Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#1

Post by mediageek » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 5:12 AM UTC

Hi HN folks, I want suggestion/advice on which OS should I install for my web development. I bought a HP desktop with Intel quad core, 6 GB ram. I did some digging on ubuntu vs. redhat, it’s a mixed message iam getting. I want to install either redhat or ubuntu. Some background of the development platform. I need a server that can be used for my web server and prototyping of web 2.0 application Appreciate any help.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#2

Post by sharjeel » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 5:43 AM UTC

I personally prefer Ubuntu because the support is great in terms of community as well as repositories.

When you are doing a startup, your time is very limited and I believe you should go for anything that saves time & hassle without trading off much.

Btw if you are on Windows right now, you can still install and use Apache on it. There are differences but it'll be good enough for prototyping.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#3

Post by qhoxie » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 5:46 AM UTC

As far as productivity and development goes, you won't experience much of a difference. In terms of enterprise history and endorsement, RedHat wins, but that is largely immaterial.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#4

Post by jonny_noog » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 7:13 AM UTC

Why not Debian??

I mean if you're considering Ubuntu, why not try the original? I use Debian as my main development box for exactly the kind of work that you're thinking of doing and I love it.

With Debian you will learn more about Linux than you will running either RH or Ubuntu. And if anyone thinks the Ubuntu repositories are great... They should also try Debian.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#5

Post by davidw » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 7:29 AM UTC

Redhat is a commercial product that you have to pay money to use. CentOS is supposed to be a pretty good server OS.

However, I'd choose Ubuntu (and have) for this reason, amongst others: you can run the same OS on your server as on your desktop. You might be able to do that with Fedora, too, but Fedora is not Redhat's main focus, like Ubuntu is with, well, Ubuntu.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#6

Post by iamdave » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 7:45 AM UTC

sharjeel wrote: post #2

I personally prefer Ubuntu because the support is great in terms of community as well as repositories. When you are doing a startup, your time is very limited and I believe you should go for anything that saves time & hassle without trading off much. Btw if you are on Windows right now, you can still install and use Apache on it. There are differences but it'll be good enough for prototyping.

I agree with both qhoxie and sharjeel here, as they both make great points. Ubuntu has a GREAT community support and a huge list of repos, but jusst like qhoxie said, if you're developing it really doesn't matter what you use.

As is the case, in my opinion with anything, just how you use it.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#7

Post by agentbleu » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 8:45 AM UTC

jonny_noog wrote: post #4

Why not Debian?? I mean if you're considering Ubuntu, why not try the original? I use Debian as my main development box for exactly the kind of work that you're thinking of doing and I love it. With Debian you will learn more about Linux than you will running either RH or Ubuntu. And if anyone thinks the Ubuntu repositories are great... They should also try Debian.

I use debian on a linode, with YC funded Virtualmin to handle the Control panel, I chose debain because VM has a simple install script for this distro. A wicked setup all round

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#8

Post by gaius » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 11:35 AM UTC

If you don't know the answer, it doesn't matter to you. Flip a coin.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#9

Post by tstegart » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 1:24 PM UTC

davidw wrote: post #5

Redhat is a commercial product that you have to pay money to use. CentOS is supposed to be a pretty good server OS. However, I'd choose Ubuntu (and have) for this reason, amongst others: you can run the same OS on your server as on your desktop. You might be able to do that with Fedora, too, but Fedora is not Redhat's main focus, like Ubuntu is with, well, Ubuntu.

Fedora is still free, as are non-supported, white label builds of Red Hat Linux Enterprise.

Re: Ask HN: Web server development platform, Red Hat or Ubuntu

#10

Post by davidw » Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 2:27 PM UTC

tstegart wrote: post #9

davidw wrote: post #5

Redhat is a commercial product that you have to pay money to use. CentOS is supposed to be a pretty good server OS. However, I'd choose Ubuntu (and have) for this reason, amongst others: you can run the same OS on your server as on your desktop. You might be able to do that with Fedora, too, but Fedora is not Redhat's main focus, like Ubuntu is with, well, Ubuntu.

Fedora is still free, as are non-supported, white label builds of Red Hat Linux Enterprise.

Fedora is very good about free software, no doubt about that - they deserve a lot of credit for sticking to their guns on that issue. My point was merely that Fedora is sort of where Redhat tests things out, the "real product" is still Redhat Linux. Ubuntu is Ubuntu for everyone though.

Also... I'm biased: I've been using Debian since 1996, so it's what I know best.