When choosing a dedicated server (or in some cases maybe even a virtual hosting package) to host your sites on one of the main things you have to decide is what operating system you want the server to have. The most common server operating system is Linux. Over time Linux has become one of the most stable and commonly used operating systems in the world and with that comes a wealth of knowledge and information about it. Also, Linux is in constant development with new upgrades coming out regularly.

A study done in 2006 showed that eight out of every ten servers on the internet were running on Linux. The reasons for this are many, but the most common are that in many cases it doesn’t need a graphical user interface so the software can operate using less system resources and it has a history of being very stable and not needing to be rebooted very often. Linux is also free which is a very attractive point when deciding what type of operating system to use on a server.

Among the positive points for using a Linux based server as your host is the fact that it is easily configurable to run with a variety of applications including shopping carts, data bases, text editors and more. Linux is also designed to handle high loads of traffic and can easily process requests from thousands of users at the same time.

The main negative about Linux is that, without any type of user interface installed, it can have a sharp learning curve. A user will have to learn commands and how to execute them in order to setup, run and maintain their server. Having these things done for you can increase costs. Getting a user interface installed will help newer users manage their servers with less of a learning curve.

Linux is still the choice of most hosting companies and shows no signs of relinquishing that title any time soon.