Best Linux for server?

[Dude1]

Well the subject says it all, what is the best variation of Linux if I wanted to have a server and run a web-site? I heard RedHat is good, but don't know what it's good for.

Thanks.

[Sastraxi]

I'd use Debian. If you're a bit more of a risky-type fellow, try Gentoo.
http://www.debian.org/
http://www.gentoo.org/

[IntelSucks]

Originally posted by Dude1
Well the subject says it all, what is the best variation of Linux if I wanted to have a server and run a web-site? I heard RedHat is good, but don't know what it's good for.

Thanks.

Redhat

[Sastraxi]

Wonderful argument, good reasons too
You know RedHat isn't free anymore.

[Kasracer]

Gentoo SELinux

It'll take you FOREVER to set it up, but it will literally be UNHACKABLE if you do it right.

You can set everything from how much ram the system can use, which com ports can be used and when, who can type the letter W in the command prompt. You can set EVERYTHING and if you make a mistake setting it up, it can take days to fix it. Hell, it can take a day or two just to get it to boot, lol.

But if you don't want to go through SELinux's setup, just use Gentoo. It'll be much faster than Debian and has the best package handling system out their in a Linux distro.

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
Wonderful argument, good reasons too
You know RedHat isn't free anymore.

There is a free version of Fendora and RedHat 7.3 is still available (I think most servers still use that).

[IntelSucks]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
Wonderful argument, good reasons too
You know RedHat isn't free anymore.

You never asked me to give reasons I just flat out told you what was best.**Statement removed**

[VisionIT]

If you still want Redhat 9... www.linuxiso.org is the best place. I get all our ISO's from there...

The fedora project looks pretty good, but i'de stick to Mandrake 9.2 personally. Set it up with shorewall and get your ruleset right... and it's rock solid.

Plus... you get the benefit of urpmi!

I run Mandrake 9.2 here... and it works like a dream. If you configure it with DNS4Me or some other free DNS client, you can have a permenant web server running... even if you don't have a static IP!

[IntelSucks]

Yes, www.LinuxIso.org is awesome thats where I get everything.

[Sastraxi]

So, justify it being "better" is my point. You can't just say "better"... I think Gentoo is better. Are we both wrong? Are we both right?

[Cander]

Source based distrobutions like Gentoo are best for a server for the simple fact that you can keep out the useless bloat of desktop features. Although you may not notice notice any big difference, the question was better, so there is the answer.

In practical terms, Linux is Linux no matter how you slice it. The software you run on it is what will determine security. And all Linux distro's run the same software.

But again if you just want that feeling of having the most tweaked, and optimized system, Gentoo is a top choice. Plus it has the best command line package installation and updating system which is the best feature to me. emerge. Certainly a plus to update your server remotely via shell access.

Say you need to update an app with an rpm. Your first have to download it manually somehow, and upload, and make sure you have the dependencies, and so on.

With emerge, you type emerge sync. Let it finish the update then emerge package-name. It will download, compile and install the app and get any dependencies you will need for it.

Good stuff. That alone makes Gentoo worth the extra install time.

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by IntelSucks
And gentoo is cool but its not as GOOD as redhat.

Wow, you know nothing of L00nix

Gentoo > RedHat. You can install EVERYTHING on Gentoo that you can install on RedHat, but it'll be optimized for your system AND you configure what parts you want. It is also easier to update.

[IntelSucks]

Originally posted by kasracer
Wow, you know nothing of L00nix

Gentoo > RedHat. You can install EVERYTHING on Gentoo that you can install on RedHat, but it'll be optimized for your system AND you configure what parts you want. It is also easier to update.

Alright settle down...Jeez Louise, no one can have opinions around here anymore....

Kasracer is always right everyone, just to let you know.

[WalMart4Life]

redhat 9.0

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by IntelSucks
Kasracer is always right everyone, just to let you know.

Everyone already knows this

[IntelSucks]

Originally posted by kasracer
Everyone already knows this

You are starting to annoy me.

[VisionIT]

Originally posted by IntelSucks
You are starting to annoy me.

Now now children... play nicely.

[IntelSucks]

Originally posted by VisionIT
Now now children... play nicely.

VisionIT, you are even more annoying.

[VisionIT]

I left this forum months ago... and you two were bitching at each other then... and you're still at it now.

You're just as bad as each other.

You both seem to have completely different views on practically everything thats posted on VBF, but your constant arguments are becoming tiring.

Stop looking for chances to dig at each other, stop procrastinating and get on with the thread.

[IntelSucks]

Originally posted by VisionIT
I left this forum months ago... and you two were bitching at each other then... and you're still at it now.

You're just as bad as each other.

You both seem to have completely different views on practically everything thats posted on VBF, but your constant arguments are becoming tiring.

Stop looking for chances to dig at each other, stop procrastinating and get on with the thread.

You are so stupid, what are you talking about? Kasracer and I usually agree on things except he just trys to make EVERYONE look stupid....It's you I don't get along with.

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by IntelSucks
he just trys to make EVERYONE look stupid....

Lies.

I am ALWAYS right, not my fault you feel stupid.

[IntelSucks]

Originally posted by kasracer
Lies.

I am ALWAYS right, not my fault you feel stupid.

No, your not ALWAYS right, you just think you are because of your opinions.

Sometimes you are right and sometimes you state your opinion and no one elses matters...but we all do that every now and then I guess.

[VisionIT]

Originally posted by IntelSucks
You are so stupid, what are you talking about? Kasracer and I usually agree on things except he just trys to make EVERYONE look stupid....It's you I don't get along with.

What can you say to that?

[IntelSucks]

?

[parksie]

*separates the children*

Stop that, or no dessert!


One thing to watch for is SCSI support, which you're more likely to end up having on a server than a normal system. Not a single distro I tried would install on ours :P Too little RAM for RedHat (80M), no support for card in Slack or Debian's installers.

Eventually gave up and put OpenBSD on

If you can get it to work, I'd probably go Debian. Gentoo is nice (I use it on my desktop), but a secure system doesn't really need a compiler does it; depends where your priorities are.

[CornedBee]

I use Gentoo for the server, but it's only a small one. And I use Gentoo on another computer (and soon a third), so I will set up the server so that it serves as a local rsync mirror. Then I can quickly update all three computers with only a single external sync, and generally maintaining is easier if it's the same system everywhere. Besides, I'm learning a lot about Linux, like how to get shorewall running despite missing kernel modules
Yeah, gotta recompile...


The last server was e-smith, which is based on RedHat. But the rpm management is so complicated that I never managed to update glibc, and thus never managed to update anything, and thus the whole system was terribly outdated. Still using 2.2 kernel. When I tried to install a newer version of e-smith from scratch, the BIOS didn't recognize the CD (Pentium 133, dates somewhere back to 1994 or so ).

[CornedBee]

I tried Debian once for my work laptop. But I didn't manage to get it to installing recent packages. Might be nice for a server to have a stable system, but for my work computer I want something more recent than KDE 2 or Gnome 1.