Server OS's

[Sharif]

Which server OS's right now is the best, and most secure, in windows and in *nix?

[bailey]

differant ones for differant size systems, but in general systems w2003 server would be my choice

[Sharif]

Any free ones out there?

[aym]

Linux and FreeBSD are both free and work great as a server.

[doctorgonzo]

What are you going to use it for? File server, web server, database server, or what? Do you have any apps with compatibility issues?

I would go with any version of Linux for a simple web/file/mail server. Windows 2003 costs hundreds of dollars and is going to be less secure if history is any guide.

[Sharif]

I have this old laptop, 600MHZ, 64 megs of memory and wanted to turn it into a web server that I can use as a area to test my websites, use as FTP server, database server, basically anything that a webhost supplies but it would be for my use only.

[doctorgonzo]

Go with Linux, no question. It is doubtful that Windows 2003 server could run on something with 64 MB of memory. It is easy to set up a web server and an FTP server in Linux.

[juicelooser]

linux would definitely be the way to go - have you had any experience with it before?

[Sharif]

Nope, no Linux experience at all, would be awesome to learn how to use a new OS though. Mainly, all I ask is be able to upload things to this laptop, and run different browsers on it, like Opera, Mozilla, and IE at once.

[aym]

You can run Mozilla and Opera under Linux. IE, being a MS product, runs only under Windows.

[Sharif]

Well can win XP pro be used as a real server?

[doctorgonzo]

Yes, you can install IIS on it, or any other web server software you want for the most part. Whether something is a server or not depends on the applications running. I have an FTP server program running on my Windows XP Home box, so technically it's a server.

[CrazyMike]

If your interested in learning Linux, Apache is a great web server program for it.

[Sharif]

Ok one more time, are there no OS's out there that are free and good enough to turn into a full featured server (not for commercial use, for testing purposes) ?

[TheJackal]

You used to be able to download a free Beta version of Netware 6. I dont know if you still can, but it might be worth checking into.

[glc]

No, Netware is for file servers, not to be operated locally.

A laptop with 64mb ram? Free? Linux or FreeBSD, period. Nothing from M$ qualifies.

[Sharif]

Is Linux free at all? I'd love to be able to learn it

[glc]

You can download many different free Linux distributions.

[TheJackal]

Originally posted by glc
No, Netware is for file servers

He did say he was looking for a server OS.

[ZeratulsAvenger]

web server that I can use as a area to test my websites, use as FTP server, database server, basically anything that a webhost supplies but it would be for my use only.

Ya, any linux distro can do that if ya know how to set it up. Some easier then others. LinuxISO.org (www.linuxiso.org) is a good place to find your desired distro and dl it and then burn it. Instructions on how to do it all I am pretty sure.

[glc]

He doesn't have the horsepower for Netware 6 anyway.