Let me start off by saying I don't know slackware at all. A box was built to use as a fileserver at school, but now that I have to administer it I don't have a clue.

My friend made a slackware box brought it over, we hooked it up.
However there are some configuration issues that I can't do. (like all of
them:-)

He's busy with work, so I set up a box with Mepis to serve as a fileserver.
Works great!

My question is, is something like slackware significantly better than something like Mepis for running a simple fileserver that's on 24/7?

If possible, I'd like to keep Mepis since it's fairly easy for me to work on. I have the box he put slackware on, it's got a 120G harddrive I put in for that purpose.
If I get the okay from the gurus here, I'll put Mepis on
that box. The one I'm using presently has about 60Gigs or so.

I want to go this route (linux for a fileserver) since XP Pro has a 10 user connection limit. Our computer lab has 20 computers. We do some testing that
uses a database. It'll be easier to be able to put it on one computer, instead of having it on 2.


Joe Fisher
Teacher, K-8
Marion, MT

You might have to strike a balance between easy to configure and easy to secure.

If you don't want to learn anything about Linux, Slackware is NOT for you. It wasn't designed as a point and click distro. Configuring Slackware isn't that hard, and once it's done, you'll have a box that performs well and you can basically leave it alone. If it needed any security patches, you will be notified via the Slackware Security Mailing List (if you sign up), and installing those packages is as easy as "upgradepkg <packagename>" in a terminal as root.

Linux is about choices -- too many, IMO, but there's gotta be one to suit you.

It's not that I don't *want* to learn anything about Linux. It's more a time factor. I'm a teacher, school starts Monday the 28th. I'm the K-8 Librarian, K-5 PE teacher, 6th grade computer teacher, de-facto IT administrator, and on and on...

Joe

If you can't spare the time to manage it, don't install it. There is nothing magical about Slack.
I can't imagine the apt security lists would be in any way inferior.

Go with what you are comfortable with - Mepis should be fine IMHO.
And if you are interested in learning Linux there is no reason it can't be done in your own good time. On Mepis or any other distro.

syg00 has it right.

Stick w/ MEPIS, stay away from Slack if you don't have time for it.

Slack's learning curve, especially 10 years ago, turned me off of Linux for 5 years. I read that chapter 5 times & I still couldn't figure out which boot floppy image to use, let alone why I also needed a root floppy. Compare that to the average 15 min. it takes me to put SimplyMEPIS on a newcomer's box. It takes longer to partition it for dual-boot than it does to actually do the install.

If SimplyMEPIS doesn't work out, then I suggest, roughly in order:

• MEPIS SoHoServer 3.3.2
  http://www.mepis.org/node/10219
  http://www.mepis.org/node/10244
  ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/linux/distributions/mepis/3.3.2
  Remember it's a test release
• Debian Sarge. Sarge is ideal for servers & as the ancestor of SimplyMEPIS, will be an relatively easy transition.
• You could also consider Kubuntu Server, same reasons. Of course that assumes it really exists -- I find references to it, but I can't find it on ubuntu.com or kubuntu.org ...
• Ubuntu Server http://releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/
  Defaults to Gnome desktop, if you're even using a DE on your server, but KDE can be added.

Thank you very much! I am downloading ubuntu server now just in case I might need it, however this is what I found regarding Mepis SOHO server.
"MEPIS SoHoServer is available as a test release to MEPIS download subscribers. There are currently no plans for a commercial release. "

Joe

That's why I included link #2.

I'm still running the 3.3.2 desktop, so I am hopeful that SoHoServer 3.3.2 will be as good, in spite of its test status. I recommend you keep it in mind.