There are two major platforms on which shared and dedicated web hosting environments are developed - Unix/Linux and Windows 2003.

The most common asked question to our sales staff is "Do I need Windows or Unix?"

The answer to that question solely depends on what your web site is meant to accomplish. As a rule of thumb, we tell our clients to stick with Unix, get their feet wet on the Internet and then if they need to expand to some of the core functionalities of what Windows can offer them, we will migrate them over to the Windows 2003 platform seamlessly, with no downtime to their web site.

There is no question that Windows 2003 has a far greater degree of expandability and adaptability in regards to important website components such databases or integration with your desktop PC components. However, those items come with a price - Windows is less stable than Unix and there is very little low cost software additions that you can add to your web site to increase its effectiveness such as: hit counters, guest books, voting scripts, quiz/survey forms, and web site form mailers. Unix has literally thousands of low and reasonably priced software that you can download and install on your web site to spice up your content.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to run UNIX on your own personal computer in order for you to host your site on UNIX platform. This is not true. Which operating system you run on your computer is irrelevant in making your decision. This means that if you are running Windows95, Windows 98se, Windows XP or Windows 2003 on your computer, you can still choose UNIX and you will see no difference in its operational capabilities. The programs that you use to interface with your web site such as localized FTP clients all run on all Windows-versions and MAC-based personal computers.