Hosting Platform
 

I noticed that most of the adult websites are hosted on linux using php. I assume the ease the directory security for the members part of it. I guess if I were to host on windows, their would have to be a 3rd party component installed on the web server to admin my group.. right?
The reason I as this, I am a vb.net developer.. so I am kinda stuck in windows platform and I am asked to do an adult web site. Do I go now and learn PHP and find adult friendly webhosting?
Any suggestions greatly appriciated.

thanks
netrunner1987

If you are running a membership site, you need a piece of software called authentix from flicks.com, or need to run some other sort of authentication plugin.

However, if you're not running a membership site, you can protect directories in IIS using their challenge/response system that is built in -- or write your own session code.

There are adult sites out there that are running on Windows/IIS, and there are a few that run with Authentix. Both CCBill and Paycom will reluctantly support using Authentix.

I owned a server running 2003 and iis6. I never had an issue. Your users are stored in an SQL DB of which you as a vb.net developer should know how to right asp code that will allow a call back from a transaction from ccbill. There are plenty of sites out there using them. The only time I saw a need to make local user accounts on the box itself was when you are using a PPM (Pay per minute) system with windows streaming media server. You need a local account in order to really track the access and for how long. That's where your own plug in comes in.
As far as security I have never seen a problem. I used software called whoson.com. It tracks known website hacks and will automatically ban the ip or the range from IIS after a certain amount of attempts to "get or push" the file/files. IIS6 in it self is very secure. I'm sure websites from both platforms have been taken down or defaced. I would think more Linux boxes though being windows servers for websites and hosting companies are not the norm. Mostly due to price and myth of a bad OS. Don't let vb.net hold you back from doing work on pay sites and surly don't let a crappy reputation limit you.

Speaking as somebody who has both types of site and was originally trained in VB and ASP.Net ... In other words a year ago when I started in Adult web sites I was in the same boat as you...

Apache unix server and Php is a lot easier to learn and an awful lot less hassle than .net. Sorry if that rubs any Microsofties here up the wrong way but hey thats my opinion.

I can get a scripted site up and running in half a day that would take me close to a week in vb.net and I spent 3 years programming vb.net in a commercial environment. It took me a week to get to grips with PHP - its that much easier. The only problem with it is a little bit of hassle around a buggy striptags code but if you remove all instances of < and > explicitly from all inputs you will be css proof.

If I could ditch the three sites I wrote in the early days and move entirely to Unix/Apache/PHP then I would do it tomorrow.

I was/am in general a "microsoftie" and there is no question that you're 100% right.

Microsoft makes server software? :)

Nope Microsoft makes softer serveware....