Comparisons Topic Index

Comparisons Topic Index

Topic Index for "Comparisons"

We do a lot of comparing features of popular products and services on Top Five Advisor. Below, you will find all content shared on this website that compare and contrast features. You’ll find the latest posts that feature “x VS y” style content. If you’d like to see us compare two services, be sure to make a request on our contact page, we’d love to help you and our visitors with whatever you request.

Windows Hosting VS Linux Hosting

Making a choice on what web hosting provider to choose from really depends on your needs, budget and want. There are two most popular types of web hosting and those are Windows hosting and Linux web hosting. Linux hosting had been around for many years and it was only in recent years that Windows Hosting was introduced. Slowly it is getting more and more people to make the switch.

What is Linux Hosting

Linux Hosting is the most popular type of web hosting that utilizes the server software MySQL, PHP and many others. It uses the Linux open-source operating system thus the hosting provider can offer theirs for a low price. Since Linux is free, all the updates don’t require any additional fee for licensing.

Linux Hosting can read scripts like Perl, PHP and other HTML scripts. It uses the MySQL and the PostgreSQL databases as well.

The great advantage of going for Linux website hosting is that the disk space is unlimited. That’s great for serious website designers as they are not limited with the amount of disk space they can use for each site. Also, sites run fast.

What is Windows Hosting

Windows hosting is using the Microsoft Windows Server. This hosting is powered by Microsoft so you know you are getting excellent service and ease of use. Windows is known to be a very easy to use operating system and it makes sense that the Windows Web Hosting is also quite easy to use. You don’t need to have the expert techniques of web designers just to design your own site. Windows Hosting makes it very easy for you to understand the procedure on how it’s done and you can work your way around it.

A serious web designer knows the difference between Linux Hosting and Windows Hosting thus they know when one is better than the other. There’s really no comparison between the two as they both have their own field of specialties. As for Windows Hosting, it is the best hosting solution to choose when you are in need of MSSQL, .NET, MS Access, Plesk, Windows Media Streams, FrontPage, ASP and other applications from Microsoft. If you believe your website would work best with these applications then there’s no other choice but to use Windows Hosting.
One great advantage of Windows Hosting is that it can also work with SSI, PHP and Perl. With this in mind it’s a great advantage to hosting resellers. This means that they can provide a wider option for their customers. They can use the technology that Linux can handle and they can also use the Microsoft based technologies.

Windows Hosting can run in Windows 2003 and/or in Windows 2008. It depends on the hosting provider what they offer but it’s best to always get the updated version of Microsoft Windows. It is also important to note what are the features included in the Windows Hosting so you can get the best experience possible. It’s important to note whether it features the 3 versions of ASP.Net, AJAX, IIS7, Python, SSI, Perl, PHP and many others. Get a comparison between the hosting providers you are interested in and weigh out what you actually need, how much it costs and what may seem unnecessary for your own particular requirements.

Windows Hosting vs Linux Hosting; Who is the Winner?

There are no grand criteria that will really outweigh one type of hosting from the other as both are great. The choice really is based on what the web designer needs and choosing which is best is subjective. What could be great for one may not be what the other needs.

Choose wisely. Read and learn about the hosting services and the hosting provider before making a choice. Don’t be deceived with pricing as some providers offer theirs for cheap but the services and features are limited that you’d end up paying more to add to the features.

In Summary

Here are the programming reasons for choosing Windows web hosting instead of Linux Hosting:

  • MSSQL
  • MS Access
  • ASP.NET
  • Other Microsoft Applications

If you don’t need to use any of these programming platforms, then basic shared web hosting or VPS hosting will be the solution you are looking for. Linux-based hosting is usually cheaper than Windows hosting because of the licensing requirements to use the Windows OS whereas Linux is free for hosts to use and resell. If you do need MSSQL or other Windows-based platform, then be sure to see our Windows web hosting reviews to choose the best fit for your needs.

How Electronic Cigarettes Compare to Traditional Smoking

Electric cigarettes or e-cigarettes are relatively quite new to us. Some might not even know about it yet but they surely know how harmful cigarette smoking can be. There are millions of people who die each year because of cigarette related diseases. And, unfortunately, many of these deadly diseases will let you suffer tremendous pain before your body would succumb to the disease. Nobody wants to die a painful death and we can’t completely avoid that but we could prevent certain types of deaths if we only choose the safer alternative to different choices in our lives.

