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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Reply-to" CONTENT="[email protected]">
<META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="linux, suncoast, user group, lug">
<META NAME="Copyright" CONTENT="2005 Suncoast Linux Users Group">
<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="Linux, jed, mp4h, make">
<META NAME="Author" CONTENT="Paul M. Foster">
<META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Linux Distributions">
<TITLE>Linux Distributions</TITLE>
<LINK rev=made href="mailto:[email protected]">
</HEAD>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" link="#0000FF" vlink="#800080" alink="#FF0000" STYLE="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Sans-serif;" background="t_blu_wtr02a.jpg">
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<table width="744" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" cols="3">
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<img src="./slug.gif" width="225" alt="Suncoast Linux Users Group (SLUG)">
</td>
<td align="left" width="450" colspan="1">
<strong><font style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, San-Serif;"><h1>Linux Distributions</h1></font></strong>
</td>
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<A NAME="top"></A>
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<tr>
<td> </td>
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<br>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><strong>SLUG Links</strong><br>
<small>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./index.html">Home</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./history.html">History</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./join.html">Join Us!</a><br>
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<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./books.html">Books</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./sponsors.html">Sponsors</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./email.html">Email</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./proscons.html">Pros & Cons</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./jobs.html">Jobs</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./forsale.html">For Sale</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="./helpers.html">Linux Helpers</a><br>
</small>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><strong>Linux News Sites</strong><br>
<small>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linux.org">Linux.org</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linux.com">Linux.com</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.lwn.net">Linux World News</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.slashdot.org">Slashdot</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.freshmeat.net">Freshmeat</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.kernel.org">Kernel.org</a><br>
</small>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><strong>Linux Magazines</strong><br>
<small>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linuxjournal.com">Linux Journal</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linux-mag.com">Linux Magazine</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linuxgazette.net">Linux Gazette</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.newsforge.com">Newsforge</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linuxformat.co.uk">Linux Format</a><br>
</small>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><strong>Linux Vendors</strong><br>
<small>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.cheapbytes.com">CheapBytes</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linuxcentral.com">Linux Central</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linuxcd.org">Linux CD</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.osdisc.com.com">OS Disc</a><br>
</small>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><strong>Linux Distributions</strong><br>
<small>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.debian.org">Debian</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.linux-mandrake.com">Mandrake</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.redhat.com">Red Hat</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.slackware.org">Slackware</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.suse.com">SuSE</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.turbolinux.com">Turbo Linux</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html">Knoppix</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.mepis.org">Mepis</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.ubuntu.com">Ubuntu</a><br>
<img src="arrow.gif"><a href="http://www.distrowatch.com">DistroWatch</a><br>
</small>
</font></p>
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<td valign="top" align="left" colspan="2" width="450">
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<br>
<CENTER>
<H2>
Which Linux Distribution Is The Best?
</H2>
</CENTER>
<P>
The simple answer is that there isn't a "best" distribution. Opinions
vary, so we can't recommend a "best" distribution. But we can give you
some guidelines.
<P>
<CENTER>
<H3>
What IS a Linux Distribution?
</H3>
</CENTER>
A "distribution" is a
set of programs that come packaged together on a CD-ROM or for downloading
on the internet. The most important part of any distribution is the
"kernel".
<P>
The kernel:
<UL>
<LI>
is the most basic part of the operating system;
</LI>
<LI>
is what makes the operating system Linux, instead of HPUX, Xenix or some
other Unix variant;
</LI>
<LI>
is really the operating system itself; anything your programs or you want to
do with your hardware goes through the kernel, which interprets what you or
your program wants and executes it in the hardware;
</LI>
<LI>
was originally written by Linus Torvalds in 1991, and is still maintained by
him;
</LI>
<LI>
has various version numbers, just like any other software; the version number
of the kernel in your distribution doesn't really matter, as version
numbers change slowly and there isn't that much difference in the kernel
version numbers from one distribution to the next.
