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When you are thinking about hosting your web site in the Unix/Linux server hosting environment there are a few facts that you should to be aware of. Unix is an operating system that was planned from the ground up to be a multi-user operating system. It can handle the needs of advanced users and servers with ease.

Initial releases of Unix were very costly, which was something that hampered it’s uptake. However, there are free Unix compatible operating systems, for example Linux that carry out the identical job, but without the big price tag. Linux began life as a university project by Linus Torvalds and has developed to be a main force in web server operating systems.

When debating which server operating system to opt for you will generally discover that servers using Linux will be cheaper that those running the proprietary and expensive Microsoft Windows. Linux usually has a smaller system footprint and less overhead than Microsoft Windows. The financial savings from all of this can be passed on to the consumer in reduced prices.

If you decide to opt for Unix / Linux server hosting then you will also benefit from the large variety of free software, most of which is open source and can be adapted to meet your specific needs. There is also a wealth of developers for these free and readily available software packages and tools.

So what disadvantages are there to selecting Unix or Linux? One of the disadvantages are that it is quite a complicated operating system and requires more technical experience to properly administer it than Microsoft Windows. There are however a lot of knowledgeable and experienced Unix experts and resources that you can fall back on.

A further disadvantage is that unless you are running your own server you are likely to find that your web host will tightly control the environment and may limit how you can access your account through Telnet or SSH.

So, your decision to select Unix / Linux instead of Microsoft Windows will boil down to price, availability of free and readily available software, and how confident you are about getting to grips with what may be to you a potentially foreign OS environment. However, your budget and desire for a cheap host may ultimately be the determining factor.

One thing is certain though and that is that if you are searching for a cheap host then going down the Linux path will mean that you should be able to select the cheapest deal available. You will also be in good company when choosing linux web hosting as it is the operating system of choice for many of the major web sites on the internet. So you can be in no doubt that if it has the power and stability to meet their needs then it will be OK for yours!