Re: Linux as a server? Advice to newbie please.

in message <p1kdc3piknipdrm4dnbouv27c2fh0scv1m@xxxxxxx>, Andrew Sayers
('none@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx') wrote:

Hi

As a Linux virgin, this is my first post in here, and I need some advice.

I want to set up a server, using an oldish machine (2.4 Ghz Celeron,
512Mb RAM) simply to facilitate file sharing, sharing of USB printers, to
act as a central email server, AV updates etc. Nothing grand.

Windows Server 2003 would be an option, but I wonder whether this could
be an opportunity to use a Linux distro? Clearly this would be a cheaper
option and would give me the chance to learn about Linux.

Trouble is I don't know which would be the best option for me to use.
There are so many different versions of Linux, knowing which one to go
for is a problem. My level of technical knowledge is high regarding both
Microsoft products and hardware, but very low with regard to Linux.

This is a project for me, so it's not mission critical - I can take time
to experiment - but pointers would be useful

If you want pointy-clicky, get Ubuntu or Kubuntu; they're designed as
desktop rather than server but they'll do all the things you want
extremely well, and hide a lot of the technicality of UN*X from you.
They're also both good at auto-detecting hardware (mind you, most distros
are, now), and aren't too ideological. If you don't care about
pointy-clicky and don't mind getting your hands dirty (and don't mind some
occasional ideological purity idiocy) do Debian for the most rock-solid,
easy to maintain server OS out there (both Ubuntu and Kubuntu are built on
top of Debian).

http://www.ubuntu.org/
http://www.kubuntu.org/
http://www.debian.org/

--
simon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

.

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