Microsoft Windows is the most popular and successful desktop operating system in the world today. But surprisingly that is not the case in the web server market, where Linux reigns supreme. So why is this and why should you choose Windows server hosting rather than linux?

Well, familiarity and need are two pretty important reasons. If you are going to be working with the OS in a hands on manner then it certainly helps to be working with a familiar environment, and for most of us that means Microsoft Windows. And if you have an application that is Windows-only then you really don’t have a choice. You either run it on Windows or not at all.

There is also the .NET environment, somthing that Microsoft have spent a lot of time and money on. This is a development framework that allows developers to use familiar languages, such as Visual Basic, to develop applications for the web and run them on servers that are using Windows.

In fact Microsoft give the budding web developer and serious programmer a whole array of tools that allow them to create web applications using familiar tools such as Access, VB, and ASP. But of course to use these you have to be running your applications on a Windows server host.

So why isn’t everyone running on Windows server hosting?

Cost is probably the main reason. Remember that Linux and it’s associated tools (PHP, MySQL, Apache) are open source and free, which means that the hosting company can pass those savings on to their customers.

Windows on the other hand is proprietary and costs money. There is no way around this (legally!) and it is inevitable that Windows server hosting is therefore going to be more expensive than it’s Linux counterpart.

But if you want the familiarity, or you NEED a Windows environment then Windows server hosting is the way to go.