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This question is asked by people that are new to web hosting and web design every day. This question is the single most important decision you will make when looking to purchase web hosting. Unix (and Linux variants) and Windows are the two main operating systems powering web servers today, and each operating systems has its own unique features, and this brings their own advantages and disadvantages.

In this article I will outline the advantages of each operating system, and a short comparison of the two operating systems.

Before we get to the comparison of the two operating systems, you must know that the operating system you use on your desktop is not relevant to your choice of operating system used by your host to serve your website. Many people feel that if they use Windows on their desktop, they should also choose a web hosting provider that also uses Windows. This is simply not the case, for example if you used Microsoft Frontpage to design your website, typically Unix operating systems will have Frontpage Extensions installed to allow you to use Frontpage to its full potential.

Unix Overview

Today most web developers choose Unix systems to host their websites, everyday Windows loses more ground to Unix in market share in the web hosting market, why is this the case? The number one reason this is occurring is price. Web hosting providers typically use free editions of Unix based Linux operating systems such as Debian, Red Hat, or Free BSD, this alone reduces the end cost of a web hosting plan to the consumer due to there being no licensing fees incurred like there is with the Windows operating system.

The free editions of Linux are released under what is known as the GNU license, this license has no costs involved, and also allows access to the source code of the operating system to allow for modification and optimization which is very important, this allows the host to optimize the operating system to their hardware requirements, and also allows quick fixes for any security issues that may come up.

Typically Unix web servers are the most stable, with the flexibility required to allow upgrades and expansion. Almost always Unix servers that are setup for serving websites are configured in text mode which uses fewer resources, they do not run a graphical user interface which allows the server to devote as much of its own resources to the websites it is hosting. Unix based operating systems support the following. PHP, MySQL, PostgresSQL, Perl, CGI-BIN, Ruby on Rails and many more.

Windows Hosting Overview

This of course is the most widely known operating system, and as you know, you pay to use the Windows operating system on your desktop, and this is no different when it comes to using the Windows Server operating system. The Windows Server operating system does support some technologies that Unix currently does not. Only Windows hosting plans support scripting languages such as Active Server Pages (ASP), Cold Fusion, Active Perl, C++, C#, and Visual Basic.

Only Windows Server operating system will run Microsoft applications such as Microsoft Access Databases, Microsoft SQL Databases, IIS. If you are planning to use any of the above languages or database types on your website, you will need to purchase a Windows hosting plan.

The Comparison

Performance - In low server load conditions Windows and Unix have similar performance, but under high server loads, Unix is superior to Windows.

Stability - Unix copes much better than Windows with high server loads, this leads to less reboots required on the server to maintain optimal performance, and in turn increases your websites uptime.

Compatibility - If you develop a website under Unix, typically it will be easy to run on a Windows server, but the reverse is not as easy, especially if you have used a Windows based language. Avoid using a Windows programming languages if possible, in the long term you may wish to move to a Unix based server, and this will not be possible without a major redesign of the websites code.

Price - Any server hosting a website requires an operating system, and the associated licenses to use that operating system. Windows 2003 Server and applications cost a lot of money to run, typically the cost of the software is on a per user basis, and as the users on a server increase, so does the licensing costs. On the other hand, Unix and its Linux variants are freely available to download, and are also free to use and operate. This is why Unix based web hosting is almost always the cheaper option.

Final Words

Unix hosting typically offers more stability, better performance, more compatibility, and lower costs compared to a Windows hosting plan. I typically recommend Unix hosting for the reasons stated above, I only ever recommend Windows hosting if your website has been developed using ASP, .NET or another Microsoft application.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_J._Smith

A factor that is often overlooked when looking for a new web host is the control panel. A host can have great uptime, great disk space and bandwidth but if it has a bad control panel all of that is worthless.

Many of the bigger hosts will now come with their own custom built control panels, they may do this for branding purposes so that they stand out from the crowd but the vast majority that I have come across are not user friendly and are a pain in the backside to navigate through.

