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windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:57 am
by FreeAngel
Hi all,

I am wondering what system is better for php website development LINUX or WINDOWS XP?

What you guys use most. I am starting my bussines and i cant decide what system is best to use. If i have to buy a commercial windows or get linux on computers?

I have some experiences with linux and i think in browsers its showing websites fonts little different ( they looks much smaller ) then on windows or mac platform.

thx. to all replies.

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:08 am
by VladSun
For servers - definitely Linux :)
For IDE - I think both Windows and Linux have some good IDEs - your choice (but Windows and Windows software cost money ;) )
There is yet another alternative - VMWare :)

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:53 am
by Inkyskin
Fore actual developing, go with what you are comfortable with. If your usual development tools are windows based, stick with windows. As Vladsun stated though, there is a cost involved for Windows itself at the very least. That said, all of the development tools I use are completely free.

If your interested in Linux, why not dual boot until you are either used to it or decide your comfortable enough with it to use it full time.

Personally, I use Windows. It's not because I like windows, it just so happens that most of the tools I use are Windows Only. (Although I do actually like windows lol)

As for linux rendering differently, you can always run IE and FF etc in Wine, or you could use a service like http://www.browsershots.org, so theres always a way to see what other machine's rendering looks like :)

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:57 am
by Jenk
I'm using Gentoo, with Windows XP on VMWare.

You still have to pay for a license when using VMWare. It does not make windows automatically free.

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 3:12 pm
by Christopher
I prefer Linux because it has more of the tools I need in both windowed apps and command line. I find Windows frustrating for a lot of things where there are great Unix solutions, things like rsync. I use Windows on a laptop, but find myself switching to Linux do things all the time.

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:29 pm
by califdon
I echo what Inkyskin said, go with what you have the most experience with. Since this is going to be a part of your business, you don't want to screw it up, and you don't want to be spending all your time on your web development instead of running your business. I also agree that Apache on Linux is my idea of a sweet server. If anyone really understands .NET, please raise your hand!

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:32 pm
by Benjamin
I would disagree and say that you should develop on the platform the application will live on. Without getting into the nitty gritty details it prevents issues that can arise, saves time and in the case of Linux, the developer is better educated on the intricacies of the server. Besides, programming in Linux is just more fun. I know that is subjective, but once you get used it you'll never go back.

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:11 am
by califdon
astions wrote:I would disagree and say that you should develop on the platform the application will live on. Without getting into the nitty gritty details it prevents issues that can arise, saves time and in the case of Linux, the developer is better educated on the intricacies of the server. Besides, programming in Linux is just more fun. I know that is subjective, but once you get used it you'll never go back.
But he said he is starting his own business, so whatever he chooses WILL be the production platform. If he already has substantial skills in Windoze, I think it would be a mistake to try to learn Linux at the same time as he starting up his business, which is usually a 16-hour/day job, all by itself! Now, if he has any Linux experience or even no experience at all, I would agree that Linux would be a good, perhaps the best, choice. But there are lots of other factors. For one, how long he anticipates that he will personally be doing the technical work. If his startup might grow to the point where he'll hire an IT guy or staff within a year or two, that's a different ball game.

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:08 am
by Benjamin
Well maybe the op needs to take a few steps back and explore all his options. Including what language to develop website applications in. There really ought to be a good match between the operating system and server software such as database, scripting languages and web servers.

In the end I feel that if your developing for a Linux server, it's beneficial to develop on a Linux box. Same for Windows.

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:12 am
by Kieran Huggins
I've had great experiences with a WAMP server on my local XP machine. Feels like LAMP, none of that IIS crap.

Check out Uniform Server - everything you need on one tidy package, no installer even! Just turn it on and go.

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:45 am
by Inkyskin
astions wrote:In the end I feel that if your developing for a Linux server, it's beneficial to develop on a Linux box. Same for Windows.
I agree that this can be beneficial - however not the be all and end all. I use putty to get into my server via command line - which is what you would most likely do even if you had a linux box. (Although without having to install/use putty ;) )

This really does come down to personal choice - there is no total best option. Each have benefits and downsides, it just depends on which benefits you want and which downsides you can live with.

This is how I see the plusses / minuses (Im probably missing alot here, but these are the main basics):

Linux:
------
+ Working within native environment
+ Can run apache, mysql, php etc
+ has good range of IDE's etc
+ Linux is FREE
- Not as easy to check what sites look like in IE (Still the most popular browser - dammit)
unless using wine, which you have to pay for windows still anyway
- Need to use wine to run windows software (Still need windows liscence)
- Might not be as comfortable using linux

Windows
---------
+ Good range of IDE's
+ Can run apache, mysql, php etc
+ Most likely already know how to use windows decently
+ Quicker to check what sites will look like in most people's browsers
- Have to pay for windows
- Have to pay for some software (By choice, can usually find open source equivalent)
- Not native environment

In an ideal world, I'd say dual boot :D

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:14 am
by VladSun
I would suggest you - Linux OS - for web developers team, Linux OS for all kind of servers and Windows OS for designers team :)

PS: Use SVN or CVS ;)

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:04 am
by califdon
VladSun wrote:I would suggest you - Linux OS - for web developers team, Linux OS for all kind of servers and Windows OS for designers team :)
What, no Mac??!! :lol:

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:36 pm
by Benjamin
Mac's are for the graphic design team :)

Re: windows or linux for web development?

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:23 am
by hannnndy
I think Linux is good to be the web server

for me as an example :
I cant find any nice IDE in Linux any working one I tried eclipse but it does not support network to opening projects and cant find any IDE to work with any way I Like Linux for its advantages but I was faster in php when using Windows

Please tell me What are this variety of IDEs in Linux? I cant find em

I'm using ubuntu 7.10