</LI>
</UL>
<P>
Along with the kernel, a distribution will come with a variety of "utility"
programs
that enable you to create new users, copy files, or do any of the other
things you'd do with a computer. Most of these programs are the same
programs that come on any Unix system. Linux and Unix use a "tool-based"
approach to these programs. They do one thing, and do it very well. A
"hammer" program would just do hammering, and a "wrench" program would just
do wrenching.
<P>
Distributions often come with "commercial" programs (programs that would
cost you money if you bought them separately), or "suites" of programs, like
bundles of word processors, spreadsheets and drawing programs. This is one
way that distributions add value and make their products stand out from
others.
<P>
Unlike just a few short years ago, Linux distributions now are quite polished
and suitable for people familiar with other popular operating systems.
<CENTER>
<H3>
Differences Between Distributions
</H3>
</CENTER>
I can't explain everything about every distribution. There are many many
distributions, and few people have tried them all. The differences between
distributions fall into several categories:
<UL>
<LI>
Popularity or market share.
</LI>
<LI>
Hardware detection capabilities.
</LI>
<LI>
Ease of installation and management.
</LI>
<LI>
Package management facilities.
</LI>
<LI>
Programs that add value.
</LI>
</UL>
<P>
Of the above, package management is the only one that truly needs
clarification. When you install a program on a Linux computer (and this is
true on DOS/Windows machines as well), you are usually installing more than
just one executable file. There are initialization files, data files,
libraries of executable code, etc. If you had to install all these by hand,
it would be worse than any kid's bike you ever put together on Christmas
Eve. The solution to this is to put everything in a "package" and install
the package. (In a DOS/Windows environment, this is generally one or more
diskettes or a CD-ROM; you need never know all the things that got put on
your computer.)
<P>
"Installing" a package puts all the little files where they should go on your
system, and if done right, the system remembers where it put everything.
Later, if you go to "upgrade" your package (install a more recent version),
it simply repeats the process.
<P>
One of the important things about package management is that often when you
install a program, it requires other "libraries" of code to exist on your
system somewhere. The new Gee-Whiz program may require the Oh-My-Gosh
library to be installed before it will work properly. There are several
reasons why this is works this way. Let's say that you build this
nifty library of code that handles the keyboard, mouse and screen-painting
for programs, and other programmers think this is a great library to use. So
when they write programs, instead of writing all that user-interface code,
they just put in a call to your library: "Hey, move the mouse over to the
left about an inch!" The advantages here are that the other programmers don't
have to write all this code over again themselves, and they can keep the
size of their programs small by not including all that code.
The disadvantage is that you have to have this
library on your computer before the new program will run.
<P>
Package management systems handle this by ensuring that you have all the
right libraries for your package on your computer before they install
things. And sometimes, they will even allow you to go on the internet and
download the missing libraries.
<P>
Now that you know something about what makes distributions different, we can
(finally!) get to the main distributions.
<P>
<CENTER>
<H3>
The Distributions
</H3>
</CENTER>
<P>
<STRONG>Red Hat</STRONG> used to be the most popular Linux distribution. They
originated the Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) package format. In the last few
years, they had an IPO, and recently they've eliminated their desktop product,
in order to concentrate on their (expensive) enterprise server products.
They have not cut their ties to the Open Source community entirely. They now
have a distribution called "Fedora". This distribution is still managed by
Red Hat, but relies on community involvement, and has no support from
Red Hat. It is free, but has some rough edges. When its code is mature, parts
of it will be rolled into the enterprise server products. This distribution
contains all the things you would expect-- the Apache web server, word
processors, spreadsheets, a GUI environment (X Window) and more.
<P>
<STRONG>Slackware</STRONG> is a well-known distribution that used to be
the most popular
distribution until Red Hat came along. It is put out by one guy: Patrick
Volkerding. It models itself more after traditional
Unix than any other distribution.
Installation is not too bad, but it helps if you have prior Unix
experience with building a system. The biggest drawback to Slackware is
that it <STRONG>does not</STRONG> have a <I>mature</I> package management system.
The word "mature" is emphasized here. Only recently has Slackware developed
the ability to manage packages, but the software to do this is still
inadequate compared to other package management software.
