 Intro
to Linux &
 windows
2003
Eserves's
Guide
Summary
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When planning an
Internet venture, one of the most basic questions for any
Webmaster is what platform to base the Web site on. The two most
popular platforms, Linux and windows 2003 are widely available and
offer various options and have differing abilities. Your choice of
platform will define the utility and type of software that you can
use, the kind of applications that your site can run, what kind of
server can host your site, the amount of control you have over your
site and how efficiently your site will work as it grows in scale.
When deciding on whether or not you will choose a Linux or
windows 2003 platform it is important to keep in mind what Web host
will host your site. Established Web hosts (such as eserves) offer
service on both platforms, while others offer service only on
windows 2003 or Linux, this doesn't give a professional impression
on such a host. Any Web Host can offer service in either platform
but the main difference is in customer support, eserves offers one
of the largest and most valuable support arena to support both 2
platforms.
The fundamental difference between Linux and windows 2003 stems
from how they came into existence. Linux was designed to integrate
with large network systems, while windows 2003 was made to serve the
needs of individual users or companies that don't want to deal with
the complexities of Linux administration.
Linux has been around, in one form or another, for the last
twenty years and as such is a very mature platform. Because of this,
the system is very well developed and stable, and there is a lot of
software and applications designed to work for it. windows 2003, on
the other hand, was created more recently by Microsoft as a system
specifically designed to handle the user-friendly software, which it
has developed for Web page design. With windows 2003, you get a
platform that runs a series of naturally compatible programs and
applications that mesh easily within the ubiquitous Windows
environment. The main thing is to decide which system suits the
projected needs of your Web site.
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When you are planning your site, think of how your visitors
view your site. The technology is improving every day and users are upgrading
their systems in kind, but it is important to remember that a great number of
users are working with technology that is a few years out of date. This concept
is important at every level of Web site planning, even when deciding what
platform to use. Creating a complex web site that requires a lot of data
transfer will be slow on older equipment and this may be counter productive for
you. Remember to think of your visitors when deciding what software you are
planning to use. This is important because the software you want can some times
determine what platform you must use!
FrontPage 2000 by Microsoft, Cold Fusion by Allaire, CGI
scripts, Cybercash, and Java servelts are just a few off the
many names and buzz words that float around the
Internet business. Deciding what software you need and
what features you want, and therefore what kind of platform
you run your site on, is one of the most important decisions
you will make. For instance, if you or your are skilled
systems administrator you might choose the Linux platform so
that you can take advantage of it programming flexibility.
On the other hand if your Web site is and accessory to your
business and your time and staff resources are small, you
should work with an integrated package like Microsoft's
FrontPage 2000 and run on an windows 2003 platform.
When you are making the plan for your web site try and think
of how large it is going to grow. Is your Web host going to
need to support a lot of features? Do you need Real Audio,
Video or chat capability? Are you going to have a lot of web
pages and a lot of traffic, e-mail accounts and E-commerce
activity? In the beginning, even if you start out small, on
a virtual host (or shared host), remember that one day you
may grow large. At the present time, you may be advised to
go with a Linux platform because of its flexibility, its
multiple application possibilities and its proven robustness
in large Web site environments.
Keep in mind, however, that recoding from one platform to
another is difficult and time-consuming. Many believe that
Microsoft will soon have features comparable to Linux:
Features that are not only easier for the average Webmaster
to use but ones that will integrate easily into already
existing Web sites.
In this category, Linux is generally considered superior.
This is because its system allow for programming closer to
the base of the programming hierarchy. In Linux an
experienced Webmaster or Web developer can fine-tune a Web
site, using CGI scripts, to create applications and site
features specific to their needs. In fact, some Web
hosting services even offer free CGI scripting as part
of their Linux packages. Find out about these when choosing
your Web host. But the question is 'how much administrative
control do you really need?' Many users do not need the kind
of direct control that Linux provides and are better off
with the simpler, pre-prepared (and integrated) programming
that Microsoft supplies for the windows 2003 platform.
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In the end, it will be the needs of you and your visitors that
will define what programs and applications you want to work with.
Once this is decided the kind of platform you need will become
apparent. If you need help answering these questions, ask a
professional Web developer or sales representative from a reputable
Web hosting
company. They will be able to help you wade through the details and
decide whether you should use a Linux or an windows 2003 platform.
Defining whether one platform is superior to the other is relative
to you and your visitors needs. Linux is older and offers some
network and programming advantages, but you can be sure that
Microsoft is working overtime to produce similar capability in a
Webmaster friendly environment. windows 2003's simplicity and
integration may make it a better long-run solution for your web
site.
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Introduction
to Linux and windows 2003
