Ubuntu newbie question - desktop + server on the same computer?
 

I currently use Slackware w/ success.

I want to explore a more modern Linux distro and want to try Ubuntu.

Is it possible to install the "desktop" version but also get "server" software running on the same box?

Essentially, I want a desktop system to do desktop stuff BUT ALSO with the ability to use IPF/NAT, dhcpd, named, samba, apache, etc.

Thanks in Advance!

Yes, the Desktop v. Server distinction is simply a packaging choice. Just install the Desktop and add the server components you want.

Wonderful, thanks.

One of the great things about a client server architecture is that there are few restraints on how close or how far away a server is from its client. One example is a web browser which is a client. If you had a local web server the internet address you'd enter is "localhost" which means this computer over a TCP/IP connection.

exactly

i have my own server colo'd and i run apache and do the dev on the sites myself

i recently went on vacation with my laptop that has Hardy on it.....i backed up any sites i wanted to work on to the laptop....and installed the server components so i could work on my pages locally incase i wasnt able to get an internet connection and just uploaded the updated pages to the server when i was able to get a connection

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For assistance and instructions on adding various server components you may wish to refer to the tutorial at:

http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect-server-ubuntu8.04-lts

If you code your site with relative vs full URL's and only use HTML, CSS and Javascript you don't need the server. Just click any HTML file and up it comes in the browser with the ability to navigate to other parts of the site. If you click any full URL links in the site they will be followed over the Internet.

yes, of course you can. You need to install the LAMP (Linux apache mysql php) package.
http://www.howtoforge.com/ubuntu_lamp_for_newbies
is a very good newbie tutorial on installing all the functions you need for a web server.
Basically the difference between a desktop and a server is that the desktop has a lot of multimedia and office applications, while the server has only the bear things you need for hosting something

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