' advantage is also clear to me that it is more "secure" (if I do it properly) and quicker patch etc.

I am not very familiar with Linux, so if I go the Linux way I will go through an uncharted territory.....

The server I am going to use is ecui.com which offers Windows 2000 or RedHat 7. With RH7, they will just install the basic / default from Install CD and then I will be on my own, so I think I will have to do quite a lot to get it up to standard.

I am still undecided.. but all of your input has so far been very helpful. Initially I thought nobody will care for Windows... but it has its points too...

What are you finally getting??

If they do Red Hat 7, it comes with PHP4, MySQL and SSH on the CD. Just tell them to install it all. Those coupled with Apache and you've got quite a competent server right out of the box.

In one of your posts, you state that all the "Linux" stuff is available for NT. They build the NT versions after the Linux versions typically. Remember that most if not all the development of thost packages is done on a Linux/Unix box. That should tell you something. Pound for pound, nothing on the planet will touch Linux for power and capability on a given platform.

I will agree that in a Windows platform, 2000 is great. I'm typing this on a Dual CPU Win2k machine. However, I wouldn't dream of putting it in place as a production server.

Just my 2 cents (with inflation actual value about .000351 cents)

Just one slight addenum regarding the RH7 CD : although it comes with PHP/MySQL, you should ideally upgrade to the latest stable versions of both PHP 4.0.3pl1 and MySQL 3.23.29 to ensure stability, plenty of bug fixes and the advantage of more features to play around with. SSH should be fine, though OpenSSH is also very good http://www.openssh.com

I am not very familiar with Linux, so if I go the Linux way I will go through an uncharted territory.....

My advice to you is to stick to what you know best. Running a Linux box could end up being an expensive business if you don't know what you're doing.

Linux anyday!

I think you should go for windows as this will save your lot of money as wellas time...bcoz you don't know much about linux...
good luck
----------------------
vikas
http://www.m6.net

PHP runs like CGI on NT, i.e. it is read,parsed,excuted each time it is run, this is not ideal especially if you get many hits. On Linux/Apache combo then you can use the php4 module which is must faster since it is intergrated in to Apache. Same with Perl. The only PHP4 modules for NT are not stable and single thread only.


Not True! The PHP4 mod from http://www.php4win.de works great on my Windows machine. It is very stable and has all the trimmings like gd, ming, swf, etc... And it is very stable.