When recommending web hosts to my clients I always tell them to look at the type of control panel they will be given. The most popular control panel at the time of writing is the “Cpanel”; it is the most widely used, user friendly, featured packed control panel around today.

Not only is it feature rich but also it is also easy to transfer one site to another if you are indeed switching web hosts. If both of the hosts use the Cpanel then exporting a website from one host to another is as simple as clicking on the export/import buttons!

You can imagine the sort of headaches that many users come across when they try to transfer a site from one host to another and the two hosts don’t use the same control panel.

There are other hosting control panel’s available but in my experience nothing comes close to matching the Cpanel. If it’s great features and usability that you are after then go for a web host that uses the Cpanel.

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In this day and age of the Internet, the world of commerce and communication has changed drastically. Savvy businesses know that in order to be successful in this new world, they must take their place online with an effective and consumer-friendly website. And in order to make this online presence one that works most efficiently for your business, you must depend on an equally efficient web hosting company.

The vastness of the Internet is incomprehensible to most people. And while we know that the Internet itself is not a physical space, we still understand that its resources must be accessed in some way. A web hosting company accesses the Internet through a server – a high-powered computer that is set up to communicate – in the giving and receiving of information – with other computers. A web hosting company then “rents” space on their server to website owners. As a renter on this server your website is provided with unlimited access to the Internet and in this way visitors can access your website.

In some cases, a web hosting company will host your website but allow you to have your own domain name; or website address. This is considered to be a virtual web host. In other, lower priced services, a web hosting company will host your website but you are given a page within their domain name. This is considered to be a non-virtual web host.

For any website owner who is searching for a web hosting company, it must be understood that all web hosting is not the same. It is essential that website owners ensure that the web hosting company in which they are interested will provide a level of service in line with their price tag.

First and foremost, a web hosting company should offer consistent access to the Internet. We expect our web hosts to be online at all times so that our customers have instant access to our website. While a server may sometimes need to be offline for servicing, and not every technical difficulty can be avoided, you should expect an overall consistency in accessing the Internet from your web hosting company. You should also make sure that your web hosting company can handle the traffic that your website attracts on a daily basis.

But just as important are the security features that a web hosting company offers to its clients, especially if you own a website where customers frequently provide their personal information – such as an online store. A proper web hosting company should offer appropriate – and frequently updated – safeguards to ensure the security of you and your customers.

Ultimately, your web hosting company should offer you peace of mind on many levels – in easy access to the web, professional and courteous service, and top-notch security measures.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Bery

If you are looking to go into business on the internet, one of the first things you should do is find a web host for your site. There are literally thousands of choices, but most of them use the same types of servers and provide identical services.

First, the one thing to avoid at all cost when it comes to your hosting decision is to sign up for hosting through an affiliate link. When you use an affiliate link you will pay twice as much, because they make as much every month from the referral as the web hosting company makes.

What that means is if you are currently signed up through an affiliate for hosting at $9.95 a month or more is that you can cut your hosting bill in half with no loss of service or reliability.

I have been in business on the internet since 2001 and have never paid more than $29.95 a year for a domain name and web hosting package. When I first started, I found a company that would allow me to pay monthly. That allowed me to get my first site started for less than $12.00. I am still with them today.

Another thing to avoid are reviews of web hosting companies, especially if they have an affiliate link attached to them. If someone is selling something they cannot be trusted to give an impartial review.

It is not uncommon for the reviewer to imply that the only place to get the offerings of the particular hosting company they are promoting is from their link. The truth is that 95% of all web hosting companies offer the exact same services and control panels.

To find a good web hosting company, look for three things:

1) Reliability. Most web hosting companies can rightfully boast a 99.9% uptime. They all basically “lease” server space from the same places anyway and operate their businesses from their PC like you are.

