Some other options if you want it all:

Install Ubuntu Desktop or Alternate (I like Alternate just because it gives
me more control over the installation).  Install VMWare server.  Then
install Ubuntu server in VMWare.  Why is this a good option?  Because you
don't need to dedicate a lot of resources for the server.  128MB, 256MB tops
would take you a long ways if you have a limited machine.  Then you can
experiment until you are ready to set it up in your desktop environment.

OR

A previous suggestion was to install server, then using apt-get (or aptitude
if you prefer), to install ubuntu-desktop package.  I have done this, and
though it takes a while to install this way, it does work.

Good Luck!

- Joey

On Dec 6, 2007 4:16 PM, jason reynolds <jeruvin at gmail.com> wrote:

> "Suppose you are like me and you want it all.  What's the easiest way to
> do
> an installation?  Should I do a desktop installation and then pop in the
> server CD to install LAMP? Have any of you tried to install both?"
>
> With Ubuntu the difference between the server and desktop install is what
> packages are installed. Basically:
>
> Server: Terminal
> Desktop: GUI (also has terminal under the GUI stuff)
>
> You see Linux is like an Ogre... I mean an onion. There are layers to it.
> You have:
> Linux Kernel -> Terminal Type Stuff -> GUI Application (Gnome) -> GUI
> Applications. That's very, very basic (and could be better, but you get the
> idea).
>
> Servers don't need precious cpu cycles to be wasted on GUI stuff when
> everything works with config files and services running, which can all be
> done with the command line.
>
> If you take a server install and type "sudo apt-get install ubuntu
> desktop" it would install the GUI for you. It will most likely take quite a
> while, but you can do it.
>
> I like the plain old server for my servers as I don't spend a lot of time
> with updates to Open Office and other applications I don't need.
>
> There are a number of guides online to setup Apache, MySQL and PHP on a
> Linux platform. For those that would like to know every setting and/or to
> learn it could be beneficial to do the long way. the LAMP setup in Ubuntu is
> to get a quick setup without having to do any of that configuration stuff at
> the start. You'll have a server with those services running. You'll
> eventually have to change stuff, but it will at least hand out a web page
> after being installed.
>
> tasksel take a few minutes to run. It's just installing all the packages
> and doing a little bit of configuration to get your Apache, MySQL and PHP
> working. I'm not sure what it changes. When they say it only take 15 minutes
> compared to hours they are talking about the full install from CD using the
> LAMP option when prompted towards the end of the install. I skipped that
> part during the install and did a tasksel and it only took a few minutes.
>
> Sorry for the messy post, but I'm too tired today to go back and fix it to
> perfection.
>
> jason
>
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>
>
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