XML UNIX Windows and C++

Hi guys!

WHAT I HAVE
I need advice on how to build an application and what i need. I have a Unix server with files in a directory...as a web server i have installed 'apache 1.2' and i am using 'samba' to map the drive from windows boxes, i have a 'C' compiler in my UNIX box (not C++). I have CGIs that do everything i want, those CGIs are used through a telnet session to do what i want,... that is pretty cumbersome, not user friendly and not flexible.

WHAT I WANT
Use XML-SOAP to talk from Windows clients to the Unix server and run probably .... C++? programs. I want to create a web based application that refreshes with the XML data that goes back and forth. Would be better to have a GUI instead of a web-page? I want to move files from one directory in the unix box to another in the same Unix box, all this done from a windows box and using XML.

I am quite confused about the technologies out there and what they can do for me. (background) I am better with C++ in a windows environment than with perl or java... no problems with HTML.

What should i have installed in my Unix box? is there any C++ compiler for free with decent documentation?
What is best, gSOAP 2.6.2 or Apache Axis 1.2? what can they do for me? are they both for Unix or only Linux?
What is Xerces C++?
What is Apache SOAP? should i use better Apache XML-RPC?
Can i use COM like with Windows?
What parser do you recommend?
What about Mozilla?
Do i have to change anything on my windows XP boxes (clients)?
Do i need a database? which one?

I would appreciate if you guys can be concise and clear,... as in.... you need this to push the XML, you need this parser, and use this language to use the data from the XML,... you need this database.

Good documentation is very important due to my lack of expertise... Probably a lot of questions but i want to learn and get this to work.

Can anybody put me on the right track? Thank you guys.