Linux web hosting refers to web hosting with any member of a group of Linux distributions, which are built around the Linux kernel. Because most Linux platforms are open source and free, Linux web hosting is less expensive than Windows. Web Host Ranking is going to discuss a lot about Linux web hosting in this Linux web hosting review and we are also going to tell you who offers the best Linux web hosting.
Origins of Linux
Linus Torvalds developed the Linux kernel in 1991, and it is out of this that all the varied Linux distributions have evolved. Licensed as free and open source through the GNU (GNU’s not Unix) licensing program, other elements that are added to the Linux kernel to form a distribution. Like UNIX systems, Linux distributions are modular, built around a kernel which integrates with core utilities, tools, a library, and a graphical user interface (GUI). Linux distributions are not only a popular choice for server platforms, but are also used for desktop computers and supercomputers. Popular Linux distributions include CentOS, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE, and Ubuntu.
When Linux is combined with Apache, MySQL, and one or more of the p-languages Perl, Python, and PHP, the group is referred to as LAMP server software, with the acronym coming from the initials of the components. This software stack is not only desirable for its inherent qualities, but is also appealing to people who support open source, free software. Using all open source, free components on a server avoids licensing costs, allowing Linux web hosting to be offered for a lesser price that Microsoft Windows proprietary software servers, for which a licensing fee must be paid.
Seeking Out Linux Web Hosting
Although the popularity of Free BSD has shot up since it became available, Linux continues to be the leading choice (50%) of web hosting companies that were evaluated as reliable, while of the top 500 supercomputer systems, almost 85% were determined to be using Linux. As a choice for shared hosting, virtual private server hosting, or dedicated hosting, Linux is virtually always a choice (pun intended). However, since there are different Linux distributions with different features—some considered more useful for the very adept programmer, some known for their helpful user community, and others known for their reliable release schedule—if you will be doing web work in which this is a consideration, you should either get more information, or go with a webhost that tells you this kind of thing upfront. Depending on your needs, you may also wish to ascertain the availability of certain programming languages, the size and number of allowed MySQL databases, and other variable features.
Linux Web Hosting from FatCow
If you are seeking shared Linux web hosting, you may wish to consider the offerings of FatCow. The shared hosting plan is typically $88/year, but Web Host Ranking has a FatCow coupon that allows you to only pay $44 a year. That’s only $3.67 a month! A feature that may be unique to this webhost it’s the claim that the hosting provided by FatCow is “powered by 100% wind energy.
FatCow offers free setup, a free domain name, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Site basics include unlimited disk space, bandwidth, domains per account, and email accounts, with “unlimited” defined as the amount used in normal operation of a personal website or small business website. The hosting plan includes daily server backups, 24/7 facility monitoring, and a backup generator system. Blogging software WordPress and content management system Joomla, as well as poll, counter, and survey tools are provided.
Ecommerce features that come with the plan include a website builder, Google, Yahoo!, and Facebook advertising credits, and a free, 60-day trial of Constant Contact. Online stores, the ability to accept credit cards, shared SSL, and PayPal shopping cart integration are all available. There are plans for affiliates, referrals, and resellers.
Website building can be accomplished through a website builder tool, for those who want it, and for programmers, there is PHP4 and PHP5 support, as well as Python, and unlimited MySQL databases.