I've been installing Sarge 2.6 kernel with just the first 5 cds and have recently accquired all 13 and have decided to reinstall all 13 so i can go and have the entire sources list on the computer.

But I'm curios when it comes close to the end you get queried on what the computer is going to install ie. Desktop(do want), Web Server(not sure), Mail Server(not Sure), SQL Database(not sure), and a few others that I can't think of off the top of my head.

What would the ramifications be of not selecting some these. I do want a desktop screen so I will select that, but what about the others are they important or what are they for? I want to be able to work with the programming apps, and sign on to the internet and such, but I recieve my email through webmail i.e. yahoo or hotmail... What about the DNS server and File server?

It doesn't really matter I geuss in the whole scheme of things, I'm just curious what those packages do and if there really needed.

Thanks

You should select the option which most resembles the use to which you are going to put your Linux box. Selecting Desktop will give you the Gnome and KDE desktop environments plus all the apps you would expect on a desktop PC, including internet tools etc.

If you were to select say Mailserver you would only get the necessary tools for that task.

Not selecting the nearest option would mean a bit more work later but remember that if any app is missing that you might need or like, it is a very simple task to install it in Debian. So just pick the most appropriate option and go for it.

From what you are saying, I doubt whether you are going to be running a webserver, DNS server or mailserver and SQL database is very specialised so forget about them for now.

If necessary you can always run tasksel (task selection) later and install the software associated with a selection. BTW there was no need to reinstall all you had to do was use apt-cdrom add to add the extra CDs to your sources.list and you would have been able to install software from them.