[ubuntu-uk] Desktop or Server?

[etali]

Tony Travis wrote:
> I'd be interested to know if anyone has actually instrumented the vast 
> resources used when running a GUI on a modern server: In my experience, 
> the impact is minimal even on a very ordinary 2p server with 3GiB RAM. 
> Much less so on a 4p server with 8GiB. Where it has a big impact is on 
> small servers with very little RAM, being used in dedicated roles such 
> as a firewall or router. In this case, a Web GUI is often used instead.
>
>   

I reflexively respond to requests for information about running a GUI on 
a Linux server by raising concerns about memory because a lot of those 
requests (at least on Webmaster forums, probably not so much on here) 
come from people who have VPS accounts with tiny amounts of memory, 
rather than a physical server that is more than powerful for the task 
it's supposed to be doing.  I run a VPS with only 384MB RAM - it's 
inexpensive, and with some careful configuration (and swapping out 
Apache for Lighttpd), it's serving very well for running one fairly high 
traffic site, and two much smaller ones. 

If you have the luxury of powerful hardware, and enough knowledge to do 
things both ways, then of course - use what works for you.  I do think 
that newbies should learn things "the hard way" though.  In the past few 
months, on test machines, I've had Webmin throw a fit mess up my server 
configuration for no apparent reason, and I've had XFCE and KDE refuse 
to work after an update. They were salvagable thanks to the wonder of 
the command line, and that's why I encourage people to become familiar 
with "the hard way" first.

-- 
Lesley Harrison