Linux is by far the most popular choice of operating systems for web servers, and with good reason. As a free operating system web hosting companies are able to offer remarkably low cost deals on Linux server hosting and Linux dedicated servers.

There is a widespread belief that Linux is a difficult operating system, and while it is a complex and powerful OS, it is not that much more difficult than Microsoft Windows. It may be unfamiliar to some, but that is certainly a different thing from being difficult! With the huge number of free resources and experts to call on it is unlikely that you are ever going to have a problem with Linux that cannot be fixed very quickly.

Linux server hosting is also extremely secure compared to Microsoft Windows. As a stable and mature operating system you are also far less likely to experience crashes of the sort that Windows users are only too familiar with.

If you are looking to keep your costs down then Linux server hosting is an excellent choice due to the massive selection of free or open source software available for it. Pretty much whatever application you need is available, things like industrial strength databases such as MySQL, powerful development languages like PHP, right down to free guestbooks, blogging software such as Wordpress, and scores of other programs and utilities. There is a rich selection of free and incredibly useful software to select from if you choose Linux server hosting.

On the PC desktop Microsoft Windows may be the dominant operating system, but when it comes to web servers it is without a doubt Linux. The low cost, scalability, security, and huge wealth of free and readiliy available resources make Linux server hosting the preferred option for may companies and individuals. Unless you or your business have a specific need for an application that will only run on Windows then choosing Linux server hosting is definitely the smart thing to do.