We use Unix BSDI operating systems for all of our servers because of the superior performance, flexibility and cost efficiency that Unix BSDI offers. The following is a comparison of the BSDI system to the Windows NT system.

Efficiency

Unix offers more performance at 32MB than Windows NT offers at 64MB. Unix is usually more proficient in the use of its memory, especially when dealing with network services. Because Unix requires less memory and processor time than Windows NT, a Unix based system has more memory and processor power for other computer functions.

Performance

With Unix and Windows NT running on 133MHz PC's, Unix ran 27% faster than Windows NT when reading static HTML content, and with API generated content, Unix is between 47% and 197% faster. For CGI contents, Unix is 77% faster than Windows NT. Communications Week tested "five muscular Web servers" and reported the results in their magazine dated May 05, 1997 (issue 661):

... three companies sent us twin-CPU machines. Two companies with BSDi-based Unix operating systems sent single-CPU machines and asked us to compare them to those of the two-CPU crowd ... a BSDi-powered, single-CPU system [kept] up with-and in some cases outperformed twin-CPU machines running Windows NT.
excerpt from CommunicationsWeek May 05, 1997, Issue: 661
(link known to be valid as of 1 May 1998)

Reliability

Individuals and subsystems running on Windows NT crash far more frequently than a Unix system. Unix has been reliable for years due to its dependable software and technology.

Remote Management

Unix was designed and implemented with remote management in mind. This enables system administrators to remotely perform management operations from another building or across the world. Windows NT is configured so that most of the administrative programs have to be run on the physical machine, without the ability to remotely control the machine.

Internet Services

Unix has included things such as SMTP (Email), NNTP (News), Telnet, and DNS. All of these protocols and services were somehow forgotten by Windows NT. They can be covered up with third party products and Microsoft's own programs. However, none of these programs and products can compare to Unix in terms of flexibility and power.

Price Comparison

With the Unix server's cost at approximately one fourth that of the Windows NT server, it allows us to provide you with a more cost effective and powerful way to be on the Internet.

Much of the previous information was obtained from the BSDI website. For additional information about why Unix is superior to Windows NT please refer to the BSDI website.