"JJG" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > [...] > PS you guys have me on the bug to attempt Linux again. My goal is to serve > up the files to windoz clients on survpc hardware. What distro should I > pick and what programs do I need to run. Finally, Is this going to be > another lesson in frustration :).
Hey, good for you! YES, there will be some frustrations, but with them will come learning and skills. If it was all point-and-click, it wouldn't be FUN! This does bring up a dilemma though. There will be a LOT of new stuff to learn, but you're trying to run it on older hardware. Some of the newer, sexier distributions with the nice installs might not work well on the old hardware. Ideally, I'd say initially learn Linux on somewhat modern hardware unless you're a real die-hard. AT LEAST make sure what you pick is supported on your hardware. Then, once you've got the hang of it, create the server on the surv-class hardware using a tighter distribution. You'll find I'm a big Debian Linux fan for the level of control it provides, but there are merits to others as well. I can't say that I know much about Steven's BasicLinux, but if higher-end hardware is not available, at least you can ask him for help here! :) What sort of Internet connectivity do you have? The availability of broadband makes certain options more viable. HARDWARE: Sounds like you'll want to muster up at least a 486 with 32MB RAM. It can certainly be done with less, but it's a bit cumbersome (IMHO). RAM is probably more important than CPU speed, though more of either can't hurt. With low-end hardware, you'll want to avoid the GUIs (X) and stick purely to shell (CLI). The actual server software you'll need will fit in 100MB of disk easily, but make sure you have enough for the Windows users to store their stuff. In terms of network card, you may be limited by the bus on your system. 3Com and Intel cards are well supported, but somewhat pricey. Most of the inexpensive PnP NICs are RTL-80xx based it seems, and they generally "just work". Be aware that some oddball ones can be frustrating. Consider spending $20-30 on a current NIC that's well supported. Also consider another $30-40 for a good book ON YOUR DISTRIBUTION. This will help cover any of the peculiarities that you sometimes encounter. In terms of software, the Debian website at http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages will give you a good idea of what's available. Here are what comes to mind: 1. Basic install: A "minimal" Debian install (or any other distribution) is a good start. On Debian, this is roughly 12 diskettes worth. 2. Windows file & print sharing: Check out Samba (http://packages.debian.org/stable/net/samba.html). Your Windows machines will thing that old PC is a Windows NT server! 3. For dial-up Internet connection sharing: Check out Diald (http://packages.debian.org/stable/net/diald.html) If you've got broadband, ipchains or iptables can be used to share your connection. Done right, the Linux server will connect whenever someone fires up a browser, and provide address sharing and full firewall protection. 'Course, you can control when this happens! 4. For Internet content filtering (ad stripping): Check out JunkBuster (http://packages.debian.org/stable/web/junkbuster.html) You can strip out ads and graphics on-the-fly. 5. For serving mail, I use Postfix (http://packages.debian.org/stable/mail/postfix.html) and any of the readily available POP3 or IMAP servers. For SPAM control, you might consider procmail (http://packages.debian.org/stable/mail/procmail.html) with something like JunkFilter (http://packages.debian.org/stable/mail/junkfilter.html). I have my server check mail throughout the day, then sort and filter messages BEFORE I check mail. These are just some ideas, based on how I'm using Linux at my house. You don't need to do everything at once, and I'd recommend you go slowly at first. Definitely get a base install and Samba going. The rest depends on how far you want to take it. The packages I've noted above are only a starting point, and there are DOZENS of alternatives for each. Linux is NOT "Freedom From Choice", so you may spend a bit of time finding solutions that are "just right". If it gets frustrating, just remember that THIS STUFF WORKS, so just ask for help if you get stuck. Keep an open mind, have fun exploring and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well an old SurvPC can be pushed into service as a fully capable replacement for a much more pricey Windows server. > I have been around computers since the > C64 and am a fairly adept troubleshooter. I just have very limited time to > fool around. Hey, for an ex-C64 guy, this should be NO SWEAT! :) Good luck with it, and feel free to ask any questions we might be able to help with. - Bob To unsubscribe from SURVPC send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe SURVPC in the body of the message. Also, trim this footer from any quoted replies. More info can be found at; http://www.softcon.com/archives/SURVPC.html
