# What Kind of Windows Server OS Do I Need?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-windows-server-os-do-i-need/357501>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 20, 2006, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-windows-server-os-do-i-need/357501 "2006-05-20T05:25:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-windows-server-os-do-i-need/357501/1 "2006-05-20T05:25:33Z")

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I need a version of Windows Server OS with Windows Media Server and a simple web server. I want to get the cheapest version possible. I am confused among Windows server 2000, Server 2000 AS, Server 2003, etc.

I’m open to Linux as well, but it has to be able to stream WMV files to a standard Windows Media Player.

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-windows-server-os-do-i-need/357501/2 "2006-05-20T09:40:53Z")

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It sounds as though you need [Windows 2003 Server, Web Edition](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/web.mspx).

I’m not familiar with Linux, so no ideas there, but I have heard good things about Red Hat.

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**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-windows-server-os-do-i-need/357501/3 "2006-05-20T14:57:51Z")

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Cool, thanks, that looks like it.