UNIX vs. NT

One of the first things you'll need to know about your ISP is what operating system (OS) it is using. This is an important piece of information for installing CGI scripts.

OS Basics

The operating system (OS) is the software that "manages" your computer and allows all other programs to run. There are many varieties of operating systems, each targeted towards specific computer types (PCs, workstations, mainframes...) and specific uses (desktop, server...).

The most common operating systems for personal computers are DOS, Windows, and MacOS, which are all single-user systems. Internet service providers (ISPs), on the other hand, need to have many clients sharing a single computer, so they use operating systems targeted for that purpose.

The most popular operating systems for ISP servers are

• UNIX (under many brand names -- AIX, Solaris, BSD, Linux, etc)
• Windows NT

Windows NT evolved from the Microsoft Windows environment and has a graphical interface. It is much newer than UNIX and therefore less road-tested, so to speak. You can expect that it will take many years for NT servers to achieve the stability enjoyed by UNIX systems. However, many ISPs prefer NT to UNIX due to it's simplified interface.

If you are using an ISP to host your web site, however, the interface differences aren't really evident to you. If all you are doing is publishing HTML documents to your web site, chances are you couldn't tell one system from the other.

CGI Impact

From a web surfer's perspective, it really doesn't make much difference which OS your ISP is using. Both UNIX and NT servers can host web sites and display HTML pages just fine. When you are trying to install CGI scripts, however, it's important to know which OS you are dealing with.

The impact can be divided into two components:

Script Compatibility

CGI scripts are written for a particular operating system, so it is crucial that the script you are trying to install is compatible with the OS used by your ISP. In general, Perl scripts are most flexible and can often run on both NT and UNIX. However, you should confirm which operating systems are supported for the specific script you are using.

Installation Methods

There is also a difference in the installation ease for the two operating systems. On NT systems, you are limited to using FTP to upload and download files. In addition, it is usually not possible for you to do things like change the permissions on a directory or file without going through tech support. (If you don't understand those terms, don't worry! Just look at the related tutorials at the bottom of this page.)

On UNIX systems, you generally have more control over things like file permissions. You may also have the capability to use telnet to actually "log in" to the system and install the scripts. These features are really useful to the script installer, however, their availability is dependent on how your ISP is set up.

ISP Shopping

If you're in the middle of ISP shopping (or hopping) you might be wondering which operating system is "best" for your site.

I will admit up front that I am completely biased on this issue. My background is in UNIX and I find it much easier to do script installations in that environment. In fact, many of the techniques you will learn in these on-line tutorials are only applicable to UNIX servers providing telnet access.

However, NT has its place. If you are using Front Page, Active Server Pages or other Microsoft products, NT is likely a better choice for your situation. If you don't care about installing complex CGI scripts yourself, then you're best bet is to go with the ISP that has the best technical support for the price.

Related tutorials

UNIX directory structure
Useful UNIX tasks
Basic UNIX commands
UNIX file permissions
Using telnet