Best Distro for Linux Servers?

[rpg711]

I googled/searched and the latest thread about it was in 2005... which definately doesn't cut it for me... and the OP of the thread was vague in his question, and got vague answers. Anyways, my essay of questions:
I am new to Linux, but not to webservers.

I would like to know the best Distro for a Linux Webserver which will be used for hosting my business's website. It will run Apache/PHP/mySQL. I am not projecting a huge amount of users/traffic, maybe at the start of the site it will peak at 1GB/month and maybe 4 users a day, but I would like a newbie-friendly version of Linux(not Ubuntu, I have tried it and I dislike the fact that it is more like windows vista in the fact that it has a hidden root account). Again, this server will host the website from my home FIOs connection(15mb down/3mb up) and I really don't expect much traffic for a while.

Also, I am thinking about setting up a mail server.

Help is appreciated.
Thanks.

[L4Linux]

2 popular server choices are Debian (Ubuntu is based on Debian) and CentOS (which is Red Hat without the logo and Red Hat support)

[rpg711]

2 popular server choices are Debian (Ubuntu is based on Debian) and CentOS (which is Red Hat without the logo and Red Hat support)

I heard that CentOS is buggy and some programs(this is a workstation dev environment, I don't know about server) will just randomly close and the OS will crash after a while.

I also forgot to mention that I have tried Fedora Core linux as well... I couldn't get the fking thing to install kept saying I had a problem with repodata. I heard FC was a good distro... wanted to test it out but never could.

[coopstah13]

I don't know where you heard that, but CentOS is very stable. I have some "production" (they aren't really) servers that I have been running it for weeks with no problems.

[rpg711]

I don't know where you heard that, but CentOS is very stable. I have some "production" (they aren't really) servers that I have been running it for weeks with no problems.

My dad works at Bose as a team lead/software engineer and they run CentOS on all of their workstation PCs, he told me that, just in his team(5 person), they have had multiple occurences of crashes when compiling/debugging. I will test out Debian though.

[jledhead]

being that centos is based on redhat enterprise linux, I would say its pretty stable and I have never had a problem. That being said, Debian is my choice for server and desktop. nothing is hidden in debian

[Roxoff]

My dad works at Bose as a team lead/software engineer and they run CentOS on all of their workstation PCs, he told me that, just in his team(5 person), they have had multiple occurences of crashes when compiling/debugging. I will test out Debian though.

I've been running CentOS as my server OS for over 4 years now. It only ever let me down when I had hardware failures (memory and hard disk failures, at separate times...) and they went because it's running 24x7

[davidanand]

I use centos for past 4 years ..I have never faced such big issues ..80 % of clients in my organization prefer centos .

[FahadOnline]

nothing is hidden in debian

it seems that Debian is right one for me

[abdul raziq]

Dear rpg711,

I am not suggesting that you use Redhat, Centos or Debian. i say that you use that linux OS which is popular in your location. after installation you will get quick and easy technical response from your location.

check out which linux OS is popular in your location and use it.



Thanks

A.Raziq