newbie webmaster

Abstract
Of all the web servers on the market today, Apache is most popular because it supplies basic web server functionality right out of the box. Yet, many customers want a more sophisticated website, one with SQL database functionality, search capabilities, and server-side scripting. The complexity and interdependencies of these packages make it difficult for independent software vendors, solution developers, and website administrators to put together a solution. Customizing the Apache server with additional functionality can be complex on the Linux platform. The solutions for extending functionality are just not obvious. This technical guide demonstrates how to integrate PHP, MySQL, and ht://Dig with the Apache server. Independent software vendors, solution developers, programmers, and website administrators can use this guide to plan and deploy advanced Apache web servers on the Linux platform.

This document describes how to install, configure, and deploy a sophisticated Apache website on the Linux operating system. Such a website includes the powerful, server-side scripting language, PHP3, access to the full-featured SQL database, MySQL and the ht://Dig search engine. All of the software packages described in this document are open source applications. What makes open source software so attractive? First of all, it is free. Secondly, you get copies of the software source code, which frees you to control the software to meet your short-term and long-term requirements. The key points of open source software restrictions are that no one:

• Distributes the product without the source code (or, a list of differences between the modified version and the original) and a copy of all related documentation
• Charges for the software itself (only for its distribution)
• Can impose restriction on its distribution

For more information on licensing, refer to the regulations defined by the Open Source Initiative organization at: http://www.opensource.org/osd.html.