New User - What to start with: Unix or Windows

[Puneet Kishor]

On Jan 21, 2006, at 2:59 PM, Maggie Ma wrote:

> Dear all,
>
>  I am a new user of MapServer. I have been using ArcGIS desktop for a 
> few years. Now I want to do some online mapping. I just start to look 
> into MapServer. And I need your input on whether I should start with 
> Unix or Windows MapServer.
>
>  The concern is to do it right/the best from the very beginning. I am 
> not afraid of learning Linux/Unix. I know some basics. But since I 
> have always been working with ArcGIS under Windows, I want to make 
> sure that it worths it to switch. If it wont make much difference then 
> I will just stay with Windows.
>
>  So shall I go : Windows MapServer + Windows ArcGIS or Linux MapServer 
> + Linux ArcGIS or even Linux MapServer + Windows ArcGIS?
>
>  What's the best way to start?

Unless you have any reason to switch (a specific tech that is available 
on one OS but not on the other; pointy-haired-boss, etc.), stay with 
the operating system that you know and are comfortable with. That way 
you will not make your life more complicated than it has to be. You 
will notice that MapServer runs equally competently on whatever 
platform you choose, albeit some aspects of it (SWIG/MapScript) might 
be hobbled on Windows. Most Windows folks seem to go with PHP anyway, 
and there is a pretty active following of that.

That said, you are mixing some technologies here. Are you planning to 
leverage ArcGIS somehow? I am curious as to why you are mentioning 
ArcGIS and MapServer in the same sentence.

--
Puneet Kishor