OnlineAllstar.com - Platforms

Understanding which server operating platform you should use is also a consideration when starting your online business.

Put simply, operating systems are software that computers run on. For example, Microsoft Windows is the operating system most personal computers run on. Web servers also run on operating systems or platforms. The most widely used platforms are UNIX and Linux running Apache web server and Windows NT running IIS. So which web server platform should you use?

If the web pages located within your website show the same content each time they are viewed then either web hosting platform will work fine. These types of web pages are known as static web pages (i.e. HTML files). However, if your website has pages that change each time they are accessed it is considered dynamic. Shopping carts, forums and blogs are examples of dynamic content. Dynamic content requires scripting support. Dynamic pages written in scripting language such as Pearl, PHP, ASP or JSP will work well on UNIX platform web hosting.

However, if you need to use specific applications such as ASP, .Net, SQL or Cold Fusion, then you need to find a web hosting provider that supports Windows NT platform. Programs such as Perl, PHP, and Flash will run on both platforms.

In many cases a UNIX web hosting account is less expensive than a comparable Windows web hosting account. There is also more free software programs available that only work with UNIX. If you have already decided on the type of design on your web pages, make sure you can find a web hosting plan that will support all your requirements.