Here are the top 5 reasons why e-cigarette smoking is the better choice compared to traditional smoking.

Cigarettes Impact on Society

Cigarette smoking is viewed negatively by most people. Although there are millions of smokers around the world but the vast majority of people still don’t like smoking especially the smell and the harmful effects of second hand smoking. Many establishments prohibit smokers from entering and it is not categorized as discrimination because cigarette smoking can leave bad odor to the establishment, the food, and the other customers.

E-cigarette smoking is a better option because you are not exhaling smoke but you’re only exhaling vapor that fades away fast. The vapor doesn’t leave any odor and no carcinogenic chemicals are spread through the e-cigarette’s vapor. Many establishments, even with the no smoking sign, allow e-cigarette smoking but do make sure you ask first as some may still not be aware about e-cigarettes.

Cigarette Safety and Hazards

Traditional smoking is quite unsafe. You lit it with flame and it leaves behind embers. There are many fire-related deaths associated with cigarettes and in fact, in the United States, it’s the leading cause of fire-related deaths.

E-cigarettes don’t require ignition. You just need to make sure your battery has power and when you inhale in the vapor you’ll already enjoy the great flavors of electronic cigarettes. There are no embers and cigarette butts left behind. If used properly, e-cigarettes can’t cause fire as there’s no combustion required to use it.

Smoke Odor

It’s one of the most annoying factor of traditional smoking. Smokers may not notice it anymore because they’re already used to the smell but non-smokers would easily point out that you’ve been smoking because of the way you smell. The smell of cigarettes lingers and sticks to your clothes and more so on your breath and fingers. Unfortunate to those around you, they’d also end up smelling like you when you smoke because the smell also sticks to their clothes. The cause of that distracting smell is not just the burning of the tobacco but also of the combustion of tar and other chemicals. It’s these chemicals that you inhale in to your lungs that are carcinogenic and will cause you a lot of health problems after some time.

Electric cigarettes don’t burn tobacco, tar or other chemicals. You are simply inhaling the vapor from the cartomizers and it’s what you exhale too. It dissipates quickly and there’s no smell that sticks to your clothing, breath or fingers. The people around you won’t complain about the smell anymore.

Electronic Cigarettes Are a Cost Effective Solution for Smokers

Electric cigarettes are actually cheaper. In the United States, the cost of a pack of cigarettes range around $7 to $10. If you smoke a pack a day, just imagine how much you’d be spending a month just on cigarettes? The cost of cigarettes is high because the taxes on this type of product are also very high. A couple decades ago you could get a pack for just $1 and that’s almost 1000% inflation on today’s price.

Contrary to what others may say, using electric cigarettes over traditional cigarettes are actually cheaper. Sure the initial cost would be higher but you’ll see the big savings in just a short time of using it. You can get a pack of e-cigarette with cartomizers for around $50-$100 and you can use it over and over again and just need to replace the cartomizers. Eventually you’d end up spending just a few dollars each month to replace the cartomizers so you are actually making great savings when you made the switch.

Aside from the price of packs of cigarettes, you also have to consider the price of getting medical attention when health problems would arise. With e-cigarettes you won’t have this type of problem.

Health is Wealth

There’s no study to prove whether e-cigarettes are healthy for you but one thing is certain, traditional smoking is dangerous to your health. One option is sure to be dangerous to your health while the other option just need to have proof that it is actually healthier for you. Which one would you choose?

Traditional smoking causes different kinds of diseases especially with how it damages your lungs. Diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, heart diseases, different types of cancer such as lung cancer, mouth cancer, esophagus cancer, throat cancer and many others. Other known deadly diseases caused by traditional smoking include asthma, hypertension, stroke, emphysema and even impotence.

In Summary

If you are to compare e-cigarettes with traditional smoking, it is evident that the better choice is e-cigarettes. Not only will it cost you less but it will spare you from the many known diseases caused by traditional smoking, won’t cause any fire and you’ll also be socially acceptable because you don’t exhale bad smelling smoke. It may still be a recent addition and is still not regulated under the tobacco laws but electronic cigarettes are leaving its mark especially to people who have already tried it. It really feels like you’re smoking traditional cigarettes but with other added benefits. With it you can opt for different flavored vapors which you can’t do with traditional cigarettes. You can find one that is chocolate flavor, apple, mint, orange or also comes in the usual tobacco flavors. It can also be used to help you finally get rid of the habit of smoking and nicotine dependence by slowly reducing the strength of nicotine in the cartomizers.

