Building a website can be a very technical endeavor. Until now most people shied away from building a webpage because it seemed like a strange uninviting land. More and more web hosts are aware of the general population, and small businesses desire to have their own website, in fact in some cases need their own site, and are making programs available to the less technically inclined. There are several operating systems most often used in website design. These are Microsoft Windows, and Linux, with UNIX and Macintosh also common, but not as often used.
The most popular of all operating system is Windows, created by Microsoft. It is the main programming software found on computers when consumers and businesses purchase them, and it is the operating system most people are familiar with. The platform that is the operating system is an important consideration when you are choosing your web host as well. In the past most web hosts operated on the technical Linux systems since more of the technical builders used that program. With the huge expanse of mass market web site building programs the need for Windows based hosting grew and is now commonplace. It is important to be sure when you choose a web host that they offer Windows platforms to operate your website.
If you find a website needs to be hosted incorporating the use of Microsoft products it is advisable to use Windows as a platform so that you know the applications will operate correctly. An effective Internet Information Server (IIS) is one of Microsoft’s many features. If your hosting environment uses ASP, Microsoft access, and SQL then IIS is absolutely required and you must use the windows platform to create your website. A Windows webhosting environment has a lot of plug-ins and pre-made programs and components such as CGI specifically for use on Windows web servers.
Comparison of Windows with UNIX
Windows and UNIX websites can be accessed internationally by everybody. The main difference exists in the software provided to the host servers data. Windows most always provides the best software and services in all of its purposes. It is a very reliable operating system and its programs are effective and functional but UNIX remains a little ahead in these areas due to increased stability and the ability to run long periods of time without rebooting. At the same time, in the modern world Windows meets the needs of its users better than UNIX.
Wherever Microsoft products are in service a Windows operating system must be used. If the host uses MS Access, ASP in order to provide dynamic content, or VBScript to give enhanced features to the sites then UNIX is not able to operate under those parameters. The technologies in those programs require Microsoft Windows. Windows also already accommodates all of the UNIX system provisions so it isn’t needed for computers with Windows.
Windows compared to Linux
Both Windows and Linux can support standard Cold Fusion, HTML and JavaScript files. Previously it was difficult to use Linux server for FrontPage extensions but now it is easy to do so. CGI and Perl platforms are though supported by Windows but Linux is commonly used for these. Linux commonly supports PHP while Windows support ASP.
One of the main advantages of Windows servers is that it can run on Microsoft’s software like that of Access and also on MS SQL databases. Windows servers allow the web developers to use Microsoft’s programming environments like that of Visual Basic Scripts, Active Server Pages (ASP), MS Index Server. On the contrary, Linux is not fully compatible with that of Microsoft technologies and hence if the users want to use Access, MS SQL, ASP, or VB development tools then Windows is always the better choice.
It is always better to study what the windows package has to offer. Not all packages offer the same facilities but whatever they offer has to be studied for better result and performances:
Some of the basic Windows-based hosting packages are as follows:
* .NET Support
This is the most commonly used feature web hosts use to provide their service. It is the most modern offer that Microsoft’s Active Server Page provides. It is a valuable tool in the creation of web pages and is necessary to use with IIS.
* Databases
Most web hosts provide Microsoft Access 2000 database to their customers. If a business is run on a larger scale and would clog up that system too easily a host may require MS SQL in order to ensure the system continues without crashing.
* PHP and ColdFusion
These are advanced features that not all web hosts make available. They usually only give this option if they have it to the most specialized of websites.
* Control Panel
Your control panel is the way you communicate with and access your website. It is important to use the same operating system that your host uses to provide this feature.
Other options you might expect from your web hosting service that uses Windows are POP3 email, IDs and Aliases, Bandwidth, Backup, IP, Webmail, STMTPs, and FTP accounts, CDONTS and ASP support.
Windows web hosting will always be popular among the customers as the logo and the name itself generates a trust and reliability. This Microsoft product has created such image in the minds of the people that they are not willing to go for any other option. Windows is in use since several years and has created a brand image for itself. There are several hosts that also provide Windows platform for hosting small business websites. It is an expectation of the people that Windows web hosting would also for a longer period of time and hence would ensure stability which is not available in other platforms.
Ample support available for Windows web hosting also makes it a popular one for most of the users. Therefore, though decision rest mostly of the user, as to which platform to be used, the opportunity to use Windows should not be lost if possible. Web hosts can help better in this regard.
