which OS to choose for java game server?

[Matlu]

I'm not sure if it's not off-topic, but I could not find a better thread
Imagine that you would like to run java-based application (multiplayer game server) on a dedicated server. Which OS would you choose? Obviously some unix/linux, but which one? Sun produces JRE that is guaranteed to work just on few 'kinds' of linux
(list is on http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/system-configurations.html) - JRE that runs on other branch of linux is just a port by some 3rd party. Are those ports stable/reliable?
I know that discussion on this topic could be endles, I would like just to get some hint which linux/unix I should, or should not use, and why. Thanks a lot.

[swpalmer]

Obviously some unix/linux

Not obvious to me.

I would choose OS X Server,  Windows XP, or maybe Solaris.

Windows and Solaris should have good java support and should be up to the task.  OS X is just plain cool .  The main point that all of them are supported and proven. Win XP will give you a lot of options for software tools, the un*x variants have a more common set of tools but it seems to me they lack decent interfaces and are rather archaic.  Though OS X will offer both the archaic stuff and perhaps a few things with an interface that isn't out of the 60's-70's.

But don't listen too me.  I know nothing about server side stuff

[gregorypierce]

Depends entirely on the 'scale' of your server. If all you really need is a single box (and to be honest that's rare except for the smallest projects) then it doesn't REALLY matter what you choose. A MMOG rarely runs on just one box, it runs on a cluster of boxes with the application distributed in zones across those boxes and other boxes in there for fault tolerance. Once you start talking about all of this - Linux, BSD, and the other Unices like Solaris and AIX start making a LOT of sense.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[PROROOK]

I'm not sure if it's not off-topic, but I could not find a better thread
Imagine that you would like to run java-based application (multiplayer game server) on a dedicated server. Which OS would you choose? Obviously some unix/linux, but which one? Sun produces JRE that is guaranteed to work just on few 'kinds' of linux
(list is on http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/system-configurations.html) - JRE that runs on other branch of linux is just a port by some 3rd party. Are those ports stable/reliable?
I know that discussion on this topic could be endles, I would like just to get some hint which linux/unix I should, or should not use, and why. Thanks a lot.

i just want to say ive been to matuis duelboard site, and i think he sucks dicks, and is a sorry son of a bitch, and id love to whipp his sorry ass, and i am going to hack his site til it is gone and then ill end up pinching his head off, , he is a peice of communiest shit

[Mr_Light]

I was gonna comment on why he was still using 1.4.2 server side, till I noticed the msg was from 2004. 

PROROOK you seem to have issues with one thing or another, what might be the reason of posting an offtopic message in a 4 year old topic?

[gouessej]

Obviously some unix/linux, but which one?

I think that for performance and security reason, it is always preferable to use a server under Linux (or Unix). I've an excellent support of Java under Linux, I don't see what you mean. Even archlinux works fine with Java. I used a self-extracting file to install Java under Debian Etch (and I added an alias and some symbolic links in my .bashrc) and I used the RPM under Mandriva. What is complicated? My game has been tested on plenty of Linux and it works fine:
- Mandriva Linux 2006, 2007, 2008
- Ubuntu, Kubuntu
- Fedora, Redhat
- Suse
- Archlinux
- Debian
- Gentoo
- Slackware
- Aurox