Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » server side scripting http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog Web Hosting Industry News, Latest Trends, and Analyses. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:48:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 ASP Web Hosting Reviewedhttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2011/03/15/asp-web-hosting-reviewed/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2011/03/15/asp-web-hosting-reviewed/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:03:49 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=1476 ASP (Active Server Pages) is a revolutionary programming language and platform that facilitates the creation of dynamic webpages that can utilize interactive components and respond quickly to visitor input. Unlike other similar programming platforms that allow you to create interactive webpages, ASP is a complete server-side scripting solution, which means it is much more reliable and stable. An example of components that are commonly amended and programmed using ASP are forms, search engines, blogs, calendars, e-mail modules, newsletters, polls, surveys, hit counters, and any other component of a webpage that is related to or dependent upon a site visitor’s actions. ASP also provides the additional advantage of being fully compatible with all browsers, thereby making it a universal scripting solution.

How to Find ASP Web Hosting Plans

Unfortunately, in order to utilize this unique programming platform, is absolutely necessary to have access to a web server that is compatible with ASP (a specific type of Windows web hosting). However, it is important to note that ASP Web hosting plans are not simply services that lease Windows web servers, as these plans usually already have Active Server Pages technology installed on the server and ready to be utilized. It is also important to realize that, while the majority of web hosting providers claim that their hosting plans are compatible with nearly all programming platforms, this does not mean that support for ASP is provided. Since ASP is such a powerful programming platform, it would be preferable to choose a hosting provider that specializes in this technology.

What Is an ASP Server?

An ASP server is simply a web server with the Windows operating system and the ASP scripting platform installed. Although Windows Vista and Windows 7 carries integrated support for ASP servers, older versions of Windows such as windows XP and Windows and the do not support ASP scripting. However, by utilizing a third-party software known as “Chili” (distributed by Sun Microsystems), it is possible to enjoy the benefits of ASP programming outside of the Windows operating system. Chili is basically a virtualization software that allows you to run ASP on other operating systems such as Linux, Solaris, or AIX. Although it would be ideal to host ASP scripts on a powerful web server (such as a dedicated or VPS server) in order to optimize functionality and performance, this versatile programming language is capable of being run on even a modest web server (i.e. – those offered with a shared hosting plan).

The Simplicity of ASP

Despite its extensive capabilities, the ASP programming platform is very similar to HTML, so even the most novice to intermediate webmasters should be able to easily transition into using this type of scripting language. In fact, even individuals that have no experience with web development should be able to learn ASP as their first programming language. Fortunately, it won’t require years of hard work to become an efficient ASP programmer, as there are many user-friendly interactive applications that simplify the learning curve significantly.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2011/03/15/asp-web-hosting-reviewed/feed/ 0 A Closer Look into APS Hostinghttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/18/a-closer-look-into-aps-hosting/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/18/a-closer-look-into-aps-hosting/#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:27:42 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=671 APS is a unique hosting solution that offers some very unique features to the domain owner. APS (Active Server Pages) technology allows the design and creation of an interactive website to be completed via server-side scripting. Examples of interactive websites and/or features would be: forums, blogs, search bars, calendars, newsletters, email, surveys, polls, and hit counters.  Unlike HTML scripting, APS scripting will allow your website to be displayed equally on any web browser. The overall compatibility of APS hosting stems from the fact that the APS server decodes and translates the .aps info into .html info before it is received by the browser. This is the primary reason why it is called APS hosting, as it is more than just a type of scripting. In order to use .aps scripts, your hosting company must have APS servers available.

Finding an APS Web Hosting Service Provider

Even though most web hosts claim to support the majority of scripts out there, this doesn’t mean that they all support ASP scripting. ASP scripting is relatively new so it is important that you find a web hosting company that specializes in this area of expertise. Many times you can find out all you need to know form a companies FAQ page, however if you still have questions it may be best to call their customer support number for further inquiries.

ASP Server Details

ASP servers are Windows based virtual servers, much like  Microsoft’s Personal Web Server. While Windows Vista carries support for ASP servers,  XP Home Edition and Windows ME unfortunately do not support ASP scripts. However if your operating system does not support ASP hosting then it is still possible to take advantages of this kind of hosting, thanks to a program known as “Chili” made by Sun Microsystems. Chili allows users to enjoy the benefits of  ASP hosting even if they are using operating systems like Linux, AIX or Solaris, or even if you are using an incompatible server such as Secure Server, Red Hat, and Apache.

The Ease of Transition to ASP Hosting

ASP scripting is also strikingly similar to HTML scripting, so anyone who is familiar with writing code in HTML will have no problem making the transition to ASP scripting. In fact, ASP hosting is just as easy to learn as HTML, so even if you have no experience in scripting, ASP is still an option for you as long as you have a little bit of motivation and the right guide.  In fact there are many tools available online that will help even the most inexperienced programmers in building interactive web pages for their website. If your web hosting company does not currently offer support for ASP hosting, then you can rest assured that they will within the next few years, possibly even months. Due to it’s seemingly unlimited compatibility with web browsers, ASP hosting is quickly becoming the industry standard in web hosting. Switching to an ASP hosting service as soon as possible will ensure that your website is viewable to more users, and more enjoyable to your visitors.

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