Windows or Linux?

jongoo · December 26th, 2005, 11:10 AM

Hi,
I am designing a website, and I looked for a hosting/domain register place and found godaddy. It asks if I want a windows or a linux server. Which should I pick? I am a mac user but I don’t think that really matters. Are there different benefits with different ones? On my site I use HTML and later might use flash. Any Ideas?
Thanks a billion,
Jon

**GroundZero3** · December 26th, 2005, 11:32 AM

how familiar are you with linux?

Messiah89 · December 26th, 2005, 11:53 AM

If you have no idea about how to operate under Linux, don't use Linux.

exally · December 26th, 2005, 06:41 PM

yeah but u need to know little about linux to actually use it for a webserver... are u planning to do some PHP, ASP, JSP, MySql etc etc??? if so it they will be with have they interact with the server if it is linux or windows...

for example, the use of timestamps in MySql and PHP, u have to convert, but u have to tell it what conversion method to use

blubomber · December 26th, 2005, 06:52 PM

Does it really matter? Why i am asking is because my mom is hosting her site on godaddy and chose a linux server, i found out later, and if i were to ask her what linux was, she would go "Huh?"

i would say that it doesnt matter since you are not hosting the site your self so you dont have to maintain the server. Espesially since you appear to be starting with basic HTML and later may move to flash stuff. You should be familiar with FTP though and what program are you going to be using for your HTML editing?

I also found out that you can use Front Page extensions on the Linux servers at godaddy. At least, i am pretty sure i read that right when i looked at it.

FatalException · December 26th, 2005, 07:21 PM

I've found the big difference between linux and Windows hosting is this: the programming languages available for you to design and run web-based applications in. With Godaddy's economy plan, the Windows server only supports ASP (a Windows-only language) and the Linux server supports PHP. PHP tends to be easier to learn than ASP, I've found.

Linux is "the standard" in hosting, so I'd suggest going with it, personally. Windows servers actually try to mimic Linux in pretty much every way. Why go with the mimic? Go with the real deal - Linux. And no, you don't need to know anything more about Linux to use a Linux based server than a windows-based server. It's not like you'll get to access anything on the server graphical anyway. It's all SSH / Telnet / FTP based... which behaves basically the same on each server.

And both the Linux and Windows servers come with Frontpage extensions, according to Godaddy's website.

jongoo · December 27th, 2005, 03:29 AM

I think i might use Macromedia Dreamweaver or somthing else like that. I like the designing in photoshop, not really the codeing. Do you guys have any suggestions for easy grafic based WISYWIG wed editers?

Thanks FatalExeption, i think i'll go with linux. It has the most options, right? So later down the road i can use those features. Is a linux server more stable than windows? Why don't they have Mac servers?

Thanks

CowboyHacker · December 27th, 2005, 07:02 PM

I have the GoDaddy Deluxe Hosting plan with Windows (ASP) and so far the only thing I dont like is the Windows version dosent have a usable CGI bin. I use Front Page 2003 to build my websites so I'm not at all sure what Macromedia Dreamweaver needs becuase out of the 3 months I've had it on my new laptop, I have not yet opened it.

It really just depends on what you are wanting to do with your web.