I was just wondering which is the best distobution of Linux to use for a webserver? I am currently using Debian, but was just wondering if there was something better as in functionality, available packages, security, that sort of a thing.

Depends if you are running the website for the local stamp collecting society or NASA. If by available packages you mean free software, then Debian has the lot. If you mean support for commercial web packages or EJB or some such then maybe you should look at RedHat Enterprise Server, but my guess is that you are not into anything that serious.

Unless you relish the challenge of constatntly fixing up a crashed/hacked server, then Debian is as secure and stable as anything around, as far as I am aware. I would stick with it.

TIM

Ok, cool, I guess I'll just stick with Debian.

Glad I found your post. I'm a newbie and I just installed Debian. I used synaptic to install a couple of little programs just to see where they would turn up, and to look at what web server software is available.

I think I noticed several different web servers, right? Which one is the best/easiest?

Apache is very good

apache is the software that handles http requests it is not a linux distribution. Of the non-commercial distros something like debian, (I use) slackware or gentoo. Bit of topic this but, I would recommend having a little look at the *BSD's

just have a look here

and see the configuration of this machine
and it is getting a good amount of traffic

http://govinda.no-ip.com/masand/govinda.html

regards

I host several different domain names. Since Apache is the biggest name I've heard, I will assume that it can handle routing web pages based on the Header?

Also, What is *BSD? I know what BFD is, but not BSD. <grin>

You've never heard of FreeBSD, NetBSD and or OpenBSD the operating systems?

Yes, I've Tried FreeBSD but never heard of any of the others. I would guess that there is a BSD family?

With 8700 packages available, there is more than enough free stuff with Deban. Here is my Debian/Apache web server.....

http://savannah.no-ip.com

It is a Pentium II @ 233MHz with 128MB of EDORAM running the 2.2.20 kernel and with 384Kb of bandwidth.

This is my first ever website, my first ever time playing with Apache and my first ever successful Linux system. The site is undergoing a redesign. It's a little clutzy right now with each page being a totally different theme, but it was also a lot of experimentation and learning.

RK

EDIT: ooops...... Right after I posted this, I said to myself, "Let's upgrade the kernel!"

<sigh>

It'll be back up this evening.

I thought the kernel version looked a little old. BTW, how can you tell what version kernel you (I) have and can I just use the upgrade button at the top of the screen in Synaptic to upgrade it?

Terry
(newbie)

u won't getter better performance untill u keep on using those generic kernels

compile a kernel for urself

regards

Type in "uname -r" at a console to get your current kernel version.

How you update your kernel depends on your distribution.

RK

Here is my gentoo server running from home;
http://abbottdavid.no-ip.info
You can't go wrong with debian,I just like gentoo!