Linux, Unix, NT???????

Okay right now I need to learn how to administer a server. What I don't know is which one? I sort of don't want to start to learn NT and IIS. I'd rather go to a UNIX route. So would FreeBSD be a good choice to install and simply attempt to learn it? Or should I start with a Linux distribution.

My server is nothing more than a home server for now connected to the net with ADSL 24/7. I will run Apache and maybe run a file and print server for my intranet for the heck of it! I would like to be able to control my server via a terminal service? I mean logging into the Linux or FreeBSD server from my NT machine and make the changes from there.

I'm confused with the differences with Linux and UNIX. I thought Linux was a copy of UNIX and FreeBSD is also a copy (sort of like a competitor to Linux). I'm downloading FreeBSD and some distributions of Linux to install and play with.

Any help with this newbie entering the wonderfull and powerfull world of UNIX


Thanks,
SG

I think you've posted a question that's almost impossible to answer 'correctly'... What OS you should use is up to you, and the suggestions you'll get here will probably be very different.

But when saying that NT/(Win2k)/IIS is out of the question, I'd say that's an exellent decision. Apache is THE way to go...
So which *nix should you use?
Again a matter of preference...
Whether you go for BSD or Linux, there are different kinds of those as well. If you check out the *BSD forum here, FreeBSD has given some good advice of which way to go within the BSD family. As for Linux, I think you should try some flavours out and build your own opinion, since there are so many different distributions to choose from.

To choose betweeen BSD and Linux - well there are some differences...

To control a *nix box remotely is no problems. The easiest way is to use ssh/telnet to connect to your box from anywhere you want. Preferably ssh is the way to go. You can also run X windows remotely, but not many people recommend it.

And since you use ADSL 24/7, you should definitly look into firewalls, ipchains, masquerading etc.

Print services and/or file services are no problems for a *nix box either, since the OS was made for networking. There are some different ways of setting this up as well, and there are tutorials available from several places.

As for the history of Linux/BSD - try reading some of the many articles about this. You'll probably find something on every BSD/Linux site you visit...

Good luck

//NoXcuz

Thanks for your reply. I installed FreeBSD and I downloaded some distributions of Linux last night to install onto another computer. I'm allready having fun with BSD