How to set up to practice ColdFusion, SQLserver, ASP, etc.?, How does a web developer leap the server hurdle? Options

[kcf549]

It's my first post--

Okay, I'm in a hurry to learn a bunch of technology to connect my years of database experience w/my webmastering experience--in which a serious lack of connection between the two exists. I am not a system or server administrator. I downloaded the free Apache server but I don't understand the configuration instructions (everyone assumes if you're downloading a server you know what you're doing w/one). I need a server to get these technologies to work, but how do I get over the server hurdle?

I downloaded the ColdFusion server, too. And it also assumes that I would know what settings to use before proceeding...

Should I find a web-hosting service instead that can handle all these technologies? I don't care about posting my pages to the web--I just want to practice my ColdFusion, SQL Server, ASP lessons. But this server thing is getting in the way. If I need to use a hosting service, that's fine, too. But I don't know if they tend to be set up for implementing CF, ASP, SQL Server.

Halp!
kcf

[pandy]

I knew zilch when I first installed Apache. Wasn't that painful. The config file is heavily commented and there are lots of helpful sites on the web. Anyway, if those are the languages you want to play with you've made the wrong server choice, me thinks. Sounds like you want IIS.