2) Price. How much does it cost and how do you have to pay it. A dollar a month difference in price is not going to break your web business, so if you need to pay monthly (like I did starting out), find a host that allows you to pay that way. If you have a credit card, just sign up for a standard web hosting and domain name package. You can find them for less than 30 bucks in a lot of places. When you figure the $10 a month packages being sold by affiliates cost $120 a year, that’s an extra $90 to promote your business.

3) Support. You should test the support staff before signing up by sending them an email to see how responsive they are. If you don’t get a response within a few hours, you may want to keep looking. My web hosting company provides very good service, and you will find that most of them do.

Finding a web hosting company is really one of the easier things you will do as you get your business up and running. There is no need to overcomplicate the process.

If you can’t build a website, some will offer tools that will make it easier for you to do it. That may cost you a little extra, but if you need it you need it and it is worth the expense.

Find the host that meets your needs, but learn about them from their main site and disregard the opinions of any third party that finds it neccessary to attach an affiliate link to that opinion.

Darell has been in business on the internet since 2001 and has recently introduced a web site dedicated to disclosing the truth about internet marketing scams and money making products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darell_Mckissick

Have you heard of those people making fat checks with Google Adsense or any other publisher programs? Did you know that these people do not actually own a single site but hundreds earning them at least .25 cents a day? That means if you have a website that at least earns an average of 25 cents, one hundred sites will give you an earning of $25.00 a day or at least $750.00 a month. Imagine earning that amount from your home, from your own small business. No Boss. No pressure. Work whenever you want.

Building one hundred sites a day is not impossible anymore. There are so many automated tools to carry out the task and they all come in cheap prices. Building a website itself is much easier than before. Just go for a web host with an on-line website builder and you can build your first site in as little as one hour. Or choose one with one-click installation of popular scripts and you can build your blog and make your first post in five minutes or less.

With thousands of people logging into the internet everyday looking for ways to earn money, cheap web hosting comes into picture. The phrase “cheap web hosting” itself returns 220,000 searches last month and it only means that people are now after cheap web hosting services.

With the boom of home business industry along with the development of different Content Management System platforms, everybody now is thinking of turning to the web for alternative income. Cheap web hosting after all are not really a bad choice. The number of cheap web hosting companies grows because of the growing number of demands. They need to compete with the major hosting companies and the only way to do it is to offer a much cost-effective alternative. By the way, these major hosting companies are now diversifying their services and selling reseller accounts to anyone who wanted to start their own web hosting companies. Thus, cheap web hosting providers are growing continuously.

So if any web hosting provider tells you not to go to a cheap web hosting provider, look at their website and look at the services they are offering. Compare it with what a cheap web hosting provider has to offer. Sometimes you will only see that their main difference is the price. There is also a great possibility that they both lies on the same server, the cheap web hosting provider being a reseller of the first one.

So if you are planning to start a business and thinking of hosting your site with an expensive web hosting provider, why not do your own investigation first. Cheap web hosting isn’t really that bad. I actually have my website hosted with one.
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We all have our preferences when it comes to operating systems some people prefer one of the many flavors of Windows, while others prefer one of the several distributions of Linux. It is all the matter of what works best for you. Another aspect that should be taken into consideration when determining which type of hosting you should use Windows or Linux/Unix, is what you intend to do on your website.

There are many differences between the two operating systems. However, when it comes to hosting there are just as many differences. Some people with Windows operating systems choose to use Linux/Unix hosting. On the other side of the coin, some people who use Linux/Unix operating systems choose to use Windows hosting. Do you find this confusing? If so, you are not alone. You may be wondering how this would work.

Well essentially, when you acquire hosting for your website, you are basically paying someone else to host your website on their computer. These computers also have operating systems. Therefore, when you choose Windows or Linux hosting, this will mean that the computer your website is run from is using that chosen operating system.

Windows Hosting

Windows is perhaps one of the most well-known and popular forms of operating systems. There are many advantages to using Windows hosting. Because millions of users have Windows and use the many Microsoft products such, using Windows hosting would allow you to easily integrate any of these products into your website. Windows hosting would also allow you to run ASP (Active Server Pages) on your website, which is placing dynamic content on your website using computer scripts.

