Linux Vs Windows! Who Wins?

[VCR]

Hey guys! I host websites and all but I have 1 question...
Should I Use Linux Over Windows 2003 Sever?

I Have Windows Running Fine But, I am Afraid Of That Windows, Well, Sucks. I Heared Linux was 1000000 times better but from your experience what would you choose for...

Hosting Websites
FTP Servers
Mail Servers
ETC.


EDIT: LOL! I Spelt Who Wrong In The Thread Name!

Thanks
-Mark Robert Masterson

[Cagedconnerman]

From what i gather browsing the forums and looking at various reviews, i think it comes down to stability vs. ease of use, Linux is the more stable of the two but Windows has super simple setup and maintenance.

[Helix666]

Windows has super simple setup and maintenance.

Some distros of Linux (Ubuntu for example) are extremely easy to set up.

If you want the best uptime I would say go with Linux for webservers.
Funny story here:

The University of North Carolina has finally found a network server that, although missing for four years, hasn't missed a packet in all that time. Try as they might, university administrators couldn't find the server. Working with Novell Inc., IT workers tracked it down by meticulously following cable until they literally ran into a wall. The server had been mistakenly sealed behind drywall by maintenance workers...

Which says something about the reliability.

[gntlkilr]

I've been wondering the same thing. I've got a new file server I'm building, and I've got Server 03 on it now, but the thing I'm wondering is if Linux will be a faster network response. Thats all I really care about. Which one will play my media files or access files across a network faster.

[Bucko]

EDIT: LOL! I Spelt Who Wrong In The Thread Name!

Fixed it for you.

[VCR]

Thx a lot Bucko

[Airbozo]

I recommend linux. Mainly because I trust the linux security much more than I would Windows. Also it is easy to setup a LAMPS server and fine tune the kernel for optimum performance with only the bits you need and nothing else (there are many tutorials on setting up a custom LAMPS server on dis interwebby).

I also prefer linux because of the command line capability (yes I loves my console).

That said, some people would prefer to have a windows web host because of many of the Frontpage extensions that they would need to run a website. (depends on how you code it...)

[OvRiDe]

I agree with AB.. I have a server at a co-lo running all that you mentioned. It is rock solid. I would wager that this site is running linux as well. I do 99% of the administration using SSH (1% is using a tool called Webmin for some things as a convenience). The site HowTo Forge has some pretty good guides on setting up different distros for exactly what you have mentioned. Just look for your distro and "The Perfect Setup"

I run 5 Windows Server 2003 R2 servers at work. I must say they are definitely more problematic then our linux servers. I have one linux box that was up for 283 days with a dailey load of about 800 concurrent users. The only reason for the reboot was to apply the TZ edit (Daylight Savings Time patch).

Hope this helps and good luck!

[Bucko]

Indeed this forum is on a Linux server.

[Computer-Geek]

I like windows for some of its programs and its ease of use i have been thinking of dual-booting fedora or ubuntu on my computer. Also my website is on a linux server