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LAMPP Server | Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop

Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP5, Plus!

This tutorial is for how to set up what I call a LAMPP (Yes, with two (2) Ps--the second P is for Plus) Server using a Debian 5 (Lenny) net install disc. Here are the steps!
  1. Start Debian Installer with Netinstall disc image
  2. Select all your preferred settings up until partitioning. If you know how you want to partition your disk, skip to step 8.
  3. Select Guided - use entire disk
  4. Select your disk
  5. Select All files in one partition
  6. Select Finish partitioning
  7. Select Yes to writing the partitions to disk
  8. Enter your root password
  9. Set up your own account
  10. Select your proper country and Debian mirror
  11. Leave the proxy blank (unless, of course, you use a proxy)
  12. When you get to the software selection, leave only the Standard System package selected
  13. Install the GRUB loader
  14. Finish the install
  15. Log in as root
  16. Type this: apt-get update && apt-get upgrade
  17. Type this: apt-get install mysql-server mysql-client apache2 apache2-doc php5 php5-mysql libapache2-mod-php5 phpmyadmin vsftpd ssh samba smbfs
    Show details for apt-get install [...]
  18. When asked for the MySQL root password, enter your favorite password
  19. When asked for which mods to install, select apache2
  20. When asked for the workgroup/domain of your windows computers for Samba, enter it (usually it's just WORKGROUP)
  21. Open /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/php5.conf in your favorite editor and copy the two AddType lines
  22. Paste the 2 lines you copied under the 2 AddType lines that are there already
  23. Change the 2 lines you just pasted so that instead of AddType, they say AddHandler
  24. Type this: /etc/init.d/apache2 restart
  25. Create a PHP file in /var/www/ and test the apache server for functionality
    • Type this: ip addr
    • Record the IP (inet) address that eth0 is on
    • Go to a networked computer and enter this address in your browser: http://<IP ADDRESS>/PHPTESTFILE
  26. If it works, fantastic. Otherwise, you have some troubleshooting to do.
  27. You can also go to http://<IP ADDRESS>/phpmyadmin and check out your MySQL administration tool
  28. Once you verify that all of your stuff is working, set up your /etc/samba/smb.conf file by adding shared folders to the end of it like such (you can actually copy all this code and use it as a template):
    # Creates a share at \\<hostname>\web
    [web]
    # The next 3 lines are pretty much not optional
    comment=Apache root web directory
    path=/var/www
    read only=no
    # The valid users directive is very much optional (the default is that all users in the smbpasswd file are valid)
    valid users=webadmin
  29. Make sure you have users set up for Samba by using the smbpasswd command (use man smbpasswd if you don't know how to use the command--note that you need to have an actual Linux user before you can add them to Samba)
  30. Restart Samba: /etc/init.d/samba restart
  31. Now we can set up vsftpd for FTP access...
  32. Open /etc/vsftpd.conf in your favorite editor, make sure the following are true:
    • listen is set to YES
    • anonymous_enable is uncommented and set to YES
    • local_enable is set to YES
    • write_enable is set to YES
    • chroot_local_users is set to YES
  33. Restart vsftpd: /etc/init.d/vsftpd restart

Note: I have recently switched to ProFTP as an alternative to vsftp. So far I have not had time to figure the intricate differences out. The setup was faster (not that vsftp was long to set up). I will add more details soon.


Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop

Before I start on what is about to be a fairly long-winded entry about Ubuntu 10.10 and my experience with it on my Dell Latitude D820 laptop, I will make the warning statement that I doubt everybody's install and overall experience will go as smoothly as mine has to date. I just hope this will help somebody choose the Linux distribution that they think will best suit their needs. By the way, I would like to point out that the correct pronunciation of this operating system's name is oo-BOON-too. The word originates in the Bantu languages of southern Africa and is "defined" as an ethic or humanist philosophy, hence Ubuntu (the OS) being "promoted" as an easy-to-use, "for humans" operating system.

So more recently, I've been trying out some Linux distributions on my laptop. I am just always looking for something different. I love Windows 7, but I have that on my decently-powered desktop. I was looking for something light for my laptop that I could try out, still be able to run Windows programs on, and be able to work on this darn site with. Well I was doing some searching, and since the last time I tried Ubuntu (I cannot remember what version I tried, I'm sorry), the OS has become more commercially accepted; and, much to the dismay of some of the GPL world, has "accepted" (for lack of a better term) some proprietary software and drivers. Fan-friggin-tastic! I immediately started downloading my Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop ISO. The install was easy and uneventful, thank goodness. I installed Wine immediately to test out some Windows software on there. Everything I've thrown at it has been working spectacularly. I will have to report back a little bit later once I try some more demanding software (such as some games like Starcraft 2) on there.

One thing I thought was really awesome, and I don't know if the other Linux distributions do this now also, but Ubuntu went right out immediately for updates and drivers that better suit my video and wi-fi devices. I don't think installing my wi-fi drivers has ever been so easy on a Linux distro. There was one thing that ended up happening with my boot and shutdown "splash" screens (also called Plymouth in Ubuntu) once it had installed the correct proprietary drivers from nVidia (this also happens with some ATI drivers as well). The pretty screen that shows up during install got replaced by ugliness and a blinking cursor. If you don't care what your startup and shutdown screens look like, by all means leave it alone. If you are a nit-picky person such as myself, or just want your stuff to all-around look good. There are 2 ways to do this fix. Both methods require you to have a little more than common knowledge of terminal and Unix/Linux. One less than the other. This is the method for the more tech-savvy. This is the method for the not-so-tech-savvy-but-can-install-Ubuntu-and-know-how-to-use-shell...... whew!

Another thing I noticed, this one about the web browsing, is that it takes a long time to initialize the loading of a page. Also (and this may be the internet connection I have been on lately), I noticed that things on the web load and process slower. My friend who is just trying out Ubuntu as well noticed this too.

So one thing that is kind of a fun change from Windows is having the window control buttons on the left side. It also becomes annoying after a while if you are switching between windows and Ubuntu. If you switch between Mac and Ubuntu, obviously it's not an issue. Fortunately, there's a way to modify it! Thank goodness! So, go here for the fix!

Recently, my laptop with Ubuntu on it passed away. Well, okay, machines don't pass away; and it didn't really die either. Just my GPU died, so I can't see anything when I turn my computer on. I am in the process of looking for a new laptop or two. At least one of them I hope to use for either Ubuntu or Debian. I haven't quite decided yet. When I get a new one, I'll probably start a new section for Debian or continue this section.

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