> I want to start
> learning to use PostgreSQL, and I have an extra PC at
> home I wish to install PostgreSQL on for this very
> purpose. My question: what OS would people recommend?
> The PC is an old AMD-K2 running at 333MHz (I could be
> mistaken), and it has 256MB RAM, and a ~5 GB HDD.
If you're in the States, go Red Hat 9. If you're in Europe, SuSE. Those
tend to be the most popular in their respective locales, assuming you're
learning linux and PostgreSQL with a view towards employment in the near
future. Side note, Red Hat allows you to download ISOs and free SuSE is
an ftp install. I don't know if you have a fast net connection, but this
also may play a role in choosing a distro.
Whichever way you go, you won't be setting any land-speed records with
your AMD, but you'll be using it as a learning server anyway so no
worries. And yes, you can SSH into that server just fine. I run an old
Dell at home headless the same way. Had to use a monitor in the install,
but that's about it -- only two cables going into it now are power and
ethernet.
Welcome to the fold!
--
Best,
Al Hulaton | Sr. Account Engineer | Command Prompt, Inc.
503.222.2783 | ahulaton@commandprompt.com
Home of Mammoth PostgreSQL and 'Practical PostgreSQL'
Managed PostgreSQL, Linux services and consulting
Read and Search O'Reilly's 'Practical PostgreSQL' at
http://www.commandprompt.com
