Linux Web Hosting Overview
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In this article, I will be discussing the finer points of Linux-based web hosting. First, I will go over the basics regarding what Linux is and how it can be used to run dynamic websites. I will then get into comparing Linux with Windows-based hosting, laying out the benefits and hopefully helping you, the reader, make a decision as to which is best for your situation.
Linux is a computer operating system much like Unix. It was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds at the University of Helsinki in Finland. He came to develop Linux while he was working on a non-commercial replacement for Minix, a small Unix-like system, hence Linux's similarity to Unix, meant for academic use.
Torvalds wanted to exceed its 16-bit design and allow for more accessible modification and redistribution standards. Eventually, Torvalds came up with the Linux kernel. A kernel is the central component of most operating systems – it connects the application software to the hardware of a computer.
(Linux Mascot)
Linux source code is freely available to anyone thanks to its development under the GNU Project's General Public License. The GNU Project had the goal of developing a free and complete Unix-compatible software system. Let's be clear that Linux itself is not free; only its source code for the kernel and most software for Linux. Companies or Linux developers can charge for it as long as the source code is available for free.
The Linux operating system is capable of many things, including networking, software development, and being used as an end-user platform. It runs on nearly any kind of hardware from the basics (Intel and AMD) to the more obscure (Digital Alpha, Silicon Graphics, and PowerPC). Because of its low cost and high functionality, it has become one of the most popular operating systems, especially when it comes to web hosting, where it is widely regarded as the most well-known kind of web hosting next to Windows.
Every day, programmers and developers are fashioning Linux source code to meet their needs. Many projects are underway seeking to port Linux to a variety of hardware configurations. It's already used as an operating system for video game systems, like the Sony PlayStation series, and mobile phones. It runs on more types of computer architectures than any other operating system. This is because the kernel can run on architectures that were initially meant to use an operating system made by the manufacturer.
Go on to the next section to get a better description of how Linux can be used for web hosting.
Next: LAMP and Whatnot >>
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