I've started setting up my first VPS, and am pretty new to most things.

I installed Ubuntu, and have a working website with apache, mysql, php, and phpymyadmin all installed.

Now, in reading in the Library here http://library.linode.com/web-applicati ... rol-panels, and am trying to decide which control would be best recommended?

Does anyone have a good preference of one over the other?

What possible need do you have for a resource hogging, distro bastardizing, training wheel control panel?

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Either provide enough details for people to help, or sit back and listen to the crickets chirp.
Security thru obscurity is a myth - and really really annoying.

I would recommend webmin.

You say you're new to most things? In that case, I would also recommend using the command line first - Googling what you don't know or need help on; this will help you in the long run.

That's correct, but it's not a compelling argument.

ptmuldoon,

Control panels make things easier at a cost of keeping people away from the details of system configuration. The problem is that the details are VERY important. If you rely on a control panel you will never really know how the system works and you won't be able to make changes outside the limited scope of that control panel.

The normally analogy is that you don't need to understand how a car works to drive a car. This doesn't apply to unix machines or for that matter windows machines either. Computer science has a long way to go before it does.


To answer the question what control panel should you use: None, use the command line.

Let me try.

Unlocking your car door with the fob button = Clicking a 'Restart postfix' button in the control panel.
Unlocking your car door with the key = 'service postfix restart' or '/etc/init.d/postfix restart'

Both work, but what if your batteries die in the fob?

You could take that argument further and say

distros make things easier at a cost of keeping people away from the details of compilation. If you use a distro, you'll never be able to compile a program on your own, and you won't be able to run programs outside the limited scope of that distro.

and further

configuration files make things easier at a cost of keeping people away from the details of computer science and how to program. If you use configuration files, you'll never be able to write in C and modify a programs behaviour, and you will be limited to the programmers imagination.

and

the linux kernel makes things easier at a cost of keeping people away from the details of driver development. If you use linux, you'll never be able to write a device driver and you won't be able to use devices outside the limited scope of linux.

plus

C makes things easier at a cost of keeping people away from the details of assembly and the CPUs architecture. If you use C, you'll never be able to control a computer outside the scope of C

i could go on

CPUs make things easier at a cost of keeping people away from the details of discreet transistor logic. blah blah blah

Thanks to everyone for all there input.

I'll stay away adding a control panel for now. I actually do some some experience with Webmin in a home server environment, but this is my first VPS setup, and don't want to mess up a live site.

I'll keep working to learn as much as I can.

Chesty, you give very valid arguments on learning things!!!

I could if I was going to fall for the slippery slope fallacy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slippery_slope

But as it's flawed reasoning I won't.

It's just as flawed to say if you use a control panel you can't use the command line.
There are lots of reasons not to use a control panel, but that isn't one.

Which isn't what anyone said on here. I said control panels have the 'cost of keeping people away from the details of system configuration'. That's a long way away from 'Can't use the command line.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

That's the second flawed reasoning technique you used in this thread.

please elaborate and explain how using a control panel stops someone from using the command line and learning details of system configuration?
also please explain how one can learn the details of system configuration without using the command line?

Because the burden of proof is on me? Why don't you explain how using a control panel increases the likelihood of someone learning the details of system management?

you said "Control panels make things easier at a cost of keeping people away from the details of system configuration."

Let me quote george washington "don't believe randoms on the internet that don't backup their ideas with citations"



oh oh, I know this one. It's flawed reasoning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

Please tell me where I said control panels increase the likelihood of someone learning the details of system management?

You really don't. That's some seriously flawed comprehension on your part.

Just read the strawman page and you will see why.


Just to anti-troll I'm going back to the topic:

Personally I would not use a control panel as they put an artificial layer of separation between you and the system. Most old school unix people would say the same.

If you really want one Webmin is popular as is cpanel.

I would use Webmin too. To me a computer is just a tool to get a job done and I'd rather not waste my limited time fannying around with the command line when there's a quicker way to get things done.