WebWiz Popularity

Most web sites are on Linux servers who still have the main market share, which is why most people use PHP based boards.

Windows web hosting is usually more expensive because Microsofts licensing isn't cheap, nor easy to understand. You have to have SPLA license with Microsoft to be able to sell windows web hosting which you must pay on a monthly basis and works out more expensive than buying the OS outright over an 18 month period. Also Europeon based Windows hosting is usually more expensive as we are charged a higher price in Europe for Microsoft licenses.

This I'm afraid means that most web sites are on Linux servers as they are much cheaper to run and so tend to have PHP based forums as ASP doesn't run well on Linux.

Until Microsoft lower their licensing costs, make licensing easier to understand, and quicker to implement,  I can't see this situation changing.

For example you can go and grab a Linux distro for free right now by downloading it. With Windows you can't go out a buy Windows 2003 server for £450 unless it's for just your own site, if you want to host other peoples sites you need an SPLA license. This can take 2 months or more to sortout and get the media, you are then paying for the OS on a monthly biases and have paid for it in full every 18 months. The only advantage with the SPLA is you do spread the cost of buying the OS and can upgrade to the new version when it comes available.


Edited by -boRg- - 08 June 2007 at 9:55am