Recommend a Linux Distro for HTTP and FTP server on old hardware

[Aquila76]

Basically, I want to convert my old PC into a "family & friends" HTTP and FTP server. Here's the specs:

Mobo: ASUS CUSL2-C (Intel 815EP Chipset)
CPU: PIII 933MHz (Coppermine)
RAM: 512MB No-Name PC133
Video: Chaintech geForce FX 5200
NIC: 3Com 3C905C-TX
Sound: Creative SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit

What Linux distro/apps do you recommend for this hardware as an FTP/HTTP box? I'm kinda leaning towards Debian, as I've seen in other threads it seems really forgiving in the system specs and ease of install/setup departments. I've run RedHat/Fedora and (ugh) Mandrake before (on company PC's, and not as HTTP/FTP servers), so I'm not too n00bish with the install/config of Linux stuff. Any suggestions?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Redhat Enterprise Linux
Apache 1.3
PureFTPd

 

[Aquila76]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Redhat Enterprise Linux
Apache 1.3
PureFTPd

I'm looking for a free distro; I thought RHEL was a 'pay-for' release?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Aquila76

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Redhat Enterprise Linux
Apache 1.3
PureFTPd

I'm looking for a free distro; I thought RHEL was a 'pay-for' release?

White box then. Or SuSE, or Mandrake, or Ubuntu, or Debian, or NetBSD, or whatever. It doesn't really matter.

Try a handfull of them, find one you like.

 

[Aquila76]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Aquila76

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Redhat Enterprise Linux
Apache 1.3
PureFTPd

I'm looking for a free distro; I thought RHEL was a 'pay-for' release?

White box then. Or SuSE, or Mandrake, or Ubuntu, or Debian, or NetBSD, or whatever. It doesn't really matter.

Try a handfull of them, find one you like.

Yeah, it's kinda like choosing between a Chevy Caprice, Buick Roadmaster, or Olds Delta 88: same underlying guts, different skin.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Aquila76

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Aquila76

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Redhat Enterprise Linux
Apache 1.3
PureFTPd

I'm looking for a free distro; I thought RHEL was a 'pay-for' release?

White box then. Or SuSE, or Mandrake, or Ubuntu, or Debian, or NetBSD, or whatever. It doesn't really matter.

Try a handfull of them, find one you like.

Yeah, it's kinda like choosing between a Chevy Caprice, Buick Roadmaster, or Olds Delta 88: same underlying guts, different skin.

Basically, yeah. I've tried Slackware and Debian, and they're probably my favorite Linuxes. I use RedHat EL, and it's fine for some things. I've tried NetBSD and it's great. I prefer OpenBSD, but only because it "feels right." *shrug* try'em till you find the one you like the best. Then tell everyone that doesn't agree with you that they are wrong.

 

[Nothinman]

Debian.

 

[doan]

SME server makes a quick and easy server

 

[Hyperblaze]

Gentoo if you actually want to learn the inner workings of Linux

 

[ncage]

debian is great. Its one of the more stable releases of linux releases and uses less memory. To me redhat is the microsoft of linux (bloated). The only probably with debian is a lot of the packeges are old. If your not going to be doing a lot of x-windows stuff i wouldn't worry though. Another good choice would be slackware. Neither of these distributions will do much of hand holding like say redhate or suse would do. Actually even above linux i would DEFINITLY choose FreeBSD. Awesome for what your wanting.

ncage

 

[Nothinman]

Gentoo if you want to spend hours watching text scroll by for no good reason

Fixed that for you.

 

[Umberger]

i'm using fedora w/o X installed. Running it on a p3 800 w/ 128MB ram. It works great. I think that pretty much any good linux distro will do you well. It depends on personal preference.

 

[sourceninja]

I'd do a debian or ubuntu install. Just choose ubuntu server install. You get a small, clean OS with nothing installed. Then apt-get apache and whatever else you need.

 

[eggrole1]

I like fedora, but i havent messed with linux in about 6 months so...

 

[nweaver]

Gentoo is great for learning things like kernel modules, modules in kernel as opposed to loadable, etc. It does take a long time to install, but it has it's place. I usually stage2 lower end hardware (<500 Mhz proc) and then make sure I prelink librarires at the end. Portage is very nice for installing packages.