I have RH 8 well installed, basic security seems ok, run level is 3, and now I wish to build a robust standalone webserver. I am somewhat familiar with each source download having practiced some downloading and installing of each package, Apache, MySql, SSH, PHP.
Is there a "best" choice for the downloading and installing each package i.e. the order? I wish to minimize integration errors and problems of course...Probably? I plan to use source for each package and ./configure by hand.
thanks much, forum seems like a good thing, just found it after several years of messing with various distros... hmmm... I should spend more time on the net maybe?
the ~ piratebiter~` hisself

SSH shouldn't matter. You may want to do it first so you can do the rest remotely. As for the others I would follow this lamp tutorial:
http://lamps.efactory.de/e-lamps-2-0.shtml

You should be able to use the latest version of each part just by substituting version numbers.

David, thanks much, yes that's what I had in mind. I have a few others, not quite as clear or complete, and I will review them all to get a good game plan. I meant Open SSLof course, sheesh... oh well.
Sometimes the "order" matters for a clean ez install... and I am hoping to hear some anecdotes and stories on what works well, and what is hairy?

The tutorial I pointed you at also installs SSL. The order des sometimes matter and some things need to be compiled together. If you follow that guide it should work fine.