Let’s start with the basics. YVOD runs on LAMP
What is LAMP?
LAMP stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl/PHP/Phython.
What does that mean?
Linux is the operating system. All application run on top of this foundation so it is imperative that we use the best operating system there is. Most individual desktop computers run either Windows or Mac OS X operating systems. Most servers on the internet run Linux. YVOD runs Linux. Why? Let’s see… books are written on this subject. I will give you the short version.
Open Source means that anyone can see the code that is used. This is important because it means anyone can find a hole or bug… and anyone can fix it. Closed systems, like Windows and Mac OS X, are great for small jobs that one individual might do. When you need your applications to run all the time… you need as many eyes looking at the source code as possible. More eyes mean more validation. More validation means better code. Period.
Linux is one operating system that is Open Source. For our purposes, it is the best and getting better every day. We have used Red Hat of Linux since 1996. We have recently migrated from Red Hat 9 to Red Hat Fedora Core 3. Here is some Security Marketing Speak for those who like this sort of thing.
Apache is the web server. Everything you see on the internet is sent to you by a webserver. Apache is by far the most popular and stable web server on the internet. In addition to it being fast, we love it because it allows us to build-in lots of functionality and write our own special code to make is behave the way we want. Named “a patchy server” because it was put together from a bunch of “patches” sent via email between programmers, the latest version has been completely rewritten and performs beautifully.
MySQL is the database. With luck you are starting to see a pattern here. MySQL is the best database for running websites. It is fast, stable and scalable. It is a multithreaded, multi-user, SQL (Structured Query Language) Database Management System (DBMS). It takes everything we can throw at it and keeps on purring. We use databases for lots of things including blogs, forums, data mining and e-commerce.
Perl is the scripting language. We write code in Perl, mod_perl, PHP, Python and other languages to tie lots of things together. YVOD loves mod_perl which embeds a Perl interpreter into the Apache web server. What does this mean? Only that it is wicked fast and extremely stable.
Umm… OK. And?
And nothing. I just thought this was worthy of writing about. Want to see something cool? Check out the PHP environment we have created using these and dozens of additional technologies. Ahh… I love it when a plan comes together =)