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Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 10:06 AM
I am looking for some software to run on one of my servers that would allow it to become an image hosting server. I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it, free would be nice. I am running Windows server 2003 right now. I would be willing to build a Linux box to host it if no other choices are out there.

If anyone knows of some such software for free or close to free let me know. :D

I know I want my cake and to eat it too but hey I'm not rich.

Tned
08-24-2009, 10:12 AM
Do you want to host only your images, or host for others? If only for yourself, you could just upload them via FTP or however you currently move files to your server.

Tned
08-24-2009, 10:15 AM
Also, if it is hosting for others, then you could either do some looking/searching or ask for ideas at these two sites:

www.webhostingtalk.com
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 10:20 AM
I'm looking to host for myself and some select others as well.

I'll check those sites out, thanks Tned

Tned
08-24-2009, 10:23 AM
I also was thinking hosting, so you could display them in posts, as sig images, etc. Are you looking for an online photogallery?

Along the lines of this (this isn't my favorite program, but the concept):

http://www.broncos07.com/broncomania/categories.php?cat_id=41&sessionid=bcc8c2c013d10a9f4c3295a0097bc3ec

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 10:38 AM
I get an error cannot display page from that link.

EDIT:

Yes that's more or less what I want to do is host similar to photobucket.

Tned
08-24-2009, 10:45 AM
I don't know about Windows, but if on Linux, a couple that have been popular for a long time are:

http://gallery.menalto.com/
http://coppermine-gallery.net/

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 11:02 AM
I don't know about Windows, but if on Linux, a couple that have been popular for a long time are:

http://gallery.menalto.com/
http://coppermine-gallery.net/

The coppermine gallery looks like what I'm looking for if it works. It runs on Windows or Linux and is free.

Thanks Tned :salute:

I'll let you know what I find out about it.

Tned
08-24-2009, 11:04 AM
I hadn't looked at Coppermine in a while and didn't know they had a windows version, but it has been one of the most popular for a long time. I lot of CMS scripts integrate with one of those two (gallery or coppermine).

Good luck.

Thnikkaman
08-24-2009, 11:07 AM
Make sure that you have a domain name or a static I.P. address for the server or else your images could be here one day and gone tomorrow even though they are still on your server. If you are planning on hosting from a residential connection, you can get yourself a dynamic dns provider from dyndns.com.

If you decide to go the Linux route, I will monitor this thread and try and help out with Apache and Gallery where I can.

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 11:16 AM
I have static IP's.

Thnikkaman, what flavor of Linux if your favorite? I have an copy of Centos 5.1. I could download the latest of whatever.

I'm not trying to make money off this. I would be hosting for free to a limited # of people.

Thnikkaman
08-24-2009, 11:27 AM
I have static IP's.

Thnikkaman, what flavor of Linux if your favorite? I have an copy of Centos 5.1. I could download the latest of whatever.

I'm not trying to make money off this. I would be hosting for free to a limited # of people.

Your best bet is probably some flavor of ubuntu. It is the easiest to work with if you are new to linux, and the online community is very active with people that are willing to help out with whatever. If you want to go the windows route, I'm pretty familiar with IIS, and can help you get that set up as well.

Depending on the box you are installing linux on, you could go all command line with ubuntu server, or go with the regular ubuntu which gives you a desktop manager like gnome to work with. (Gnome is similar to what you see with windows.)

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 11:42 AM
I used to be familiar with Linux back when Slackware was the one. I think that was around the same time as Windows 95 or maybe 98.

I know Windows a lot better than Linux at this point but web stuff is something I'm not that familiar with. I have a Windows server that could double for this job. If I go Linux I have to build another machine. I have the machine but that means I have another one running all the time.

I would prefer to use Windows if possible.

What I would usually do is mess around with it on a machine that is for testing and if I decide it's what I want then I put it on the machine I am going to use it on.

If you're willing to help that would be great. I can also use Apache on Windows if that is better.

