Advice for setting up local hosting/mysql/php ?

OK, this is going to sound dumb to most but here goes. Please keep in
mind, I am coming from a windows background.

I want to do some development using PhP and animated gifs. I see that the
patch can be applied to PhP 4.3.2 and 4.3.3 to enable imagegif and animate
functions. I have come to the realization that I am going to have to run
my own local linux server.

My question then is what do I need to install a local server to host web
pages from, I will also need a database. I want to run a typical hosted
site except I want to be able to easily create gif animations and I also
want access to ImageMagick. My current host has access to neither.

The installation of the MySql I think I can handle. It's the apache and
other web stuff part I think I am going to have trouble with.

So what do I need to run a typical host site then? PhP, Perl, cgi-bin,
MySql, Apache, umm?? Any good books or sites for setting up a server
step-by-step?


Thanks
C

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 02:52:20 +0000, Charley wrote:

> OK, this is going to sound dumb to most but here goes. Please keep in
> mind, I am coming from a windows background.
>
> I want to do some development using PhP and animated gifs. I see that the
> patch can be applied to PhP 4.3.2 and 4.3.3 to enable imagegif and animate
> functions. I have come to the realization that I am going to have to run
> my own local linux server.
>
> My question then is what do I need to install a local server to host web
> pages from, I will also need a database. I want to run a typical hosted
> site except I want to be able to easily create gif animations and I also
> want access to ImageMagick. My current host has access to neither.
>
> The installation of the MySql I think I can handle. It's the apache and
> other web stuff part I think I am going to have trouble with.
>
> So what do I need to run a typical host site then? PhP, Perl, cgi-bin,
> MySql, Apache, umm?? Any good books or sites for setting up a server
> step-by-step?

Well, to start with, its never a good idea to run a server attached to the
internet without good knowledge of the OS and an ability to secure it.

With that out of the way, if you just install a default server version of
linux such as Red Hat or Suse (others are also available, debian,
slackware etc etc etc ad. infinitum) then all the bits you need will be
installed from scratch, apache, mysql and php. If you wish to patch and
recompile your PHP, thats also a fairly straight forward method.

But just make sure someone that knows what they are doing secures your
server for you or you'll end up with a cracked machine.

/Ant