And can someone advise me on a good hosting company that offers Windows solutions?

Hello. My question is about creating a simple site with php & MySQL database and several simple webpages.
What is the way to do that?

METHOD #1
1) buy cheap space on linux/unix server with MySQL (no more than per several months – is it possible?)
2) create a Table there in the database on that server
3) practice in writing web-pages using Notepad and html, php languages with sql queues to that database (using Internet if I don’t know how to do that).

OR

METHOD#2
1) set up an emulator of server on my computer (My desktop has Windows XP)
2) Download MySQL as well.
3) Set it up together
4) practice in writing web-pages using Notepad and html, php languages with sql queues to that database
5) buy hosting and upload everything to the server.

Does method 1 really works? Or programmers and developers usually use the second method?

Thank you.
Sorry for this quesion, I’m new to that.

I bought web hosting for a sort of personal website and there are no space or bandwidth limits. So, I was wondering if maybe there was a way to back up my computer to this space and possibly let a few others do so as well? I don’t think I’m allowed to install any applications server side. I personally am using Mac OS X Leopard, but would be interested in Windows and Linux solutions as well. Not sure what other details I might need to provide.

what hardware considerations are there on
‘Dedicated Hosting service’
‘Managed Hosting service’
‘Clustered hosting service’
Grid hosting service’
‘Home server’
i have this as part of my homework however im really stuck and im getting no help from my teachers. can you please help me? x thanks

I am trying to create website for my illustration portfolio on GoDaddy. Before I can buy a hosting plan I need to pick an operating system. I primarily work on my macbook but the only two operating system choices are Linux and Windows. Which one should I pick? I am using Dreamweaver to create my site.
Thanks a lot for the help. So a Windows based website would support a Dreamweaver created one better than a linux based one?

I want to upload a large quantity of files to the internet to share with other developers who help me in collaborating projects and creating programs. The file hosting service must meet these requirements:
1. Completely free
2. Desktop software for uploading
3. Allow uploading large files, 200MB+
4. Have large storage space, preferably unlimited
5. Allow me to provide download links for uploaded files

I’m currently looking for a website to host content for personal use and I’ll eventually want to move it into a more commercial role (i.e. selling merchandise) so I’ll need good merchant tools and if possible 24/7 support. If there were one place I could browse through the various options it would make my life a lot easier. Feel free to add any info / experiences you may have had, but best answer goes to he/she who can provide a good rating service / list of web hosting services. Thanks in advance, all!

My website will be simillar to well known web sites like:www.MediaZone.com,http://www.cinemanow.com.

I need an ecommerce solution. I am working with people who are very good on the design and selling end, but not very good with the website stuff. I found a lot of e commerce solutions, but the problem is finding one that will work with adult products. I really need some help on this so if you know anything I would really appreciate it.
OS sorry Im having a lot of stuff thrown at me right now. We are looking at a lot of different ones and we found stone edge and ofbiz, but not sure if either will work with the adult products.

I am in college for IT. I am in a Linux class and want to run a script file but I need the ROOT. Now, I have figured out that I can telnet from the server when signed on. If I can telnet out once on then I am thinking I can connect to a remote file hosting and run cracking tools. I know that I can create a tool file I need on the file hosting site. See I created this script that basically shows me everyone elses work. Now, some of the people have the read function turned off on their files. I can see them but can’t run them. I figure if I can connect to an outside source their is no need to store any files on the server. To take over the ROOT account if I use a network listener to get the hex. Now where I get stuck is keeping the connection long enough to intercept enough chatter without them finding my processes and killing them. It would take a few weeks to get it and that’s if they don’t change it. This is for my final project for the class by the way. I was also thinking instead of that for a final I could write a DOS attack for it instead and shut it down. This would be easy considering the available memory on the server is in the range of 14000kb – 18000kb. I could write an endless loop that runs other scripts for endless loops and processes. It would shut the server down quick. By the way the Professor said go for it, LOL. I don’t think she thought I was serious until she saw the script for other people’s work I made. She actually liked it. I think she plans on using it for an example why to setup security measure on your files. What program would you run to get the ROOT?