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Pros & Cons of a headless server?

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40hz:
they both want a web server to test stuff out before uploading to their relative Web sites.
-barney (May 10, 2010, 11:27 PM)
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If they mostly want to test out web stuff, they don't need to have a standalone server. Just have them Google WAMP and/or XAMPP.

That will let them install a full web environment on any PC with the minimal amount of hassles. You don't even need to leave it running all the time so it's an equally good choice for the PC you're doing your development work on.

Both come with nifty control panels to monitor the running services and they also allow you to switch them on an off. I prefer XAMPP, but that's just me. Either one works equally well.

I use XAMPP to test CMS and other web-based open source solutions; and I've just started using it to prototype a live website project I'm involved with.

There's virtue in simplicity. :Thmbsup:

Very cool tools. 8)

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PS - Say: We are NOT afraid!!! (Now breathe deeply and repeat 10 times.)

Amahi only requires you to install Fedora because they didn't want to include it with their product. Cuts down on the bandwidth utilization on your T1 when you do it that way. (Told you these guys were smart! ;D)

Amahi's installer is mostly a series of scripts that download some components and also configure the Fedora environment to become the Amahi server.

It's a pretty efficient concept. A lot of media server installers work the same way.

barney:
Hm-m-m ... still waiting on Fedora to finish downloading - 'twould seem I chose the wrong [slow] mirror :o.  Not looking forward to the install, but I'll weather through, I'm certain.

I've installed WAMP several times over the years, XAMP once, I think.  Invariably, I've wiped it and manually installed the component pieces.  Matter of preference, but I just do not care for the directory structure(s) it creates, particularly how deep it buries the doc root.  I'm also not fond of black - white? - box solutions.  At least, when I install the components, I know where to look when things [inevitably] go sour.  'Course the down side to that is getting help.  (I've posted probs on the Apache forum several times & never gotten a response - think they thought it an RTFM issue ;D.  Either that or the post(s) just not interesting enough :huh:.)

Oh, well ... Fedora download finished, time to start burning.

40hz:
Good luck.

Hope Amahi works out for you. Especially after that F'ndora download.

Let us know how you make out.

 :Thmbsup:

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Addendum:

I just do not care for the directory structure(s) it creates, particularly how deep  it buries the doc root.
--- End quote ---

FWIW, I didn't think the doc root was that deep. Did you customize the install? On my machine it's: D:\xampp\htdocs

I'm also not fond of black - white? - box solutions.  At least, when I install the components, I know where to look when things [inevitably] go sour.
--- End quote ---

AFAIK, XAMPP installs things where it's recommended they be put. The end result is an Apache environment that follows all the recommendations of the Apace and component authors. Nothing black box there at all. At least as far as I can see. All the documentation and reference books I have work nicely with XAMPP. Everything is found where it's supposed to be.

You also have a goodly amount of technical knowledge. But I thought the webserver part of your comment was for a webserver for your non-technical friends. (If they were techies they would probably already know about W/XAMP or have their own server. ;))

Doing a raw LAMP setup is not ultra difficult. But I've seen enough people set one up who deviate from generally accepted practices and directory locations  to be leery when I encounter problems on a homebrew. So in my case that would be the back box and XAMPP would be the standard development installation.

Guess it all depends on where you're sitting.  ;D
 
I've posted probs on the Apache forum several times & never gotten a response - think they thought it an RTFM issue
--- End quote ---

Very possible. If your question is answered in one of the FAQs, or it's an easily accessible manual lookup issue, that will happen. Something I don't necessarily approve of - but I can understand why it happens.

Popular FOSS projects aren't like DonationCoder. They're far too busy and often too big to extend the courtesies that are routinely granted to questions put here.

Aren't you glad you're a DoCo member?  :)

DC RULZ!!! :Thmbsup:

barney:
DC RULZ!!!
--- End quote ---
Can't argue with that one!

Very possible. If your question is answered in one of the FAQs, or it's an easily accessible manual lookup issue, that will happen. Something I don't necessarily approve of - but I can understand why it happens.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, but whaddayado when the FAQ  or manual instructions aren't working?  I understand it, but it smacks more of elitism than of being busy.  As you note, it's a pretty big forum - with that many folk involved, ya'd think maybe one would take the time to think a question could be valid, even though simple.

That's one of the great things 'bout DC - folk seem to answer the question(s) asked w/o making a prior judgment. :-*

About WAMP, last time I tried it, it had doc root buried something like four (4) or five (5) directories deep.  Don't recall if I did anything special during the install(s).

Now, as to Amahi, it won't fly.  Well, technically, I can't say that, 'cause Fedora never installed.  Three tries, and it would never boot - don't think it put Grub(2?) in the right place.  I was installing on a 2nd drive, e.g., sdb, and Fedora just didn't wanna go there (in fact, last install attempt hosed the system, had to restore it from backup).  Since that'll be a similar config on his box, that pretty well kills that idea, methinks.

So I've installed Ubuntu 10.04 server, working with that (or trying, anyway).  This business of working a couple of hours at a time kinda drags things out.

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