Linux newbie needs insight from experts.

[Caramon]

First off, I plan on building a web server. Regarding Mandrake 8.1 and Red Hat 7.2, I realize they are similar. Having read many posts in a few forums this weekend, I've been hearing that one is better for web serving than the other, and visa versa. They both use Apache. So, why might one be better than the other, and as a newbie building a web server, what might be best for me.

I like that there is a plethora of written material for Red Hat, while any insight or support for Mandrake needs to be gotten from them directly.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any help. :)

best,

Caramon

[ 18 March 2002: Message edited by: Caramon ]

[evilcartman]

Actually what I think is they both use apache but dont get their apache rpms but get source from www.apache.org (http://www.apache.org) and compile yourself and that will be the best ;)

[Caramon]

Thanks to both of you. I'm in the planning stages, gathering a list of hardware and discerning the OS. I'd love to try to work with either OS now, however, I've only one partition on my WIN98se PC.

I'd be very happy to hear from others who have experience with both of these OSs, particularly regarding web servers.

Thanks indeed,

Caramon :D

[ScRapZ_1]

I've only ever used RedHat for server stuff (HTTP, FTP, and some dedicated game servers) - mainly due to the fact that was all I had available at the time. But from what I read/hear, RedHat is more user friendly when it comes to server stuff, due to the fact that RedHat is more user friendly in CLI... Mandrake is geared more towards using the GUI. Both, I suppose, are possible, but both also install alot of crap you'll never need. And it's hard to try and not install them without running into dependacy issues. I remember trying to do a bare bones install of RedHat once, I got it down to a very nice 490meg... but EVERY time it hit me with dependancies, and that brought it back up to 750-800meg. I ended up giving in to it, because I had spent ages trying t get around it. It might not seem so much, 300 odd meg, but if you're running on a no-so crash hot computer, every meg counts...

I'ld say RedHat, but I'm biased, because I havnt tried Mandrake...

TTFN,
ScRapZ_1 :p

[mangeli]

Honestly, I would steer towards Mandrake, and I would compile apache from source rather than building it from the RPM's....
http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/PHP/SoothinglySeamless/

[knute]

Either version would do what you want done.
Actually any version of linux would do what you want, and do it well.

The main differences in distros that I've seen are some of the tools, locations of some config files, package management, and what is installed by default. But they all will work for your needs.
Now the tools don't bother me, because I mainly use a text editor any more to change config files.
If you are setting up a server, and don't plan on upgrading or changing things too often on the server, then the package management isn't really an issue either. (Unless you like searching for hours for a package that another is dependant upon so that it can be installed when upgrading! :eek: ;) :D (But that is why so many say "Use the source, Luke!") ;) )
And as was pointed out, if there are things installed by default that you may never use, and drive space isn't a concideration, then that's not an issue either.

[Caramon]

Thanks again to all of you. I appreciate the insight. Once again, I am a supernewbie determined to set up a Linux web server. I've been reading the Red Hat Linux 7.2 Bible to get some heads-up on running Linux.

By the way, drive space should not be an issue. I will be using a WD 20GB HDD. As some one suggested above, I may just try them both and see what's what.

best,

Caramon :D