need help with optimizing mysql

[cpriest]

i think i posted in the wrong forum with my thread in MySQL (if so i am sorry).

Specs: Dual P3 550 384Ram
OS: Redhat 6.1
PHP: PHP4.04pl1 + APC
Apache: Apache 1.3.17
phpinfo: http://www.da-matrix.com/phpinfo.php
my mysql startup line:
bin/safe_mysqld --user=mysql -O key_buffer=64M -O table_cache=256 -O sort_buffer=4M -O record_buffer=1M -O max_connections=300 &


+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Variable_name | Value |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| back_log | 5 |
| connect_timeout | 5 |
| basedir | /var/mysql/ |
| datadir | /var/mysql/data/ |
| delayed_insert_limit | 100 |
| delayed_insert_timeout | 300 |
| delayed_queue_size | 1000 |
| join_buffer | 131072 |
| flush_time | 0 |
| key_buffer | 67104768 |
| language | /var/mysql/share/mysql/english/ |
| log | OFF |
| log_update | OFF |
| long_query_time | 10 |
| low_priority_updates | OFF |
| max_allowed_packet | 1048576 |
| max_connections | 300 |
| max_connect_errors | 10 |
| max_delayed_insert_threads | 20 |
| max_join_size | 4294967295 |
| max_sort_length | 1024 |
| max_write_lock_count | 4294967295 |
| net_buffer_length | 16384 |
| pid_file | /var/mysql/data/widgr0004atl2.pid |
| port | 3306 |
| protocol_version | 10 |
| record_buffer | 1044480 |
| skip_locking | ON |
| skip_networking | OFF |
| socket | /tmp/mysql.sock |
| sort_buffer | 4194296 |
| table_cache | 256 |
| thread_stack | 65536 |
| tmp_table_size | 1048576 |
| tmpdir | /tmp/ |
| version | 3.22.32 |
| wait_timeout | 28800 |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+


For some reason i have about 250 mysqld processes running and the connection to the forum keeps timing out.

what would be the optimized start-line for this ?

I have about 50000visitors / day and about 200 online all the time

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!