Are there that many substantial windows web hosting benefits other than ASP? it seems to be Linux and UNIX is more stable and has less limitations too.

What do you mean limits?

You have ASP and ASP.NET, PHP, Perl, Coldfusion, access to MSSQL, MySQL, PgSQL, etc.

Then you have one of the most stable platforms ever, IIS is VERY well designed to handle high traffic, high utilization and it runs near flawlessly.

in addition you can run rails, with few issues at all. Windows is by far the most flexible AND stable platform for hosting today. But I know being at WHT people will try to debate me....

But I know being at WHT people will try to debate me....


I Actually am going to agree with you on windows. I personally prefer it to linux. I run linux servers and windows, however on a ratio its about 10:1 Windows is allot more popular.

I run linux servers and windows, however on a ratio its about 10:1 Windows is allot more popular.


That is odd... I would have thought linux would be more popular.

Have you ever asked a group of your customers or performed any polls to find out why windows is so popular? I have a couple of guesses, but it would be nice to see if people are picking it because they *need* it or because of the name.

CyberHostPro, if Windows is more popular with you, it is probably because your windows plans are getting more exposure or are relatively more competitive than your Linux plans.

But Linux I believe is still more popular at the moment. And I agree with Stephen, I strongly believe Windows/IIS6 is a more stable platform than Linux currently in the shared hosting environment

more stable platform than Linux currently in the shared hosting environment
100% true in my experience with high profile (but shared) clients.

<oh oh... I feel the flames of the Linux wrath coming> lol </end feeling burned alive>

All kidding aside, I deal with both... Windows and Unix based high profile clients. When administered properly, Windows gives us a better return on investment support wise.

Cheers!

While windows is an easer host to run and may run more reliably most of the time I wonder that windows servers don't also have a higher vulnerability factor. Wouldn't be a good reason against windows servers. Personally I tend to use linux servers cause they are cheaper. I have not run any windows servers to know anything about. So I guess I'm neutral on the issue.

While windows is an easer host to run and may run more reliably most of the time I wonder that windows servers don't also have a higher vulnerability factor. Wouldn't be a good reason against windows servers. Personally I tend to use linux servers cause they are cheaper. I have not run any windows servers to know anything about. So I guess I'm neutral on the issue.

If it is easier to run, why do so many do it wrong? :D

Vulnerability factor, I get attacked by as many more Linux servers that have been hacked than the other way :)

According to netcraft apache is losing popularity and windows is gaining:

http://news.netcraft.com/archives/web_server_survey.html (http://news.netcraft.com/archives/web_server_survey.html)

We have used both since 2001, I can't see any real big difference in them.

My advice is don't use scripting languages that are to be used on linux on windows and windows to linux. Sometimes it works... sometimes it doesn't.

My advice is don't use scripting languages that are to be used on linux on windows and windows to linux. Sometimes it works... sometimes it doesn't.
Excellent advise! :agree:

IMHO, if you need to run PHP or Ruby/Rails, stick with Linix. If you need to run ASP.net apps, ex. Dot net Nuke, you need Windows. I am not sure one is much better, but do not spend the $$$ for win hosting if you do not plan to run Win apps.

This seems like a bit of a flamebait thread and I hope that wasn't the intent. It all comes down to the right tool for the job. Some things are just easier on Linux than Windows and vice-versa. Today I'd say almost 100% of all "well written" PHP apps run without issue on Windows. When you add that top of the ability to run ASP, ASP.NET, ColdFusion, PERL etc. It makes Windows a very powerful and viable solution.

Is it the best solution for you? Is it the right solution for you? It all depends but when it's all said and done you really need to decide which is the right tool to get the job done.

I run many personal websites on both Windows and Linux. Some things I just prefer Linux for, spamassassin spam filtering VPS servers, my phpgallery gallery (it runs fine on windows but you have more features when running it on Linux) but then I run many other PHP apps on Windows, joomla/virtuemart, wordpress, phpgedview to name a few.


There is no definitive answer as to which is the best solution and the diehards zealots will tend to disagree but once they put emotions aside I think they'll agree.

Most of the arguments for security, stability, ease of use, etc aren't the car but the driver.

I guess I'm neutral, though I strongly prefer programming in ASP.NET so I tend to use Windows.

I have two web sites on Linux, just because they require cron and .htaccess. My major web site is on a dedicated Windows server and I'm very happy with its performance.

According to netcraft apache is losing popularity and windows is gaining:

http://news.netcraft.com/archives/web_server_survey.html

That is mostly apache losing ground to alternatives which have sprung up (ie still running on linux) vs Windows making up ground on *nix - overall, there has been growth in both segments - it is difficult to determine true market share of Linux vs Windows with respect to web servers - but, I would guess Linux will own this market for the forseeable future...

I guess I'm neutral, though I strongly prefer programming in ASP.NET so I tend to use Windows.

Hi Azavia - and this is exactly why windows is an important platform. Many excellent developers work mostly with the Microsoft suite of products - and with Windows, they also get the added benefit of supporting php, mysql, etc..

Having said this - Microsoft has a major failing - and that is its lack of open standards. Just because they have made themselves compliant with some open source products (ie php, mysql, etc) - it does not make them an open standards platform - and this poses a serious issue for them as far as overall marketshare goes.

From a company that has been hosting and managing both platforms for years - I would have to say that security wise, performance wise and stability wise - they are pretty much the same.

I think the main benefit of Windows is the compatibility with ASP, but now Linux is emulating that, im not sure what else there is :P

Hi George,

ASP emulation on Linux does not and will not ever work properly (unless Microsoft opens up and shares their technology - which will never happen). It is exactly because of this (ironically enough) that windows will not and cannot take over the majority of the marketshare from .nix

The sole reason that php/mysql/java/etc will run on windows is because they are open. As long as Microsoft is closed, its functionality and usefullness will be limited. Having said all of this, for Microsoft Developers - there is obviously no better platform - and Microsoft does offer a wide range of development platforms - as such, there will always be a strong and viable place for it in the marketplace -

for me: asp.net 2.0!!!

enough said!

-SelArom

2.0? asp.net 3.5 thats what I am talking about.