This is one for all you webmasters!

 

I'm currently running a website off a MS based hosting package. I now need to add form processing and a shopping cart and this can not currently be done through the package I'm on. I can upgrade to a Lynux package which supports a load of scripting languages but I don't know what the advantages/disadvantages are of Lynux vs MS. I've also been offered an upgraded MS hosting package through which I can run the forms and e-commerce stuff - something about ASP.NET or something. Both packages offer the same features/functions. Can anyone enlighten me please as to which package I should go for? I will need to make a decision today.

 

many thanks!

 

Dan

Linux - Its simply offers better perforamnce and much greater reliability.

 

Im a Windows man myself unfortunatly, becuase of my job and the programming languages I have to use...but given the choice it would have to be Linux.

 

How will you be developing these mentioened features though...are you or do you have a Web developer who is experience in certain languages or does the provider offer some sort of online WYSIWYG editor to handling it all ? As this could be a factor in the chosen OS.

Hi Danny

all depends on what you are actually going to write the server script code in

linux users tend to use more php, ms is asp

both languages have lots of examples and help on the web and all will allow you to do pretty much the same thing - although theres probably alot more asp developers out and newbie help out there

asp.net is the latest version of ms asp and probably is a bit advanced for what you need to do with it. but is both swings and roundabouts really

 

ive always used MS hosting packages but thats because its mainly what i work with

anyone that uses linux/unix will say completely the opposite

if you need any help with the site though just let me know

 

darren

only real disadvantage of linux is the lack of asp support, however it is possible to run asp on linux for a grand or so,

 

if you do not require any of the components offered by your windows plan over your linux plan go for linux, 99% of the hosting I do is linux based.

most servers i fit these days and mainframes are based on the apple x-serve system with mutiple nodes and raid arrays, the best thing about it is that it can run in osx-server and unix root commands/shells at the same time with a dual system script, also i can use multiple nodes to use as secondary and tertiary command points for multiple interface evaluation along the chain.

 

linux is fine if you want a wholly user defined command structure based on scripts and call routines. ms is the easy way out..

Thanks very much for the feedback guys - mucho appreciado! ;) Thanks also for the offers of support, I will probably take one or more of you up on that as the development progresses!

 

What I'm trying to do is

(a) use forms on the website for customer/trade enquiries - so as not to post up our e-mail address and get bombarded by SPAM

(b) add a shopping cart/check out system which at the payment step links to the secure server of my card processing company for completion

© add a search facility

(d) possibly run a real-time stock availability database (this can be either MS Access or SQL based - I can work with either)

 

I'm using Macromedia Dreamweaver MX to develop the website and although I'm relatively new to the software I'm progressing nicely and understanding more every day! I understand that developing forms (within DW) can be done in either php, asp, etc so that shouldn't be an issue so long as the server supports it.

 

This site will be the "experimental" site and if succesfull I will develop two or three other sites based on the above structure so it is imparative that I get this one right!

 

Anyway, based on the above info - what would be your final answer to the question: Linux or MS? Answers on a postcard to me please!

 

Thanks again!

 

Dan

with what you are wanting it for and using dreamweaver

if you have to choose 1 then i would stick with a microsoft server, it may not be the best/fastest/setup in the world!!! but in terms of ease of use and the sheer amount of help and examples there is on the web with asp and access/sql etc - i think it beats php for that, just cause its more popular!