VANITY -- Best version of Linux? Apache? Perl?

08/13/2002 | by Lazamataz

[Lazamataz]

I'm putting together a Linux box. Want to run Apache and maybe a perl interpreter. Does anyone have a suggestion as to the best version of Linux? Where do I go for that best version? How about Apache? What is the best perl development environment?

Keeping in mind, of course, that Free is Good.

[Lazamataz]

John, some concern has been voiced about Video card interoperability. The box I am putting this on is a CREAKINGLY old Gateway, a PS-50, which has a Pentium -- barely. It was sold in 1994. The odds of me having vidcard compatibility are vanishingly small, no?

[Lazamataz]

I will boot the old lady and see what she tells me she has in her video department.

[knews_hound]

bump for personal reference

[Reweld]

Thanks John

I didn't really think about that. I assumed that VGA mode specs were so well known that it would be "easy" to write code to make just about any VGA-conforming video system work by just using the proper BIOS calls, and not having to directly fiddle with the chip ports. Anyway, I've got a barely used penguin package and a red hat package gathering dust around here somewheres.........

[Lazamataz]

It has a TSENG LABS ET/4000 W32.

I can smell the vaccuum tubes heating up.

[John Robinson]

If you're going to toss the box off in the corner, you don't need to worry about vid cards, X windows, etc. I have two such headless boxes sitting in various corners of my home. And my personal server might as well be headless (it would in fact be if it wasn't for the recent addition of a dual-input monitor.)

[Lazamataz]

Ewwwww..... they want MONEY for their Red Hat software.... what happened to free Linux??? .... hokay doke. Which one. 7.3 Personal? 7.3 Professional? I'm thinkin' the 'chick WILL NOT GO FOR me getting the Advanced Server.... not when they start at 799$.....

[Lazamataz]

Well, don't get me wrong. The box will still have a face. I need some way to peer inside.

[John Robinson]

You should be able to run in 640x400 VGA mode without any trouble. Off hand, I don't know what the options are, but you certainly don't need to pick a chipset, etc. That is necessary only when you ask more from the video card (which almost everybody would want to do anyway.)

[Lazamataz]

Are you presently running Advanced server, Professional, or (I doubt it) Personal?

[Lazamataz]

You should be able to run in 640x400 VGA mode without any trouble.

Okay good. I should be fine. I don't need fancy.

[Incorrigible]

I recommend you stick with Microsoft.  Sooner or later the above will be true!

[John Robinson]

Depends what you want to do with it, how you want to peer inside. I get along just fine with only an Ethernet jack. And, you don't need a monitor to be able to run X windows applications (over the network.) I run bunches of X apps over the network all the time. In fact, I sometimes run X windows applications over the Internet (via encrypted coms.)

[Lazamataz]

When Bill Gates buys it, we will come. Until then, Viva La Penguine!

[John Robinson]

Windows 2000 Professional.

[kevkrom]

The box I am putting this on is a CREAKINGLY old Gateway, a PS-50, which has a Pentium -- barely. It was sold in 1994. The odds of me having vidcard compatibility are vanishingly small, no?

Not necessarily... in fact, you may have better luck getting it to work because it's been out there longer. On the other hand, if a driver doesn't already exist, good luck finding someone to help you reverse-engineer for such old hardware... :)

[John Robinson]

LOL!

[Lazamataz]

Depends what you want to do with it, how you want to peer inside.

Well, now, that is a problem: I'm not quite sure WHAT I want to do with it. :o) We'll see. Sounds like I have a lot of options no matter where the Tao of the Penguin takes me. :o)

[Lazamataz]

Windows 2000 Professional.

No, I mean in your Linux configuration for your FR servers....

[Incorrigible]