Install Question

[jonny_noog]

Hello Debian peoples,

I have currently only installed Debian once, but will soon be attempting it again. At the stage of the installation known - I believe - in the documentation as "7.2.5. Package Installation" one is presented with the option of selecting a "task" that will be performed, setting up your install as a “desktop environment”, “web server”, “print server” etc. by putting an * next to the one you want, thus telling Debian to install the relevant packages.

My question is: Can one select more than one "task", so that you could for example select “desktop environment” and “web server” and have the packages for both tasks installed in one go? When I installed Debian for the first time, I couldn't work out if it was possible to select more than one "task".

Rather than do more research on what I'm sure is a stupidly simple question for most experienced Debian users, I just thought I ask here and save some time. :P

[Vergil83]

As many times as I have installed Debian, I actually can't remember. I want to say yes you can select more than one....

[OneHungLo]

http://www.aboutdebian.com/

I think you can just hit the spacebar and select each package you want. You can install your server easily just using "apt-get install apache". Same for the sideserver stuff like MySql and php. I like to use lampp since it has the latest versions already and you will be using a desktop for linux. Sarge still is using apache 1.3 and lampp is 2.2 with php5 and MySql-5. lampp is a program you will need to download from the web, http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-linux.html

now I have to find some help for myself with an old non-conformist Gateway G6.

[jonny_noog]

Yeah, the first time I installed Debian, I ended up selecting the "web server" task and then grabbed gnome and stuff later with apt-get, but I was sure that the Debian developers would have allowed one to select more than one "task" I just couldn't work out which key to hit to accomplish this. This install was for a web server dev box, basically.

So anyway, spacebar sounds like it might be worth a try, I think that's the only key I didn't try hitting. I was a bit worried that my question would be viewed as a little too stupid, and would be met with responses such as "Duh! WTF? Pffft! RTFM!!!11" etc. so thanks for not doing that.

Thanks also for the info on XAMPP, OneHungLo. Sounds like just what I might be wanting. I love Debian for the apt-get action and the stability but being still pretty new to Debian, I have a (I'm sure probably irrational) fear or compiling stuff from source and so find myself more comfortable with the easy to install packages. I will start with the compiling at some point...