What is great about Windows is that it boasts an easy to use interface perfect for beginners. There are usually many options such as ASP mail, Access Database, ASP.NET, and SQL Database, IIS, and PHP. Windows hosting also allows for publishing websites with FrontPage,

As with almost anything in this world, Windows hosting does have its disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages is the costs. One Microsoft server, if buying your own, will cost you a couple of thousand dollars, if you were running the software yourself. You have many choices when it comes to software such as Windows 2003, Advanced, and Windows 2000 server. However, with the competitiveness of the hosting industry, you will find the Windows hosting is extremely affordable when using a remote server.

Linux/Unix Hosting

Linux and UNIX hosting are two different types of operating system that are extremely similar to one another. In essence, the two are closely related something like cousins; therefore, they are generally combined in hosting. Now what is great about Linux/Unix is that you have the ability to integrate unmatched security into your website. There are also many other benefits of the duo that make it the choice for many people.

One such benefit is the fact that Linux/Unix is extremely compatible with PHP, which is the latest craze in programming languages. Cost is another very attractive benefit of the duo. In many cases, the operating system is free. Some distributors have begun to charge for the system, but many are still available for no costs. For little to no cost, additional software can be obtained for Linux/Unix such as BIND, Sendmail, Apache, and APF Firewall.

Security is probably the most popular benefit of using Linux/Unix hosting. The level of security offered by this duo is unmatched by Windows hosting. To add to the benefits, statistics show that this operating system offers more overall stability and control in operation as well.

With Linux/Unix hosting, you have the ability to integrate Chmod permission, Mod Rewrite, Apache Web server, as well as MySQL and PHP.

Of course, as with Windows hosting there are some disadvantages to using Linux/Unix hosting. The main disadvantage being ease of use. Unlike Windows hosting, Linux/Unix hosting does not contain an easy to use, user-friendly interface. Basically, it requires a large list of commands to use and is not recommended for the beginner. This type of hosting requires a great deal of technical knowledge and familiarity to install and control.

Which one is for you?

Well, in short, it depends on what you need. If you need intense security, PHP compatibility, have technical knowledge, and you do not need to have all the latest website features, Linux/Unix hosting may be the right choice for you.

However, if you need a website that offers ASP, an easy to use interface, and the ability to integrate Microsoft products, then Windows hosting is the best decision for you.

As you can see choosing between Windows hosting and Linux/Unix hosting, all depends on what you need on your website, your level of experience, and of course, your overall budget.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fei_Lim

It is no secret that China is becoming a main attraction point for internet investors. While in U.S. internet companies are busy raising money for the next web2.0 venture, internet businesses in China are busy replicating what already proved to work in the west. And with existing dozen biggest investors in Beijing - Silicon Valley venture firms like Sequoia Capital are also quick to take notice. But as foreign firms begin to take first steps, they quickly realize how remote the Chinese market actually is. Not only do they have to adjust their brands to the local language, but their global internet presence suddenly becomes everything but global.

Mirkin Group, the parent company of 33Link, believes this internet trend is only on its first rise. As such, they now also aim to serve individuals on low budgets. Their recent announcement of a new dedicated option for high-traffic sites shows the industries acceptance of a moving change in Asian Markets.

As Sergey, company’s CEO & Founder, states “the company has grown to the size well enough, where we feel we can finally scale this to serve the increasing demand for our unique services. I believe, with recent Taiwan earthquake and general everyday cross-country connection delays, people are beginning to realize – if you want to market your products to China, you better have presence in China. All of my business colleagues agree - no one can succeed in Chinese Internet without serving the content from this country. It’s not just about Wikipedia and Google! There are just too many unpredictable influencing factors, end of story!”

Unlike all Chinese owned companies, 33Link primarily serves foreign customers and as such understands the many inconveniences these businesses face everyday operating from abroad.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Huskey