Thesis Vs Genesis WordPress Framework Systems Compared

For small business website owners, it is essential to find the right theme framework that will help boost your business. Currently, the two most powerful and popular theme frameworks available for WordPress are the Thesis Framework and Genesis Framework. These frameworks are great and easy to use but you must choose one and stick with it as it’s very difficult to change your framework especially when your site is already established. You can get a penalty from Google when you make the switch and frameworks have different HTMLs so switching is highly complicated.

It is important to note that both the Thesis and the Genesis platforms are from well respected developers. Studiopress is the developer of the Genesis Framework while DIYThemes developed Thesis. With that said, you know you can never go wrong with any of the two and your choice will be based only on your preference and need.

Features Comparison for Thesis Vs Genesis

One of the top considerations of website owners when looking for a premium wordpress theme is its price. If the price is too high many would run and hide. With Thesis and Genesis, their prices vary and each has its own pros and cons.

Starting with Thesis, the price is at $87 for its personal option and $164 for the Developers. With its Personal Option you are allowed to use it on your personal website with 1 development center that is localized. This option is great for beginners who only intend on using it with just one website. The Developer’s Option packs more as you can use the framework in as many sites as you want provided that these are your own personal or business sites. If it’s for a client then you are to pay an additional fee. The price for the fee can go as low as $32 per website if you buy 10 licenses. The Developers option is great for personal use with multiple websites but can get a bit more expensive when you use it for your clients. For 10 licenses at $32 each that already adds up to $320 plus $164.

With Genesis, the Framework alone costs $59.95 but if with theme then it’s at $79.97. Their Pro Plus is priced at $299.95. The $59.95 price allows you to use their Framework to as many sites as you want whether it’s your own personal websites or for your client. The $79.97 package option lets you use their Framework inclusive of a child theme to as many websites you want. Their Pro Plus Package costing $299.95 lets you use their Framework and all the themes that are also developed by StudioPress. The number of child themes continues to grow so you will get a lot of options to choose from. The big advantage is that these child themes developed by StudioPress are yours for free. In comparison, the Pro Plus Package is cheaper than the Developer’s Option if to be used with several clients.

To compare Thesis Vs Genesis in terms of their base designs is easy as each one has their own style. With Thesis you can choose from the skins available while Genesis calls these base designs as child themes. DIYThemes don’t offer skins so you will have to get them from a 3rd-party developer and the selection are plentiful. Some skins are available for free while many are priced from over $30 to as high as over $80. There are memberships available from these developers so you can get a cheaper rate for multiple skin purchases.

Child Themes are also made by StudioPress so you are not dependent on any third party developers to get your theme. The big advantage to this is that when StudioPress updates the Genesis Framework then all the child themes will already be supported. There are many Child Themes available for your selection but if StudioPress’ selection isn’t enough for you then they also have a marketplace wherein you can purchase Child Themes from other developers that are approved by StudioPress. The price for each Child Theme is $24.95.

Customer Support Comparison for Thesis Vs Genesis

The customer support of Thesis vs Genesis customer support is practically at par with each other. That’s because both are offering great support so customers are assured they won’t end up spending days to get a response from the team. Both have their support forums which is great as you can get answers from their representatives and from other webmasters as well.

If there’s one advantage Thesis has over Genesis in terms of customer support is with their online manual. You can even copy some of the snippets that you’d want to share in your websites. Genesis does not have a user manual.

Conclusion

All in all, Thesis and Genesis deserve their spots as the two most competitive Framework Systems for WordPress. Other similar Frameworks can’t compare. You can never go wrong whether you choose Thesis or you choose Genesis. What’s important is that when you choose one you got to make sure you already made up your mind as you have to stick with it until the end.

Guide in choosing the right Framework:

Choose GenesisClick here to visit their site

  • If you are not an expert in PHP, CSS or HTML
  • If you don’t want to spend so much time in setting up your website
  • If you are happy with skins quite similar with other WordPress sites
  • If you have multiple client websites as choosing their Pro Plus package will save you money

Choose ThesisClick here to visit their site

  • If you know PHP, CSS and HTML well
  • If you prefer to customize your sites to make it look unique
  • With lots of time and energy in personalizing the look of your site
  • If you only work on your own personal and business websites so you only pay $164 for unlimited use.

Your budget and need are really the two factors you have to consider when making a selection. By answering the guide listed above, you won’t go wrong in making the right choice for you.