Unix and Apache Questions

programguy28

I have a laptop that I want to turn into a miniature server. Why? I want to learn the ins and outs of webserver administration/installation and the such.

This machine runs windows currently, but I want to run unix on it instead. I am guessing I have to install linux on it.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Especially such as where do i get linux from? I don't want to run redhat like some of my friends say I should, I want a command line interface, No GUI.

As for Apache - I am assuming that Apache is a program that I run on Linux? And that would make it a webserver?

mmonaco

Download Fedora Core 4 at http://fedora.redhat.com

This linux distro is a division of redhat but is not commercialized. I think it'll probably support the most hardware and will be the easiest to install. (Running linux on a laptop can be tricky sometimes).

Just note that if you want redhat you can run it from the command line. Do this by changing the run level from 5 to 3 (edit /etc/inittab).

However if you are new to linux I think you SHOULD use the GUI for easy reference and work off the terminal. simply set up a linux box on a network with SSH and download PuTTy (an ssh client) for windows. This will alow you to view the box in a command line window on your Windows system until you feel comfortable abandoning microsoft.