It is often really hard for hosting newbies to choose between Linux hosting and Windows hosting, and a question is always the same. There are some myths and misleading complaints on Linux hosting from users lever heard about linux and everything related to linux hosting.

Newbies usually think that if they will choose their hosting on linux Server and if their visitors using windows operating system will not be able to see their site. But the truth is that your website is independent platform, there is no difference which hosting will you choose, your visitor’s browser will read it in the same way. There are strict programming standards used to create network platforms. Your visitors will be able to browse your website with any operating system. There are some slight differences between programming languages used to maintain windows hosting and linux hosting. This issue important only to webmasters and software application developers.

Now the questions comes which hosting platform shall I choose ?

The answer for this is simple, and it depends on your website requirements.

1. It’s always  depends on your requirements. Most of the windows hosting company will provide you support for programming langauage like ASP and database like MsSql and you will be able to install ASP based applications only whereas most of the linux hosting companies will provide you support forprogramming language like PHP and database like MySql.
So if you want to use ASP than choose windows server whereas if you want to use PHP than use linux server.

You can use html, dhtml, javascript, flash, real audio, video, cgi, pop mail ids, ftp, frontpage etc on both servers.

2. Security and reference guides -  Windows hosting  ASP programming platform has much less documentation and sometimes their documentations are paid.  We prefer Linux hosting also because security reasons and stability. Windows hosting security usually fails in seconds when it is infected with troyan horse or viruses.

3.  Budget – Linux hosting is always cheaper as compared to windows hosting because most of the sofwtares used on linux servers are open source that is free whereas on windows server most of the softwares are paid and need to be licensed by Microsoft.