Recommend me a Linux distro

Ugly Joe

Ugly Joe

New member
I have a spare computer lying around and I want to use it as a small webserver. I don't intend on doing anything serious with it, I just want something to play around with to get some server-side experience. It's an older compaq, 92mb ram, 8gb hdd, AMD K6 (from what I could find online, about 475mhz) processor. Which distro should I try?

<P ID="signature"></P>
 
Install Debian Sarge then add VHCS (vhcs.net) and you'll have a fully functional and reasonably secure webserver. VHCS really only works well on Debian, but if you don't want VHCS, give Gentoo a shot. FreeBSD could work well, but that's not Linux.


<P ID="signature">--------------------

peepos.gif


Welcome to the Bryant Street Theatre. Have a Fruit Roll-Up.</P>
 
For a low-power server like you have I would recoomend FreeBSD if you want ease of install and more flexible funtionality and OpenBSD if you are need hardcore security.

They aren't Linux distros but they are OSes based on Unix and will not be that different from using Linux.

It comes with Xwindows but most Lnux GUIs can be ported (and already have) to run on FreeBSD.

You can install free from FTP, here are some FreeBSD FTP mirrors:

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/mirrors-ftp.html

And for OpenBSD:

http://www.openbsd.org/ftp.html#ftp

And if you just want to try it from your CD-ROM drive (and you can install it off the same ISO as well) try this:

http://www.freesbie.org/


Good luck!


<P ID="signature">"You spoony bard!" -Tellah</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by CoughSyrupAbuser on 03/18/05 06:39 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Ahem, that's X Window. Sorry to nitpick, but it bugs me whenever someone says/spells it incorrectly. :p

Anyhow, I'm with you on the BSD route. If it is imperative that Linux be used, I recommend Mandrake or Debian.

-Wren

<P ID="signature"></P>
 
> Ubuntu ownz.
>

Yeah? Perhaps I'll finally get around to installing it then. :p I've been meaning to put it on my laptop for a while now, but that involves taking it apart and putting it back together, as I have no floppy/cd drive to do the install with. Ubuntu looks good to me b/c it's basically Debian + X.org.

<P ID="signature"><hr>coffee beer coffee beer</P>
 
I downloaded both versions (there's a standalone that will run off a cd and a full install version). I ran the standalone, liked how it looked and installed it on a spare hdd at the house. I use the hot swap racks and switch hdd's when I'm in a "Linux" mood.
It's pretty much user friendly. I like it, anyway.

<P ID="signature"><img src=http://www.freewebs.com/mewscorner/electricchair.png>
Mew's Corner-A New Form of Torture</P>
 
I decided to go with Gentoo since that's what was recommended first. I'm pretty comfortable with the environment now, so I installed Apache and am playing around with that. The scope of most "Apache security" tutorials that I have found are, at times, a bit over my head. At this point, though, I only have one real concern. If someone is able to hack into my linux box, I don't care. There's nothing important on there. My problem would be if they could get access to the other computers on my network (that is, my laptop and, more importantly, my room mates' computers hooked up the router).

Would they get access to my whole network or just my linux box?

<P ID="signature"></P>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom