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Web Hosting queries

kxdhar
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Joined: 31 Dec 06
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Web Hosting queries

Guys,

I read ML's web hosting 101 on the blog and still have questions as follows:

1. The Window and PHP choices.
I knew a little bit about ASP scripting. However, if there is a plug ins software I will prefer to do that.
I heard that PHP environment gives many flexibility on plug ins software vs Windows. What do you think?

2. On the course, I found that phpBB forum is for free. Can it running on both Windows and PHP?

3. If I want to use third party services for email management (i.e. autoresponder, etc), which environment is better?

Any other information about the two web hosting environments are appreciated.

thanks,
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chatyak86
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Hmm... I'll ask Mark to comment here as well because I was positive PHP is run both on Linux and Windows servers? I have never heard of Windows vs PHP servers...

Adrian,
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markling
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I think you're talking about Windows vs. Linux servers. Unless you're thinking of setting up your own server (which you won't be doing if you're needing to ask this question :) ) there isn't much difference between the two. If you're setting it up yourself... windows will be more expensive. All the software needed to run a Linux server is free, and there is a large community out there producing free tools for this environment.

phpBB will run in both environments. ASP will only run on Windows. As for autoresponders... I use Aweber, which doesn't involve my own server at all. Some hosting packages might have their own autoresponder software, but that's something you'll need to check with your hosting provider. I'm guessing that you'd have more chance finding a free autoresponder plugin for a Linux server than a Windows server.

For most affiliate sites, there's very little difference between the two platforms. I'd tend to go with Linux over Windows, simply because there's a more supportive community, and things are free :)

My two cents.
Mark
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kxdhar
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Joined: 31 Dec 06
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Thanks for the explanation Mark. I know about more about hosting using Windows vs Linux (open source).

As your suggestion, I will seek the Linux version compare to Windows considering strong support on the community for free and cheaper than windows.

rgs, :lol:
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markling
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You'll probably find that Windows hosting won't be any more expensive than Linux, UNLESS you're having to set up your own server. If you're just getting some shared hosting, prices will probably be similar. Sorry if that was a little ambiguous. But yeah, check it out. Like I said, for the most part it doesn't matter.

Regards,
Mark
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mimenta
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In server land - Linux is more common than we realise and is often run with a Windows GUI to placate the masses. It also has a longer history of stability too.

I'd look at getting more familiar with linux because Vista is going to rearrange a few things and force a rethink in the Windows world. Corporate reluctance to buy the new version, means we don't know the timing for Vista ServerSide retraining (current guess is 12 months away).

In hindsight, linux has changed far less than windows and offers a few extra benefits, not previously stated:

If you do crash, you can probe and recover files with a live CD based operating system (try that with Vista!).

The help desk people reside on Planet Earth and have human reasoning processes unlike MS Help staff (who posed for my avatar).

Because of the competition amongst the various Linux distributions, you won't get your supplier selling you "security patches" that are actually spyware, like Windows Genuine Advantage (which is also in Vista and coming to Office 2007 soon).

If you are in for the long haul - I think Linux is a better proposition.
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chatyak86
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Mimenta wrote:In server land - Linux is more common than we realise and is often run with a Windows GUI to placate the masses. It also has a longer history of stability too.

I'd look at getting more familiar with linux because Vista is going to rearrange a few things and force a rethink in the Windows world. Corporate reluctance to buy the new version, means we don't know the timing for Vista ServerSide retraining (current guess is 12 months away).

In hindsight, linux has changed far less than windows and offers a few extra benefits, not previously stated:

If you do crash, you can probe and recover files with a live CD based operating system (try that with Vista!).

The help desk people reside on Planet Earth and have human reasoning processes unlike MS Help staff (who posed for my avatar).

Because of the competition amongst the various Linux distributions, you won't get your supplier selling you "security patches" that are actually spyware, like Windows Genuine Advantage (which is also in Vista and coming to Office 2007 soon).

If you are in for the long haul - I think Linux is a better proposition.


I take it you own a MAC?
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mimenta
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No - why do you say that?

Which one would you like to know about:

1 = ASUS P5LD2 DeLuxe MoBo with Intel 775 3.2Ghz Dual Core, 2GB Dual RAM running Windoze XP Pro / Suse 10.1

2 = ASUS A78X-E AMD Processor running Windoze XP Pro / Mandriva 2007

3 = NEC Versa Laptop - Windoze XP Pro / SuSe 10

Then there's the repair PC jobs and upgrades - no MACs there either - tho sometimes we get one or two.

I have used a MAC but stuck with PC instead.
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chatyak86
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Mimenta wrote:No - why do you say that?

Which one would you like to know about:

1 = ASUS P5LD2 DeLuxe MoBo with Intel 775 3.2Ghz Dual Core, 2GB Dual RAM running Windoze XP Pro / Suse 10.1

2 = ASUS A78X-E AMD Processor running Windoze XP Pro / Mandriva 2007

3 = NEC Versa Laptop - Windoze XP Pro / SuSe 10

Then there's the repair PC jobs and upgrades - no MACs there either - tho sometimes we get one or two.

I have used a MAC but stuck with PC instead.


Oh ok. haha It just seemed like you were against windows :) How is dual core going for you? I am going to pick up the quad core extreme core 2 hopefully in fall.
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mimenta
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Dual Core?

Brilliant but they run much hotter. I do a lot of graphics and it works the graphics adapter so much harder, I had to add a second fan. Most noticeable is loading times and the number of apps you can run simultaneously.

Funny story tho - fitted it into my old Antec Sonata case. Stripped the case for a good clean and put a diffuser over the blue case LEDs (like twin searchlights in the dark). Put the lot together with new MoBo, CPU and Grafix card. Started it up and no problems.

Week later it suddenly shuts off as if the power button had been pressed for 5 secs. Starts up fine afterwards but over the next month this happens more and more frequently. ASUS Tech Rep and fellow techies can't resolve problem and I get a new free MoBo. Fine for a while then starts all over again. 3rd MoBo (I bought a Gigabyte MoBo this time)- same thing.

Frustrated I parked it in front of my Computing Students with a $10 bounty for finding the cause. 15 mins later the youngest member, fresh from High School, pointed to the power lead wires - I had fouled one with the front face locating dowel and the insulation had rubbed through onto the metal case. I slinked home $10 lighter - the Computer Build lab topic had been on lead routing best practices.

Windows - You're not quite right - I reinstalled my legit copy of XP when I added another hard drive, I had to fight Microsoft to give me a new code. Then WGA said it was counterfeit! The number of copies of XP I have sold - they should have given me a freebie, not treated me like a common thief! - I love XP -just hate Microsoft!
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mimenta
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The new photo for your avatar looks good - (the old snowboard-camo jacket looked sort of looked fresh from Iraq's Green Sector). LOL
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chatyak86
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Mimenta wrote:The new photo for your avatar looks good - (the old snowboard-camo jacket looked sort of looked fresh from Iraq's Green Sector). LOL


lol It's a sweet coat... I'll have to take another picture of it.
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