All About Web Hosting Operating Systems: Unix and Windows

September 27, 2009 by · Comments Off
Filed under: Choosing The Best Web Host 

What exactly is an operating system?

( The Best Web Hosting Service )- In order to understand all there is to know about Unix and Windows operating systems, you will first need to understand exactly what an operating system is.  An operating system (or OS) is just a fancy word for the platform that your computer operates on.  Windows (owned by Microsoft) is a prime example of an operating system.  Apple’s Mac system is another one.

Your operating system is the first piece of information that is loaded on your computer.  All other software must be added after the operating system is in place.  The operation system runs the majority of the operations that you computer completes.  It is what allows your computer to start up and shut down and also is responsible for maintaining your computer’s memory.  Your operating system also coordinates the hardware in your system.

The operating system is a very important part of any computer.  This not includes your personal computer as well as many other types of computers.

The web hosting servers also need an operating server.  Is that surprising?  It shouldn’t be because the servers are also computers and they too have the same requirements as a PC.  There are two large operating systems that are used in the business of web hosting.  They are Unix and Windows.  Let’s take a look at them.

Unix: Linux and FreeBSD

The majority of all personal computers today are run on a Windows operating system.  You do not often find a personal computer running on a server.  In the business of web hosting, the majority of the reliability is on the Unix base.  Unix is a free to use operating system that is turning into the prime system for web hosting.  There are two main variations to the Unix system.  They are Linux and FreeBSD.

The Windows Server

Microsoft has had to develop their own form of servers in order to stay competitive.  While their other programs such as Windows Vista, XP, and ME are very popular, they will not compete with the servers that are available today.
Microsoft responded to the demand for servers by introducing a very popular operating system called Windows Server 2003.  They have further advanced this line with Windows Server 2008.  Even though Windows has produced its own version of the server, many web hosting companies choose to remain on Unix instead of Windows, but why?

Unix was developed for the purpose of research and is being developed in the Universities.  They are focusing more on networking and speed.  The windows programs were developed gearing towards home use, not business use.  Because of the focus on individual use, Windows has been created to be very user friendly and easy to operate.  Unix, on the other hand, is made to be powerful, fast and very secure.

The Unix system has evolved into an extremely secure, stable and very powerful platform for the servers that are operated on it.  The Windows systems are still fairly new and expanding their capabilities.

So which is better?  Unix or Windows?

If you have a choice as to which operating system you use, you should choose the Unix system.  There are some reasons that you have to use the Windows system but if not, the Unix is definitely the better choice at this time.

One large and very important reason that Unix is the preferred method is the cost involved.  The Unix system is free and allows the web hosts to provide services at a much lower price.  If the web host is using a windows based operating system then they will have to purchase a license and will pass on the cost to the clients.

There are some features that can only be accessed via Windows.  Some of them are ASP, ASP.NET, ColdFusion, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, and so forth.  If these applications are unfamiliar to you then you will most likely no need the Windows compatibility.

ASP, ASP.NET and Coldfusion are scripting languages, basically.  Microsoft SQL Servers and Microsoft Access are both databases.

So what is the final answer?  Unix is the best choice, of course.  If you have the option of getting Unix versus Microsoft, you should definitely choose Unix.

Other Related Readings

The choice of Unix versus Windows for your hosting needs is not the only thing to consider.  You should spend some time investigating the hosting companies past records, server reliability, and cost.  Each of these things are crucial when deciding on a hosting company.  So exactly how do you choose a good web host?

For starters, you could check out our web hosting reviews.

Tags: , , , ,