is it safe to run server for public with winXP?
it is safe, as long as you secure the server and run a decent firewall and stuff.
in my case, I have very specific settings for the server, for example:
+ Everything has to go through a router, and all ports are closed, except for port 80 for webserver (Apache).
+ I run Apache on the 80 port (standar), and opened that port on the router, only for the server machine IP.
+ Mysql and MyphpAdmin are only accesible from LAN and localhost (so there's no way to access them from outside my router). No need to open a port for MySQL.
+ I run a small ftp server too, so I can 'upload' my files from my other computer. since both machines are connected to the same router, I specify that the ftp server only allows connections from the LAN. no need to open port 21 on router.
+ I run Ultr@VNC server and client, to sometimes connect to or restart the server from my formal computer (the server only has a keyboard connected, no monitor nor mouse). Ultr@VNC is configured so it only accepts clients from LAN. No need to open ports on router.
the server machine has nothing installed, except for windows itself, Apache, MySQL, php4.3.11, the ftp server, the dynamic DNS updater, and firefox.
I unistalled windows messenger and disabled internet exploter.
according to the logs, the CPU barely reaches 3 or 5% when serving pages.
I use winXP only because i know whats going on on the background (21 services in total, including apache, mysql, ftp server and dyndns updater), where as with Linux, I have no idea how many packages are running without beign used.