Setting up a full webserver using DSL 4.4.10 and LAMP/XAMPP (pt. 1, intro)

This entire entry is me talking about everything and nothing. For the tutorial see part 2.

Guide index, part:
1 = This. Random thoughts and suggestions on road-maps.
2 = Getting DSL, installing it.
3 = Setting up your webserver on DSL, XAMPP + autostart.
3.1 = Installing Apache + autostart (no XAMPP)
3.2 = Installing PHP5 + autostart (no XAMPP)
3.3 = Installing MySQL + autostart (no XAMPP)
3.4 = Installing a FTP-server + autostart (no XAMPP)
4 = Benchmarking the server
5 = Setting up a DNS + auto-update. (if you have a dynamic IP).
6 = Adding more server-support to your server: crons.
7 = Tutorial on crons, and how to run php-scripts with it.

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With the lack of tutorials of how to download, install, and setup a linux-based webserver for DSL (Damn Small Linux), I decided to write down the steps I took to make mine, along with sharing my guidelines as to how, why and what. The why's are generally covered in this article. This guide is written to "100%" Windows users, who at least knows something worth knowing, not counting how to save a Word-document and how to start iExplorer.

I'm a Windows user by heart. By heart, I mean I grew up with it. And by grew up with it, I mean I really can't stand the new versions anymore, especially true now with Vista. While I did feel the same with WinXP when it came out, the major reason I didn't like it was because it was bigger than Win2k, and there was new commands to learn. I still miss winipcfg. Don't get me wrong, WinXP (SP2) in its original form is a good OS, and has surprisingly low system requirements. It's just that I don't understand the point in the rediculous system requirements of the new OS'es that is way beyond any computer with a few years on the neck.
Most people know of, have played, or are currently playing World of Warcraft. Assuming a gaming-system has 2Gb RAM, I'd prefer any day of the week to play WoW on WinXP with ~2GB RAM available, compared to the ~1Gb if playing on Vista. Even more so if the system has less than 2Gb RAM, say ~1.5Gb (3x512 or 1024+512), or still stuck with a single-core CPU.

Every single year there are more "old" computers, and that pile will never cease to buildup, it will become bigger and bigger for every year. I don't understand why Microsoft makes new OS'es that require so much of a computers hardware, making sure older computers can't run them, and then stop supporting the OS'es those computers was preinstalled with, run with for so many years, and above all made the user addicted to. There's two ways to survive this. Or, actually three.

First one, the most common one to survive as a Microsoft-addicted computer-user is to buy a bigger, meaner machine, toss the old one, and continue to use the new Microsoft OS, until they release a new OS, and stop supporting the old one.
The second way, which I'm guessing is at least 99,99% of the users left, are the ones who tries to convert to some form of Linux-dist, most likely any that resembles Windows as much as possible for an easy transition. I'm very glad there are many Linux-dists that has this option, not only makes it ex-Windows-supporters' lifes easier, it pulls more people into the Linux world. However, Linux still has way less to offer gaming-wise. Which leads us to the next resort.
Thirdly, in case you don't buy a new machine, and you don't convert to Linux, you decide to do something rather... unorthodox; compile your own Windows version. This is done by simply stripping the junk you don't want (outlook express, wordpad, a thousand drivers for hardware you don't have, etc), adding the stuff you need and want (such as security-updates and tools you use daily), and replacing the stuff you'll update anyway, such as DirectX, .NET Framework, etc. You then compile it all to a nice bootable install-CD, and voila, you have the perfect gift to yourself; the OS you are addicted to, tailored perfectly to your needs.

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Lets have a general talk about software. If you're used to Windows, and want to run a webserver, chances are you've tried to run one in Windows. I'm also guessing you've heard of how good Linux is as a server OS. The three examples above are more than just a random ramble, it helps you to identify yourself as a computer-user. It helps you to answer questions further down the road, if you know what type of computer-personality you have;
Do you take what's handed to you (type1),
weigh all your options, learn as much as you can, finding out how green the grass is on both sides of the road (type2),
or do you stay with what you know and make the best of it (type3).

Are you happy with the type of user you are? Regardless, you'll have to make a choice if you want to stick with it, or change to a new category, or make a blend. It won't change the questions presented to you, simply the answers you give back.

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Now, lets talk hardware. Even if you have a lean, mean, fighting leet-machine as a server with 4x4x4Ghz CPU's and 20Gb of DDR3 RAM, you still have to ask yourself;
1) Do I want to spend (read: waste) resources on something I don't need?
2) Do I want to bloat my server, or do I want it to run as fast as possible?

If you're not into all of that micro-management / resource-optimizing crap, and just want to try or learn how to run a server in Linux, I recommend Fedora. During the installation you can choose what type of "packages" you want, such as Office stuff, Development stuff, or Server stuff. It also has a very Windows-like GUI. While this guide-series is not aimed toward your group, it can still act as a general guide, but it will assume you know more about Linux than the targeted group, since the directions aren't made for Fedora, but for DSL (4.4.10).

If you on the other hand do give a crap, or simply are left with no choice since you have an old laptop or 486 (or whatever), read on. This guide is for you. This guide (read: I) assume you
1) Have a limited amount of resources available on your server computer,
2) Give a crap about resourcemanagement,
3) Hate bloat.

Regardless, the end-result is the same: pack everything you need into a server, and nothing more, or as little as possible more.

Some more rant. There's no need to have a OS taking several Gbs worth of space, eating 1Gb of RAM for just idle activity. Those resources could (and should!) be used to serve your clients. Why get a server computer capable of running Vista as a server OS when you can
1) settle for a cheaper / older computer, and run a less hardware-intense OS,
2) run a less hardware-intense OS and open up more resources for your server?

I think I've made my view on the matter clear. Feel free to comment or ask questions.