I recommend using Apache better than IIS. This is because it supports PHP, MySQL as well as other technologies better than IIS. Also, IIS is only compatible with ASP and MSSQL. This is ridiculous because PHP is easier to learn and manipulate than ASP.

By the way, you can't run IIS on Windows XP Home Edition, but you can on Windows 98 Second Edition.

It is really bad that Microsoft didnt include the support for PWS or IIS in Win XP Home Edition.

But you can always use Apache , or get a package like LAMP or EasyPHP that will install Apache, MySql and PHP so that you can save time and get in designing your site.

IIS are best used for ASP and ASP.NET sites or the sites that use MS SQL Server as Database. Go for IIS only if you are planning to using the Microsoft technologies to design websites.

BUt if you love tinkering you can manually install PHP and MySQL for IIS and modify the environment variables to get your PHP site running on IIS.