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The Disadvantages of Windows Hosting
Windows hosting certainly has its advantages; it’s easy to use, and is compatible with Microsoft Access, Microsoft Frontpage, .NET and Visual Basic. However, there are some disadvantages to Windows hosting, too. While this doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use a Windows hosting package, there are significant drawbacks to using one that you will need to know about before you choose. Let’s take a look at some of the best advantages that come with using a Windows hosting package; then, you’ll be able to make an informed decision.
Instability
Unfortunately, Windows is not as stable as, for example, UNIX. Therefore, if you are planning on running Windows instead of UNIX, you can count on having some downtime, perhaps significant. Most Windows servers will have some issues, because the platform itself is not particularly stable. If at all possible, it’s much more desirable from a stability standpoint to go with UNIX.
Slow performance
UNIX servers run much more quickly than do Windows servers. Therefore, if you want your content to come up quickly, you’re better off using UNIX. The slowness of a Windows server relates to the programming, and it’s not something you can easily fix.
System resources hog
Unfortunately, most Windows servers use many more resources than servers running on UNIX do. This means you’ll need more RAM, more bandwidth, and more disk space, likely, which can cost you significantly more money than if you were to go with a UNIX server.
Frequent reboots
You’ll need to reboot your Windows server more often than you will your UNIX server, which can mean your site will be down significantly more than if it were run on UNIX.
Incompatibility with Perl and CGI
Perl or CGI applications can cause Windows compatibility issues. These were developed in UNIX, which means that many scripts are going to be incompatible as written and you’ll need to be able to work around them. Many Perl and CGI scripts do indeed function correctly on Windows, but you have to do some research to find them, and they’re not particularly common.
No SSH or Telnet administration
You won’t be able to administer your site using SSH or Telnet, since these are UNIX based. If you’re used to being able to do so, you’re out of luck if you decide to go with a Windows server.
No “free lunch”
Because Windows is not a platform that is free operating, your Windows hosting package will likely cost more than if it’s based in UNIX. Very few free applications will also run on Windows server, which means you’ll have significant out-of-pocket expenses, likely, because you’ll need to pay for applications you could get free with a UNIX server.
What do these disadvantages mean?
Do these disadvantages mean you shouldn’t use Windows hosting? Not necessarily, but you most certainly need to look at the drawbacks a Windows server will give you versus one that runs on UNIX — as well as the advantages.
If your website is relatively basic AND you use FrontPage and/or Microsoft Access on your website, then Windows hosting may indeed be your best fit. For anything more complicated than that, though (and if you don’t need the “perfect fit” that Windows hosting provides FrontPage or Microsoft Access users), consider going with UNIX instead. UNIX provides you so much more flexibility and stability that it’s well worth your time.
John Bassos 2012 Technology Predictions: Prediction: Sensors Everywhere
Whenever the subject of “sensors everywhere” comes up, people usually have one of two responses:
A. George Orwells “1984” and omnipresent monitoring
B. Efficiency, knowledge and omnipresent monitoring
The advances we have seen recently have been pretty remarkable, and as those inventions make their way into business and consumer markets well be able to do some really neat things that havent been possible or economical.
Like most innovations, the ability to place and monitor sensors in almost anything is really a combination of multiple innovations and changes. Specifically:
Capable low powered devices
Low powered networks
IPv6
The first two are pretty obvious. Miniaturization of devices, as well as the ability to work at very low power means that we can put them almost anywhere. Also, low powered networks means that you can easily and wirelessly connect to them which makes installation and maintenance very affordable.
As a part of the networking capability, IPv6 makes it much easier to connect these devices to the internet. We explained IPv6 and its business implications in a previous post, which may be worth checking out if you have any questions about IPv6. As for its implications for sensors, IPv6 basically could give a unique web address to every atom in the galaxy. By comparison, the current system (IPv4) does not even have enough addresses for every person on the planet.
The ability to place sensors everywhere means that you can monitor and control things with more precision, and it has home, business and government implications. Using data collection software and data management applications, users can use the data to make informed and effective changes to improve performance or reduce the cost of whatever they are monitoring.
For home uses, you could easily and remotely monitor power usage, reducing your monthly utility bill. You could monitor when doors and windows are left open, the water table around your house (for basement flooding), weather and rainfall, or pretty much anything else you would want to monitor. Of course, there are hundreds of practical medical uses, including the ability to wear or implant sensors that could tell if you fall or lose consciousness and automatically call for help.
For businesses, the uses are pretty much limitless, but the short description is it gives the ability to monitor key indicators that might otherwise be more challenging to monitor. Sensors help to improve efficiency as well as improve safety and performance. We see these in manufacturing and production already, but most other industries are less capable of accurately monitoring workflows and outcomes.
For governments it will help ensure the safety and maintenance of infrastructure, including roads and bridges. It also means that traffic patterns could be more accurately determined and planned for, rather than relying on static timers and quantized car groupings.
There are some security and privacy concerns related to this which will be discussed later. However the biggest potential concern is that people will set up their own sensor networks at home and fail to secure them properly.
A Keyword Research Service Can Really Drive Up Your Traffic
Odds are that you might have heard a little bit over the years about the importance of properly optimizing your website for keywords. A great deal goes into having a well visited website that people not just return to again and again, but also can find in the first place. Most people use search engines to some degree or another to find access to the information that they use on a daily basis. Of course, the type of searching being done varies almost as much as the world itself. This is exactly the reason why having your website be properly optimized for keywords is so critical. However, trying to figure out the best keyword strategy for your site can be tricky. This is why many small business owners turn a keyword research service for assistance.
Search engine programs find your site through keywords. Once they have visited your website, they analyze its content and then rank it for search engine results online. No matter what type of products or services you offer through your website, if you want people to find that site, good keyword optimization couldnt be much more important.
If you select keywords that no one is looking up, then obviously the traffic that you receive from search engine results wont matter too much
even if you show up on the first page. On the other side of the spectrum, the more interested people are in a given term and the more they are looking it up, the easier it will be for you to get steady and reliable search engine traffic. Further, it is likely to be counterproductive to optimize your site for keywords that have intense and cutthroat competition. Due to the levels of potential complexity involved in the process, a keyword research service can be essential in helping you to figure out the optimal keywords for your website.
Opting to use a keyword research service will provide your company with a myriad of benefits. Selecting the right keywords can make a world of difference, as the right keywords will bring people to your site to buy your goods and services. Needless to say, there is big money in having the right keywords in place! With a keyword research service, it is possible to develop a coherent keyword strategy and, in the process, drive optimal levels of traffic to your site.