[sf-lug] Newbie asking a dumb question...

[Rick Moen]

Quoting vincent polite (vpolitewebsiteguy at yahoo.com):

> How difficult would it  be, for me, to set up a linux mailserver, for
> about 25 accounts, probably less. 

Depends on the Linux distribution.

Basically, all general Linux distributions provide the software for
that -- an SMTP server (that role being called "MTA" = mail transfer
agent) and an IMAP or POP3 server (that role being called "MDA" = mail
delivery agent).  Some give you a generic configuration for those, and 
leave you to customise it yourself.  Some, instead, ask you a series of
questions and based on your answers write the configuration files for
that software, on your behalf.

Easiest way to find out is to try.

> It might also be used to unite, dare I say, Windows machines. 

If you mean "be a file/print server for Windows machines", same answer.
The package that does that is called Samba.

> Host a website?

Same answer.  The usual software is the Apache HTTP daemon.