Forum software

Presently, I run a forum, BBS, and FTP on a Windows platform. I'm running vBulletin 3.0.3, BulletProof v2.21, and EleBBS.

Are there comparable programs to run under a Linux platform. I want to switch over to linux, but hate to give up my hobbies.

Thanks...

Presently, I run a forum, BBS, and FTP on a Windows platform. I'm running vBulletin 3.0.3, BulletProof v2.21, and EleBBS. Are there comparable programs to run under a Linux platform. I want to switch over to linux, but hate to give up my hobbies.

In Linux you can run them better! Apache is the famous webserver used by nearly 75% of all webservers around the world. You can run any PHP script like a forum in Linux, provided you install MySQL server as well.

As for the BBS system, what platform do you use to run them?

Also there are some good FTP servers and clients in Linux.

In this area, Linux is better than Windows.

Originally posted by Harishankar In Linux you can run them better! Apache is the famous webserver used by nearly 75% of all webservers around the world. You can run any PHP script like a forum in Linux, provided you install MySQL server as well. As for the BBS system, what platform do you use to run them?

As I said, everything runs on Windows (Win2K, to be exact). And I do know that the BBS software is available in the Linux "flavor".

Also there are some good FTP servers and clients in Linux. In this area, Linux is better than Windows.

My main concern is finding a forum software package. I see this forum is vBulletin. Is it being run on a Linux platform?

Basically vBulletin needs only a web server with PHP and MySQL support. Apache is the world's best web server.

And Linux is the original platform of Apache, PHP and MySQL: not Windows.

So you can run vBUlletin just fine in Linux, if not better than Windows.

Another Note:

You need to understand that web based software runs on the web server, not on the OS. So it's only the underlying web server that should support the web based software, not the OS.

I guess since your BBS is also web based, so it should work fine with Linux.

Well, then, so far, so good. Now all I gotta do is figure out WHICH Linux I need to run.

I'm running a Pentium 233MMX w/64Mb memory and (2) 2.5Gb drives.

Suggestions?

Well, whatever Linux distribution you choose, don't install KDE or Gnome. It's going to crawl.

Since you only need a server, you can go with just the command line and choose not to install X Windows. Otherwise, you can install a lightweight Window Manager like fvwm, fluxbox and so on.

Well, then, so far, so good. Now all I gotta do is figure out WHICH Linux I need to run.

For something like this I'd use a long-support-cycle distro like Debian or a RHEL clone like Centos. Any distro will be able to do what you want but many distros (eg. Mandriva, Suse, Fedora) have 18-month support cycles which means you'll have to upgrade to the latest version after 18-months. With Debian or Centos you should be able to set the system up once and leave it running for years without having to change anything.

Someone on my forum has suggested since my forum machine is a P200MMX with only 64Mb memory and (2) 2.5Gb drives that I should use DSL (Damn Small Liinux) on a LiveCD.

What are your thoughts on this, and where would I get it, and exactly WHAT would I get?

Thanks...

Personally, I think Slackware would suit fine for your needs. It's very simple (by this, I mean not complex) and it's because of this that it makes a fine server platform.

Using a LiveCD is not very good. This will require MUCH more memory, and will likely be unstable. You will need an installed distro for this.

Maybe you are right. I d/l DSL, but for the life of me cannot figure out HOW to make a LiveCD.

Any tutorials on this subject? Being a total noob, I'm not even sure how to ask a decent question.

Thanks...