I am planning to set up a Linux based Apache server to replace my current NT4.0 Apache box. The plan is to use RH8.0 and I would like to run this machine as stripped down as possible since it will be a web server only box. I could use suggestions on specific packages that I should and should not install. Also, I will need to install Gnome or KDE since I am a total newbie to Linux and dont have a very good working knowledge of the command line yet, so please keep this in mind. With that being said, My plan is to basically kill gnome when I dont need it for administrative tasks so that it is not using up resources when its not needed. Is this practicle, and do I just use the a command like stopx or something before logging off?

secondly- are there any distros that are more tailored to being used as sedicated web servers that I should maybe look at? And if so, which are the easiest for a Linux beginner to set up and administer?

Thanks

Well, what you can do is setup init levels depending on what you want to do. So basically, you set up one for normal server use, with no X or Desktop, and then another with the gui for when you want to do some admin. Most distro's are set up this way automatically. ie: init 3 is command line only, and init 5 is full gui. Switching between is as simple as typing "init 3" on the command line.

A bit of advice: the gui configuration tools are sketchy at best. Do not shy away from learning the CLI as it will save you time and effort in the future. Plus, some things can be configured on the command line only.

As for which distro to use, Slackware is stripped down and lightweight, but may not be the best for a beginner. RedHat is good for beginers, but some say it is too bloated. Test them both if you can, and decide which is best.

When deciding what packages to install, you can usually specify a "server" install, which will give you all the tools you need. You will most likely want Apache (obviously), Perl, python, php, MySQL or postgresql, and SSL. Also, sendmail, and bind if you need them.

Pick either KDE or Gnome, and only install 1 or the other. You will not want the games, multimedia, or development tools if it is a server only box.

Thanks for the help. I know just enough to get around on the command line, and I have read every Linux book that I can get my hands on in an effort to learn. Problem is that I have found all the books I can find seem to be based on older versions of red hat (namely 6.2) and alot of the command line utilities dont seem to apply to red hat 7.3 or 8.0 which has really screwed me up. So I just want the GUI there to fall back on when I get stuck. I have read that there are a few bugs in sendmail, do I need it for a basic webserver? I dont want to install open any holes that IO dont have to because I wont be using my own mail server at this time.

My advice would be to get familiar with the command line.

Installing X / Gnome / KDE etc, to administer a web server is rather pointless.

All the configurations files are text, all the control files are scripts. A 'clicky button' is only going to run a script that you could have run from a command line (and probably with more options).

Worst case scenario you could use webmin (can't say I like it, but at least it's more lightweight than X).

I would say that Redhat and Suse are the easiest to setup / administer.

I've never been able to install a machine with no sendmail. Without sendmail you'd never get log reports, and I believe it's a pre-requesite for syslog, which I don't think you can leave out of an install.

If you're paranoid you can firewall off port 25, and be happy

Slick.

You don't need sendmail for a basic webserver. At a bare minimum, the only thing you need is apache (other than the base linux system). Everything else just adds more functionality.