Hello everybody,
I am currently running windows 2k on a k7s5A motherboard + AMDXP1800
+ 40 GB + 512 DDR 2100. I have no need for wonderful audio video, as
I use my system for research/office/development.

Now it is becoming increasingly impel lent for me to have a linux
box (to run Globus Toolkit 3 and other Middleware services
development related), and I don't want to install it on my PC, as I
wouldn't be able to use both OSes at once.

There is already an eth100 network with an ADSL router (for Internet
access) and other hosts attached to a eth100 network. The hosts
require file and backup (and maybe proxy, and maybe configuration
when I have time to experiment) services from a server, which would
ideally be always on. Currently the file/backup services are
provided by my w2k machine, but I do switch it off when I sleep and
so everybody in the house gets cut off.

I was thinking of getting a new box, which I would then add to my
eth100 network and access through ssh (for command line stuff) and
some remote desktop software (what could I use?) from my windows
machine.
I was also thinking of keeping my linux box always on, to provide to
the home network all the wonderful services. Furthermore, for what I
understand, Linux is a truly multiuser OS and therefore I would be
able to login locally and remotely at once, as a feature of the OS
itself (no third party stuff as for windows).

Obviously the hardware of my new computer is going to be much more
powerful than my current one (not becuase I fancy fashion
upgrading... It is just that 2 years have passed since I got my
current machine, and prices drop...): I am not sure if I should
instead use the new computer as my desktop (I do some heavy
development with Borland and I guess I would go faster with a newer
machine, more RAM etc...), and move the existing computer to the
role of Linux server.

But... I don't know much about how the load would get distributed...
What kind of load multiple sessions put on the machine? I guess it
very much depends on the kind of programs I am running, but I am
particularly thinking about multiple X sessions at this stage...
What kind of resources am I going to exhaust quickly? And what about
the client machine (w2k)? How is the load distributed betweek client
and server? Is the eth100 network going to sustain remote desktop
connection and LAN file transfers and Internet traffic all at once?
Please note I have a switch (not a hub) at the centre of my star
topology, and I suppose that helps (i.e. no unnecessary level 2
broadcasts).

I would really appreciate *any* comment before I embark on my
upgrade, as I don't exactly feel confident about the thousands
things I may have not thought of.
I am also interested in knowing how developers who have to deal with
windows/linux have set things up to maximise productivity.
TIA
Mario

PS = Off topic, shall I use British English or American English to
write posts, if I am to follow good netiquette principles?