[Mono-dev] Development machine (mono newbie)

[Simon]

Hi there,
   I'm thinking on starting as a freelance in programation.  I already 
have much experience with C++ and PHP using MySQL as DB, but I can also 
work pretty well in VB, ASP using MS SQL as DB.  Also, I figured out 
already that I will have clients with all kinds of installations and 
with all kinds of demands.  Therefore, I'm wondering about the 
configuration and installation of my development machine and of a live 
server.

   In my opinion, I like when the dev server/machine is similar to the 
live one.  Currently I have access to a commercial host, but it doesn't 
support anything from MS.  I could live with a live server that is also 
the dev machine, security would be thightened and for that I would need 
root access.  I'm thinking about a Dedicated or virtual private server 
running linux.  On which I would install tools like VMware (if it 
support a non-graphic environment) and/or... mono.  In any case, I 
cannot have this server on my machine, my machine is not suitable for 
being a server.

   Now comes my question to the list: Would mono allow me to have a 
server running on linux that would serve ASP(VBS,VB,C#,ASP 1.1,.NET) 
using a MS SQL db?  And this server could be configured to be on port 
8080, thus I could have both technologies running on the same machine, 
and I could make them cooperate!  Anyway, at least I could demonstrate 
my work in progress both in php and asp, and I may be able to offer 
hosting for some clients.  I think this is a very good solution, but I 
just have no idea if mono is sufficient for it, or if I would need a 
vmware station that would have the original MS tools?  I have more faith 
in mono, i believe it would be less buggy that way...

   I really should head toward the documentation now, but in the 
meantime, if you could give me directions or comments, reference if any, 
that'd be great.

Thanks,
   Simon