is win 98 applicable for a server?

[gore]

And I'll consider you full of gross stupidity and having no clue what the hell you're talking about. You'v already seen 3 people here that have used 98 as a server.

[ZomBieMann77]

Having said that I would not consider any machine running windows 98 a server in the true sense of the word.

and what exactly is your definition of server? To me win98 would make an acceptable print server or file server or even a good test server for webdev. Admitedly it doesnt have all the bells and whistles of some of the other OS's designed with being a server in mind it is a cheap allternative for someone who doesnt have the money to buy a M$ server (like win2k3 server) or doesnt want to have to learn linux to learn howto write their own web page with seerver side scripting

[R0n1n]

gore,

Don`t you thinik thats a little harsh? his first three sentances

"For me it all depends on what is ment by "server". If the question is can windows 98 be considered a server OS the simple answer is no. If the question is more like can windows 98 be configured to perform certain server functions like printer sharing, file sharing, running client server software, then the answer is yes."

are correct, as its not a server OS per se, (it was designed as a desktop OS) but it can certainly be used in a server role, its the last one

"Having said that I would not consider any machine running windows 98 a server in the true sense of the word."

Which messes it all up for him.

[gore]

As much as people hunt me down every time I mix up an acronym, or say something the wrong way, do I think that was harsh? No. I take such an oral beating here I might as well be a porn star.

[R0n1n]

I see your point.

You might need to change your name from gore though to be successful as a porn star..well, it probably depends on who your audience are.

[gore]

Hardcore bondage and S&M all the way! Won't have to change the name at all. And if I go for snuff it will actually be a better name.

[Cybr1d]

ROFL gore


Anyways, here's my 2 cent on this:

To clear something up for MURACU, if an OS has built in ability to perform file sharing/print sharing, run client commands and such, it can make a wonderful server. Hell you can use it as a dedicated server for a game if you have enough memory in it. The only problem with 98 being a server is its security. It just sucks and you have to restart it every time you change something. If you set it up and patch it all up, and install a firewall and go all the way with the security settings...then windows 98 makes a perfect little server.


EDIT:

Here's some extra info for you,

Installing Personal Web Server
This section concerns installing Microsoft's Personal Web Server (PWS) 4.0 on Windows 98 SE, since that's the system I had available to install and test on. PWS is also available for Windows 95 and NT.
Note: If you are running Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional you should install IIS instead of PWS. If you are using XP Home Edition, read this.

PWS is best described as a poor mans web server - it is not intended to be used in a production environment. However, it is perfect for use on your own computer, where it allows you to test your scripts before uploading to your production server or Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Starting the Installation
There are two places you can get PWS, both of which are free. The Windows 98 CD includes it, and you can download it from the Microsoft web site.

Warning 1: Microsoft does not recommend installing PWS on Windows Me, although they admit it can if you are an "advanced user who regularly tests unsupported software configurations".
Warning 2: There is a fairly rare problem with MTS that may cause you problems later.
I recommend following the instructions here before you start...


Downloading from Microsoft.com
If you don't have the Windows 98 CD, you can download the NT4 Option Pack which, believe it or not, contains Personal Web Server for Windows 95 and 98.

Be aware that the download is 34mb, which will take nearly 3 hours to download with a 28.8 modem.

To start the download, follow these steps:
1. Go to the microsoft.com web site. (clicking here opens a new window, so you can continue to read this tutorial)
2. Follow the instructions on the web site, choosing Windows 95 as the operating system even if you're running on Windows 98.
3. After the download, the installation starts - skip to step 5 below.

Installing from Windows 98 CD
The Windows 98 CD includes PWS, but you need to run a separate setup program to fully install and configure it. Microsoft recommends that you have at least a 90 MHz Pentium processor with 20-32 MB RAM, 40MB free disk space and a Super VGA monitor

To start the installation, follow these steps:
1. Insert your Windows 98 CD in its drive.
2. Click Start and then click Run.
3. In the Run dialog box, type x:\add-ons\pws\setup.exe
4. Substitute the letter of your CD drive for x, and click OK.
5. The following screen will appear.
click for pic: http://coveryourasp.com/images/screens/pwssetup1.gif

[MURACU]

R0n1n
Thanks for the support. I maybe should have put IMHO before my last comment. That comment remains my personnel and proffessional opinion.

Gore,
"And I'll consider you full of gross stupidity and having no clue what the hell you're talking about. You'v already seen 3 people here that have used 98 as a server."

Actually I belive I do know what I am talking about. I have used windows 98 in almost every possiable server function. From a printer server to a database server. I have done the same thing with every windows operating system from 311 to windows 2003.
Maybe you should read my post and not just get stuck on the last line. Ron1n has already qouted so I wont wast our time with a reqoute. As you already noted you and your friend configured 98 as a web server but it wasnt easy.

Cybr1d
I answered the first question of the thread with the information given. By the basic definition any OS can be considered a server as nearly all operating systems offer the same basic possabilities for file sharing and printer sharing. If we look at windows nt workstataion and windows nt server there is no differance in the kernal. they are the same OS. The only differance is on the version server there are a couple of performance tools loaded that are not loaded for the workstation.
I have already configured windows 95 as a web server for a very specific project for our accounts departement that doesnt mean i would call 95 a server OS would you?

[neel]

I ran a server on windows 95 for quite some while and when you don't mess arround with it it can be stable enough too. Security is mostly solved if you install a decent firewall and keep it up to date. Also windows 9x has less "features" who can be exploited then most other OS's because it wasn't designed for network use. The only thing that might be a problem, is the lack of support for a windows 9x based server. For example if you use apache as a webserver it clearly states the *nix version is better tested etc, because it was originally wriiten for that OS. It runs very fine though and as long as you don't stress it to the limits and know what you're doing it might even be a better choice then for example linux, because of the easy user interface of windows wich leaves less space for an admin mistake.

[ruffasdagut]

Hey guys...Just wanted to add my thoughts.

I have setup several small to medium sized companys with Win98SE as the server.

It functioned as a file server for the DBs and regular file storage. Had zero problems on a 40 machine network. After a couple years the companies upgraded to 2k server so they could have more security, but for startup a Win98SE liscense if they even sell them anymore is alot less then anything NT based. I would recomend any small business needing to save cash to start there and work up. With a little effort you can make it secure enough. The main thing I did besides AV patches and Fierwall was block its net access since we didnt need it for anything.


Well those are my thoughts