This question, the answer on which is obvious for skilled web masters, can stump the beginner.

Below comparison of two most popular platforms for realization hosting service - UNIX and Windows, providers supported by the overwhelming majority is lead. As, attempt to dispell some wrong representations concerning is made these platforms.

One of the greatest errors in the environment of beginners - that you should place a site on that platform which was used by development. So, if the project developing on a server under UNIX - it is supposed to place is necessary by the PC under UNIX. It at all so. The operational system from which you work on the computer at creation of a site, can be any.

Last years providers have put a maximum of efforts facilitate to clients administration of sites both under UNIX, and under Windows. Today there is no difference between these platforms in relation to ease and simplicity of use. If you are an experienced user and prefer to use shell you choose UNIX. However, if you the beginner, you will find on both platforms control panel with the Web-interface friendly to the user.

Experts converge in opinion, that UNIX is more reliable. However, my personal experience of 2-years operation IIS 3.0 under Windows 2000 Server, shows, that reliability of platform Windows can be approached considerably to UNIX. In a much greater degree reliability is influenced with a professional level of the attendants. It means, that you can make a decision on a choice of a platform, considering all over again other differences in features of platforms.

Is not present what essential difference between these two platforms concerning speed at the decision of problems of a hosting.

It is the factor on which two platforms differ most of all. But there will be not many problems realized on one platform and which cannot be realized on another. The basic difference in how this result is reached. For example, if your site uses a database, you can use or sheaf PHP/MySQL under UNIX or ASP/MS SQL under Windows. The tendency of development of decisions which will be supported on both platforms is traced. For example, Microsoft FrontPage, it is supported both on UNIX and on Windows.

Here UNIX for the present favourably differs because, first, the majority of software products under UNIX extends under free-of-charge licenses, and secondly, on UNIX to achieve the same level of reliability and efficiency, than on Windows much easier.

The widespread technologies and decisions not supported OS Windows: SSH (Secure Telnet), MySQL, Miva.

The widespread technologies and decisions not supported OS UNIX: ASP (active server pages), MS Access, MS SQL, Visual Basic Scripts, Windows Media.