What version of Linux should I run

[Jihad]

Hey guys, Im thinking of turning a computer of mine into a web host server, I was just wondering what kinda linux should I use?

[alienthrylos]

well since you plan to make it a web server then you'll need to learn about the one the only the SUPREME RULLER of the KNOWN CYBERSPACE...APACHE.
apache is the web server that you'll use. Every distro has apache so it doesn't really matter which one you choose. I would recommend you SuSE 8.2 professional because it is relatively easy to install and use. It also has all the software that you'll need to set up any kind of server.
But stick to the application. Learn how to use apache and don't really bother on the linux.

[Bodhi]

Let the flames begin =P
I recommend going with Debian, you are really gona appreciate apt-get when you get used to it =)
Although you probably won't get it up and running as simple as you would SuSE, RedHat and Mandrake.

[Jihad]

OK. What about Red Hat, I have heard good things about it. And what about just for casual use, to replace windows. Then what>?

[elektronisch]

i say slackware because youll have lots of trouble with it and you will have to compile everything yourself ;D f*** emerge and apt-get be LEET! ;c

..k run gaytoo or lesbian

[redcane]

I reccomend Debian. Once you have it up and running, you can just rely on it. It will just simply stay running perfectly.
Plus being able to do apt-get updates for security patches means it's easy to keep your server patched up and secure.

[Jihad]

I dont want to be compling **** and stuff, i want plain straight forward interface.

[whit]

Burn yourself a Knoppix ISO, boot from that CD, go to the KNOPPIX menu, open a root shell, type knx-hdinstall, set up your swap and main partition when that puts you in cfdisk (you should look around to learn the basics of Linux partitions first), and let it automagically handle the rest of the installation. You'll end up with a cutting-edge derivation of Debian with lots of goodies. Certainly enough to run apache.

Now, stock Debian is safer (older, more stable versions of stuff), but Knoppix is by far the easiest install. If you're serious about running a production server, Gentoo is better than either - but you have to be into compiling stuff for that, it's a lot more work.

[erwos]

Originally posted by whit
If you're serious about running a production server, Gentoo is better than either - but you have to be into compiling stuff for that, it's a lot more work.
Are you joking? Gentoo is easily one of the most unstable Linux distributions. Anyone who uses that for a production server should be fired.

If you want something stable and useful without a lot of install hassles, get SuSE or RedHat.

-Erwos

[whit]

Hmm. I've been running Gentoo on production servers for 10 months now, and it's very, very good. I've also run production servers on Slackware, RedHat, Debian, starting back from when Slack was installed from 13 floppies. Slack I haven't used in recent years. RedHat has had serious stability problems - whacked stuff included in their kernels, a major distribution with a buggy version of gcc, and no good path for upgrading between major versions other than a complete reinstall. Debian is much better than RedHat on this stuff, but Debian stable is so conservative you're hobbled by it, and anything beyond that can be unstable indeed. Plus Debian can be slow in getting out security upgrades.

Gentoo gives you current packages, installs them optimized for your system, and has the best layout of package configuration files going. Plus it's very fast in responding to security upgrade needs - which is a vital matter for a production server. If you know what you're doing, Gentoo is the best distro out there. If you don't - well, good luck with any distro.

Anyway, I guess we're all off-topic discussing this on this board.

[erwos]

I guess we're having a fundamental disconnect on what "production" means. Production doesn't mean fast. It means stable, and the kind of stability I'm talking about is a year without rebooting. Gentoo simply does not have that kind of reliability, as you'll see in a moment.

The reason Gentoo seems so fast for responding to security is because it's often grabbing things directly from an untested CVS. Distributions like RedHat and SuSE test the packages a _lot_ before releasing them. I think it should be fairly obvious which method is going to be better for a real production server.

And, for the record, RedHat releases security fix RPMs _fast_. These guys responded to the sendmail flaw within 48 hours. That's not bad at all.

Dare I ask what these "production" servers are for?

-Erwos

[Moled]

not linux

but just use openbsd

[tvieson]

I have looked at Debian and I must say that if your going Linux for the first time go with SuSE 8.2. It is easy to install and understand and is more application oriented. Meaning that you don't have to spend 5 days setting up the OS just so you get a GUI interface.

Plus, of the Linux mods that are easy to install (Red Hat, Mandrick, SuSE), SuSE seems to have the least amount of problems. Easiest way to prove my point is to check out this and the NVIDIA Graphics page. Most of the threads discussing problems are for Red Hat (35%), Mandrick (45%), and SuSE (10%). These percentages are not completely accurate, but you'll see my point if you look at the forum.

Once you get a general idea of what Linux is and how it works, then move to something more reliable like Debian or Slackware.

[SnapIT]

First of all, you should run the latest stable, which is 2.4.21 today, that is the version of linux, you are, i assume wondering which distribution that would suit you best?

First of all, Gentoo is a really slow distro, in ALL tests comparing it to the old i486 Slackware, slackware has been faster...

Not that it matters much though, as neither Slackware or Gentoo is a great distribution for a beginner... (maybe i am assuming too much though, how long have you been running linux?)

I would recommend Red Hat out of the box, buy it, you will recieve support from Red Hat when you need it...

My favourite distro is Slackware, but as soon as you have it downloaded, get swaret @ swaret.sourceforge.net (forums @ swaret.xbone.be )

That way you will be able to get both dependancies for installs and updates real easily...

Debian used to have an edge, not anymore...

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by elektronisch
i say slackware because youll have lots of trouble with it and you will have to compile everything yourself ;D f*** emerge and apt-get be LEET! ;c

..k run gaytoo or lesbian

I assume you don't know what linux is? or at the very least what Slackware is?

It is a binary distro, like debian, Red Hat, Mandrake and others... No need to compile ANYTHING for a web server, all included in the binary distro...

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by elektronisch
i say slackware because youll have lots of trouble with it and you will have to compile everything yourself ;D f*** emerge and apt-get be LEET! ;c

..k run gaytoo or lesbian

And it is 1337 not LEET you dork... ;-)