Thnikkaman
08-24-2009, 12:28 PM
I used to be familiar with Linux back when Slackware was the one. I think that was around the same time as Windows 95 or maybe 98.

I know Windows a lot better than Linux at this point but web stuff is something I'm not that familiar with. I have a Windows server that could double for this job. If I go Linux I have to build another machine. I have the machine but that means I have another one running all the time.

I would prefer to use Windows if possible.

What I would usually do is mess around with it on a machine that is for testing and if I decide it's what I want then I put it on the machine I am going to use it on.

If you're willing to help that would be great. I can also use Apache on Windows if that is better.

I have never messed with Apache on windows. I know that IIS can serve php based websites without a hitch, so if you choose to do windows, go for it.

What flavor of windows will you be running on the server?

----------------
Now playing: Wu-Tang Clan – Protect Ya Neck (http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/wu-tang+clan/track/protect+ya+neck)
via FoxyTunes (http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/)

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 12:38 PM
I have never messed with Apache on windows. I know that IIS can serve php based websites without a hitch, so if you choose to do windows, go for it.

What flavor of windows will you be running on the server?

----------------
Now playing: Wu-Tang Clan – Protect Ya Neck (http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/wu-tang+clan/track/protect+ya+neck)
via FoxyTunes (http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/)

The server I would use for that is 2003 standard. I could test it on XP Pro first. I hate to mess with my production server unless I'm positive I want to use the software. :D

The problem with the whole testing is it's double the work. I hate to take a chance on crashing my server though.

What do you think?

Tned
08-24-2009, 12:44 PM
Are you already running IIS? Is so, if you run Apache as well, then you are going to somehow direct traffic to either IIS or apache as needed. One way is to bind multiple static IPs to the NIC, use a port other than 80 for the Apache server (not ideal) or some other means to seperate traffic.

If Coppermine will run on IIS, that is probably your simplest route at this point.

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 12:49 PM
Are you already running IIS? Is so, if you run Apache as well, then you are going to somehow direct traffic to either IIS or apache as needed. One way is to bind multiple static IPs to the NIC, use a port other than 80 for the Apache server (not ideal) or some other means to seperate traffic.

If Coppermine will run on IIS, that is probably your simplest route at this point.

On the one server I would use there is no web site on it so I could use what I want and it wouldn't matter.

I might go with IIS just because I don't have to install more stuff. It does have instructions for installing it on IIS in the documentation. They also say Apache works better than IIS but not why.

Tned
08-24-2009, 12:58 PM
One of the reasons is that apache is leaner, and people consider it to perform better as a webserver. It is also possible that some of the things it uses in an apache/linux environment (like image resizers for instance) might work better than what they use in the Windows environment.

Based on the type of usage you are talking about, I would try the IIS install and only go to another option (insatlling apache on windows or build linux box) if you have problems.

If you decide to load apache on your windows server, this site has some good tutorials and a message board for asking questions. I believe they are dedicated to running Apache on Windows.

I had found them when I was trying to setup Apache as a reverse proxy for IIS.

http://www.apachelounge.com/

Day1BroncoFan
08-24-2009, 01:00 PM
One of the reasons is that apache is leaner, and people consider it to perform better as a webserver. It is also possible that some of the things it uses in an apache/linux environment (like image resizers for instance) might work better than what they use in the Windows environment.

Based on the type of usage you are talking about, I would try the IIS install and only go to another option (insatlling apache on windows or build linux box) if you have problems.

If you decide to load apache on your windows server, this site has some good tutorials and a message board for asking questions. I believe they are dedicated to running Apache on Windows.

I had found them when I was trying to setup Apache as a reverse proxy for IIS.

http://www.apachelounge.com/

Thanks Tned, you da man!

Denver Native (Carol)
08-24-2009, 01:05 PM
Just to add a little humor to you this very interesting discussion


I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT :laugh: