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The Best Web Host - Is he Perfect?
Unix or Windows Hosting?
Your first decision in your search for the best website hosting service is: Should the host computer run Unix or Windows operating system and server software?
Most websites, including this one, are hosted on Unix servers. It doesn't matter that I used a Windows-equipped PC to develop and upload the website, or that most visitors to my site are running Windows too.
Unix hosting is cheaper and generally more stable under heavy traffic conditions, than Windows hosting. So Unix hosting is best for most websites.
The main reason for using Windows hosting would be if you were using Microsoft proprietary programming languages (such as .NET, Visual Basic or ASP) or database systems (such as MS SQL). This applies mainly to professional IT departments.
Ordinary browser languages (HTML and CSS) are supported on both platforms.
When and if you need them, Unix also has its own scripting languages for server scripts (PHP, Python etc) and databases (such as My SQL).
Is the best website hosting service free?
Amazingly, some web host services will host your site for free. However, they all have limits to how many resources your site can use before you have to start paying for it.
You need to check out those limits to see if they will restrict you. That may be difficult to do, because you do not know how much traffic you site will attract.
Also, once you exceed those limits and have to pay for your hosting service, the “free” host is generally more expensive than the paid service you might have chosen to start with. That’s reasonable enough – there are no free lunches. But just go into it with your eyes properly open.
As far as paid web hosting is concerned, these services are getting cheaper and offering more and more benefits. Special offers abound. Expect to sign up (and pay) for a year or more in advance if you want the best website hosting deal.
Mine Host
For my sites I use Hostmonster. Their service is great. Their control panel is easy to use (that's how I interact with their system). They offer many bundled products, services and features for free. It’s hard to believe you can get so much for a few dollars a month. And the actual hosting itself has been completely reliable, always. Sorry, I know this sounds like a plug.
I chose them because they offered "unlimited" resources (disk space, mail accounts, domains, bandwidth) and low rates, and because the reviews I read were impressive.
I'm skeptical about the "unlimited" resources. Sooner or later they may want to charge me for some or other extra. But I think it will be later.
I expect there are many other web host service providers who would do just as good a job (well, almost) for much the same price. These guys have to be good to survive, because it's fairly easy for a small website owner to change his host.
All of the website hosting services in our Links/Resources come highly recommended and are very well priced.
Your best web host could be a local host
If I was building a site to promote a local business to my own neighbourhood or country outside of the USA, then I might think about using a local hosting company (shorter distances could make for marginally quicker response times, I guess) but they’d have to be awfully good!
Well, just one tutorial left in this First Steps section. Its about learning HTML and CSS. Did you think you were going to get away without doing that? I did too...
Links / Resources
Web Hosting Article:
Unix vs. Windows host
More Website Hosting Articles:
How to choose a web host
Budget web hosting
Guide to web hosting
Web hosting is more than just bandwidth
My Best Website Hosting Services (alphabetical):
Blue Host
Fat Cow
Hostmonster
Inmotion
Justhost
Preparation: Best Web Host Top Prev Next: Learn basic HTML & CSS
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