There are numerous advantages these days in hosting on a windows based system. Apart from the obvious usability features, software development for Windows based web servers has also come a long way over the past few years. Pretty much all windows based servers these days allow you to run a vast array of software on the windows platform where as before it wasn’t always possible. In the past, PHP developers stuck to Linux based systems and ASP developers stuck to Windows based installs. These days, thanks to the likes of PHP and MySQL being ported over onto the Windows OS, developers are able to pick and choose what they want to use.
There are however some who still question the reliability of Windows when compared to other Unix clone based systems but for the most part, running Windows on a web server is more than adequate for most peoples needs.
Just like with Linux, Windows hosting comes in a variety of options from basic shared hosting packeges, to resellers, right through to VPS hosting and dedicated server solutions. A windows hosting package can also be configured hardware wise to suit your needs, so it’s just down to your personal preference which OS you opt for.