Every computer owner and user has definite opinions about the different operating systems out there like Windows or Linux. While an average PC consumer might only know about Windows based systems, those who are more technologically inclined will have at least heard of Linux. In this article, we’ll be going over some of the benefits and drawbacks of both systems.
Choosing the right web host has to do with whether you are using Linux or Windows for your OS. Despite the fact that many people get puzzled about this issue, the operating system that you use is not part of the equation. Regardless of whether you use Macintosh or Windows, you can still use hosting services based upon Linux.
There is probably some distinction between the two systems, but unless you are an expert in this field, you won’t even notice. It is actually very simple to attack a Linux server. Many hackers do! If only Linux would use the same level of security on its Web servers that it does its personal computer systems. It really comes down to what features you want in your web hosting. One of the primary advantages of Linux is that it is available as open source, which means that it is free of cost. Windows, on the other hand, is quite expensive. Buying the latest version of Windows 7, for example, can cost close to $100. Even though most new PCs will have Windows already installed on them, you can be absolutely sure that you are still paying for it. With Linux, however, you only have to download it and you can begin using it. Open source also means that you can copy and give out the software without having to worry about any copyright infringement. Of course, this advantage might not be so apparent to those who have chosen to buy a computer that comes with an operating system already installed. If you want to save money, you can always buy a computer that doesn’t cost as much that doesn’t come with Windows and then download Linux cost free.
One of the main benefit of choosing Linux is that you can run it on old computers. This is what makes it unique among all of the available operating systems. We all know how quickly most computers become obsolete–it happens in just a few years for computers that have Windows and Mac installed on them. If you want to install Windows 7, to use one example, on a computer that is five years old (or older) it would cause the system to overload because it’s memory requirements are so high. The Linux operating systems (like Ubuntu Feisty Fawn), though, only need a tiny amount by modern standards (only 64 MB RAM and a 300mHz processor). This means that you could dig an older computer out of your basement or buy one for a few bucks, download Linux and be up and running without any real problems. If you want to choose an operating system there are a lot of factors that you need to keep in mind. Whether you should choose Windows or Linux is dependent upon whether you want the flexibility involved in Linux or the compatibility that Windows offers with all of the software programs you might want to use. These are just a few of the reasons that Linux and Windows are great operating system choices.
For more information consult Mark Glatman