Before I started experimenting in PHP on my own server, I was trying to figure out how to host my own Windows server off my computer. A few years before someone told me about PHP, I saw that I could use the same stuff I was learning in QBASIC and Visual BASIC on a website. Of course I never got it working and I never did go to windows web hosting because I found PHP.
While PHP and MySQL is good, I have found that there are simply some things that would be easier on Windows. It seems that with the time Windows has had to develop their server and database software they have more features and you can essentially do more with the built in tools.
Basically It is easy to put online the Windows server in your PC. If you have Real IP. I like PHP server cause they are easy to use. Thanks for your post.