Linux or Windows

[Rab]

Hi All

I have recently built a second rig but I am unsure of what OS to use for it, so maybe you lot can help me, I have listed below all the things the second machine will be doing:

1. A cheap host for my private web site
2. Coverting AVI/DIVX to VCD (this takes up a shed load of CPU power, so it will free up my other machine for other tasks.
3. A fileserver

The second rig is a crappy PC Chips mobo, 1.2 Duron and 512mb of SDRAM, and a 80 GB HD.

The reason I ask about Linux is when I was looking for a web host I kept seeing all these ads in PC mags offering deicated servers, and the Linux ones were always more expenisve than the Windows based servers, so I assume Linux is a better OS for the job of web hosting, but can someone tell me why?

Also as my video and sound is on board the mobo on the second rig, I dont need to worry about Linux working with them, but I am worried about it working with my NTL cable modem, and also my berkin ethernet card.

Also I use a few bits of software of my windows based PC for converting the AVI files to VCD and I am guessing that this will not work, and will things like Kazza work?

Please help me before I take a big leap into Linux only to find I cant swim and drown.

Cheers

Rab

[AlastairM]

and the Linux ones were always more expenisve than the Windows based servers, so I assume Linux is a better OS for the job of web hosting

Are you sure that linux servers were more expensive? It's almost always the other way round by almost double.

Whether linux is 'better' is a whole different question, personally in a commercial sense I haven't been convinced :D but I can understand it from a home user point of view. If you want the experience of setting up another OS then go with Linux, if not, read up on IIS security and stick with windows.

**point of note**
the linux/apache is free windows 2000/iis isn't argument doesn't wash with me. It was the costs involved in downloading linux/apache/mySQL/PHP that led to me learning ASP over PHP.

cheers

alastair

[abe]

Although I greatly favour *nix over 'doze any day I suggest you go for a 'doze box.

Simply because you can probably do what you need as simply and as quickly as possible.

Linux servers are a lot more secure than 'doze, but as long as you dont use IIS as the webserver software, and use something like apache (http://www.apache.org/), then you should be cooking.

[Rab]

Ali and Abe

Cheers for that, well I think I will stick to Windows then, probaly better to stick to what you know.

Cheers

Rab

[abe]

I suppose I give away my hatred for doze boxes, especially servers, but I am willing to accept that they have their uses, as long as it does what you need and you keep on top of security issues, then it should be fine.

(im a *nix admin btw :D)

[AlastairM]

go here (http://www.microsoft.com/security/) and get the Microsoft baseline security analyser and the IIS locktown tool. Make sure your all serviced pack'ed and windows update'd too :D .

[Tinfoil]

"Setting up" Linux is not something that you often need to do nowadays. I use SuSE Linux which once installed you just drop the files you want to host into /srv/www/htdocs and they're good to go. Similar principles apply to other distros too. At worst you need to run "rcapache start" to start Apache.

The only particularly difficult part about using Linux is understanding system security. A poorly secured Linux box is a much easier target than an out-the-box configured Windows. IPTables (Linux firewall) is also a PITA to understand but there are a number of GUI programs to setup IPTables now though some understanding of the IPTables concepts are beneficial.

[Mr_Nemesis]

Originally posted by Tinfoil
At worst you need to run "rcapache start" to start Apache.

Depends. I don't believe any NIX server should have X installed, as the fewer apps there are on the box, the more secure it is. So starting apache can be a little more taxing. But yeah, not much. My server is configured by me SSHing in and fiddling with it at the command line. Way quicker than unplugging the keyboard and monitor and dragging it over to the spare room.

BTW Rab, if you're going to render movies on the server, bear in mind it'll be crap at being a file/web server when you do. Servers aren't meant to do all that at once. I use my desktops (and indeed, all the other desktops in the house) in renderfarm mode.