installing a GUI on a Linux server??

[groovin]

does anyone run a GUI on a linux server? some of the other forums' hardcore linux guys scoff at the idea, but i think it might have its uses. sure X consumes some resources, but i can always just turn X off when im not physically at the machine and use ssh the rest of the time. there are also lots of cool tools like webmin that could cut my admin time down (im the only IT here taking care of 100-150 users on a WAN so my days can get kinda crazy). some software also relies on the xlibraries and have admin tools that run on X. yes, i can just find the command line instructions for these things, but if i could just run a GUI with a unoticable performance drop (my test server is a PIII-500 and it runs fine with a gui, new server will be a dual xeon maxed out with ram) and save lots of time and headache, why not?

just wanted your opinions, please feel free to tell me if i have some validity or whether M$ servers spoiled me with their eye candy user interfaces.

 

[GigaCluster]

You can run Webmin without any GUI. In fact, I believe Webmin was designed to be used from OTHER computers.
Also, on a server a GUI is frowned upon because a server is supposed to be secured and hardened as much as possible, running as few servers as possible, while X is huge, bloated, and is a server.

 

[groovin]

giga, youre right about webmin.

 

[skyking]

What are you using the server for? What tasks do you wish to simplify?
There are a bunch of cool tools for mysql, mail admin, etc, that are http based and relatively easy to install.

 

[Soybomb]

None of my servers have X on them. I do run a few web based tools to help with certain tasks, but 99% of everything is done through the cli. Its always available, easy to script for, etc

 

[groovin]

updates with RHN are pretty easy. i know you can run up2date with command lines, but i think its much easier with a GUI.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

There are people that know what they're doing that run X on servers with no ill effect, but in general it's bad, because it's not needed, and for people who are less comfortable with the command line, it is harmful because they will never *get* comfortable with it, if they avoid it. You didn't learn how to type on a keyboard by avoiding it. I would assume you type on a keyboard a lot, and it has the effect of making you pretty fast and proficient. Using the command line a lot will have the effect of making you fast and efficient.

And why get comfortable with it in the first place? Like Soybomb mentioned, it's ubiquitous, it's powerful, it's nearly everything you could want, and a billion things you don't even want, all without being bloated

 

[groovin]

yeah i see your points, i believe in running only whats necesary as well, but i thought 'maybe it couldnt hurt' and wanted to hear the forums opinions as well.

 

[dblevitan]

There's no problem having X applications on your server if you have space. I suggest you disable the actual X server (it is huge and bloated), but you can use X apps remotely if they need to run on the server. SSH should do automatic X11 forwarding if its enabled
-David

 

[hatboy]

I don't want to sound harsh, but I personally HATE using gui/web tools for doing admin stuff on Linux/Unix type OSs. I think that if you start using command line tools and editing configuration files manually, you will find that you will have a much better understanding of how the programs you're configuring work. In addition, you can write scripts to automate lots of common tasks, which is difficult, if not impossible with gui tools. Plus, many of the gui tools I've seen leave lots of unnecessary or poorly formatted stuff in your configuration files, meaning that if your tool breaks for some reason, not only will you have to become familiar with using the command line in a hurry, but you'll also have to muck your way through some nasty, auto-generated file rather than looking at a file you wrote and understand well.

BTW (and I'm not trying to be a troll, honest), I'm really sorry you're running RedHat on a server.

 

[Nothinman]

i know you can run up2date with command lines, but i think its much easier with a GUI.

Why is it easier? I just ssh into my server from my desk and run up2date or apt-get from the CLI, no need to walk over to the box.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i know you can run up2date with command lines, but i think its much easier with a GUI.

Why is it easier? I just ssh into my server from my desk and run up2date or apt-get from the CLI, no need to walk over to the box.

I agree...when messing with linux, the GUI just gets in the way....

 

[groovin]

>>BTW (and I'm not trying to be a troll, honest), I'm really sorry you're running RedHat on a server.

out of curiousity, why dont you like RH?

>>Why is it easier? I just ssh into my server from my desk and run up2date or apt-get from the CLI, no need to walk over to the box.

mindlessly pointing and clicking is easier than typing command lines. but then again it is mindless so it wont do anyone that wants to learn any good.

BTW, i dont run anything GUI related on my freeBSD servers, but RH makes it very tempting to install a GUI during the installation.

thanks again for the replies guys