File Server - Windows/Linux

[MonsterMac]

I've been trying to learn linux and for the life of me I do not feel comfortable using it. The terminal/console/konsole gives me the most trouble just becuase i don't know all of the various commands I need/will need to know. This leads me to my next question, which is that i'd like to build a server for personal use (mapped network drives to my main machine) as well as for FTP use. Since linux doesn't seem like much of an option (I'm using ubuntu now, and that's easier for me than SuSe) which windows operating system would you guys recommend?

 

[Doh!]

You can use windows xp to do what you want to accomplish. However, you don't need to know any commands to setup and run home networking & FTP. There are so many GUI frontends for most popular apps. For your purpose, just having KDE/Gnome & its components will allow you to run a home network & FTP without typing a single command (admin password is the only thing you need to type). Ubuntu is a great distro but lacks many apps (only 1 CD). But the missing apps can be easily installed vis synaptic.

 

[Nothinman]

Why do you even mention Linux in the title if you don't want to use it?

 

[MonsterMac]

I never said I didn't want to use it, i just said it seems very complicated to me, maybe i'm making it much harder than it is but i don't wnat to throw down money for a server and then install inux on it and not know what to do, get my drift?

 

[MonsterMac]

Windows doesn't seem very secure to me - I would like to map a network drive but to do that wouldn't I have to share the drive and then it would be available to everyone else on the network to have the option to map it?

 

[Nothinman]

Even if your attempt to install and configure Linux fails, you can always install Windows on it. You wouoldn't be wasting any money.

A shared drive is a shared drive, if you use Samba to share them on Linux you'll have the same 'issue'. As long as you have a good password, the share will be fine.