Microsoft Windows Server and UNIX (of which there are many varieties, or flavors shall we say, including Linux, AIX, Solaris and more) are computer operating systems.
Both Windows Server and quality UNIX implementations are enterprise application servers that can be used for a variety of critical purposes, including, but not limited to: Web, email, and database hosting.
Windows Server was developed by Microsoft and is, in many ways, the flagship of their software solutions.
UNIX's development roots began about twenty years ago - jointly at Berkeley University and AT&T Bell Labs.
UNIX is often referred to as an "open system," which means that its source code is publicly available. This has both its advantages and disadvantages.
While it has allowed many thousands of developers from all over the world and work for different companies or individually to contribute to its development, it is also more complex and less coordinated.
Both of these operating systems make excellent platforms for mission-critical Web hosting, and they function well.
There are some differences between the two systems:
a) Windows Server supports most Microsoft products including Microsoft FrontPage - a popular Web authoring tool.
b) Windows Server supports Active Server Pages (ASP) - popular programming that allows you to build dynamically database-driven web pages (connecting to Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL server).
c) Remote interactive access, via telnet or SSH is only supported under UNIX. Generally, you are able to do more configuration/setup tasks rather than having to request services from web hosts.
d) The great majority of existing CGI programs (generally Perl scripts) available on the Internet has been developed on UNIX platforms and they tend to install and operate much more smoothly under UNIX. Many Perl Scripts are FREE!
e) The bottom line is that for many web sites, the operating system on which the Web server is housed is largely inconsequential.
f) The real question is, "Are you using a specific web site or database technology that is more appropriately hosted on Windows Server instead of UNIX (or vice versa)?"
If your web site does not require special features offered by UNIX or Windows Server, you can choose either Windows Server or UNIX to serve your website. It doesn't matter!
As is always the case with abdicar.com, out Customer Portal is only a click away and our staff is on call to help you find your web hosting solutions.