Disclaimer - I could be placed in multiple categories, so I figured I would insert here and request the moderators to place in correct location.

I will soon have about seven months of mostly free time on my hands and thought of a project to do. I want to create a SOHO all-in-one server with a web based UI that will support the following services, DHCP, DNS (or DDNS), Iptables, SELinux, Apache, squid, and Samba. Eventually I would like it to use a wireless NIC.
For hardware, I was thinking of using a shuttle system or an Xbox. I would want multiple USB ports in order to attach various external devices (HD, cameras, thumb drives, etc.) I would eventually like it to be headless to save space.
I guess with the semi-free time will have I could develop the UI along with re-compiling a kernel for my specific needs. With out an Xbox, handy currently I was thinking of using a Virtual PC and "configuring" it to resemble a shuttle PC. I would like the UI to look like the UI on belkin/linksys broadband routers.
Currently, this is only an idea in my head. And I guess the only questions I have for now are whether any one has heard of someone designing something like this and should I use PHP or HTML of combo for the UI?

Thanks

I would go for the shuttle pc. They not only look nice, but they are very functional as well. You could use webmin as the GUI for managing your server.