What are some of the pros/cons for choosing to host on Windows or Linux? At one point, quite a few web development tools and server products were available for one or the other. However, nowadays, I can get run MySQL/PHP/Apache all on Windows with no issues (although I obviously still can't run ASP.NET on Linux!).

How do you go about deciding which is the best option?

What I look at is what I plan on running. If I am going to be running php mysql I normally always use Unix type hosting as php and mysql were originally created for these operating systems and have been optimized for them. Also depending upon your hosting provider if you want to use these two languages, you have to use a unix type hosting as their windows hosting is only setup for asp, asp.net and MS SQL server.

Joe

I prefer Linux because it offers more options in the user control panel, such as the Help Desk for one. However, I do not use ASP.NET; I haven't even checked on it's availability.

If you had the choice to use whatever language you wanted on a Linux hosting environment then I would hands down vote for Linux. They are generally cheaper than Windows hosting and offer a lot more. However if you are doing Microsoft development then you have no choice but to go with Windows hosting.

If you are doing Microsoft development be careful when you are shopping for hosting providers. I have found that many boast being able to host multiple sites on one package. Which is true, unless you are doing Microsoft .Net development. Due to limitations of the server configuration some places are only able to handle one Microsoft .Net site and the rest would have to be Classic ASP or some other scripting language. I was very frustrated when I discovered this on the first hosting package I bought!