Note that the "package installation" process
is something you <STRONG>do not</STRONG> have to go through when you are
first installing Slackware; it figures all this out for you the first time
around.
But roll your sleeves up and
prepare to hack configuration files to alter this system once installed.
<EM>Real</EM> men choose Slackware.
<P>
<STRONG>Debian</STRONG> is built, tested, and put out by volunteers. It is
very strict about
adhering to "standards", like what goes in the /etc directory and so forth.
Updates to this distribution sometimes take a painfully long time to
come out, but are extensively
tested by hundreds of volunteers before being committed to plastic. Part of
the reason for this is that the Debian Project does not have a revenue
stream to feed. The up side to this is that it is probably the highest
quality and most stable distribution out there. However, Debian's install
procedure can be very
tedious, and can take hours to complete. Debian has a package management
system that is excellent, but is not compatible with that of any other
distribution. The effect of this is that RPM packages are easier to find
than DEB packages.
There are tools that allow Debian to read RPM files,
but that, too, is a tedious process. Debian also has the best online help of
any distribution. It has a tool that allows you to view standard man and
info files as HTML files in a browser. A testament to the quality of
the Debian distribution is the fact that many of the most successful and well
known distributions today are based on Debian. The Debian distribution itself
is perhaps second only to SuSE in the amount of software available in it.
<P>
<STRONG>SuSE</STRONG>, a distribution put out by a German company (now owned by
Novell), is the
most popular
Linux distribution in Europe. It comes with one of the most extensive sets
of software of any Linux distribution, primarily because in Europe they pay
for internet access by the hour. Thus, it's cheaper for customers to get all
their software on CD or DVD than to download it. It is well engineered and
has excellent hardware support, particularly for X Window and laptops. It also
has the best paper documentation of any Linux distribution. It has some
proprietary programs, like YaST, that make administration of a SuSE box
relatively simple. It uses RPM packages. While this distribution is commonly
available at places like CompUSA, support for it is not good here in the
U.S. However, as with most Linux distributions, it has an active online
support community.
<P>
<STRONG>Mandrake</STRONG> is a distribution originally based on Red Hat,
but designed to be much more user friendly. Though this is a capable distribution,
it is best used by newbies. "Old hands" often find it too "dumb". Mandrake
is effectively controlled by a non-profit in France, and has had difficulty
with its financing in recent years. Hard core Mandrake users donate to Mandrake
to keep things going.
<P>
<STRONG>TurboLinux</STRONG> is the largest distribution in the Orient and
Far East, and has built-in support for large character sets (like Japanese
Kanji). It is not well-known in the US, and updates seem to be slow in coming.
<P>
<STRONG>Gentoo</STRONG> is a distribution that's gaining a lot of converts.
However, it is <i>not</i> for the faint-hearted. It often requires the
building of software from source code, though its package management system
does make this somewhat easier.
<p>
<STRONG>Mepis</STRONG> is a distribution based on Debian and designed to
resolve some of the problems of Debian, mainly S-L-O-W upgrade cycles. The
person who designed Mepis made a great many design decisions that eliminate
software from Mepis. This means that instead of coming on seven or more CDs,
it comes on two. However, it is fully functional and has good hardware support.
It is not flashy, but very functional.
<p>
<STRONG>Xandros</STRONG> is another Debian-based distribution, with some of the
best hardware detection and support in the field. It is attractive, but like
Mepis, comes on far fewer CDs than Debian. It is not free, and is built and
distributed by an actual company.
<p>
<STRONG>Knoppix</STRONG> is a one-CD distribution built in Germany and
designed to be a fully functional "demo" distribution. When you pop the CD in
and reboot your machine, a fully functional and attractive Linux distribution
comes up. The big advantage of Knoppix is that it does not disturb whatever
operating system you already have on your computer. It can also be used as
a troubleshooting tool for systems where you suspect some hardware fault. It
is based on Debian and has very extensive hardware detection capabilities. It
can be installed on your computer, and this is being done more and more by
users as time goes on.
<p>
<STRONG>Lindows/Linspire</STRONG> is another Debian-based distribution, similar
to Xandros. In fact, it uses many of Xandros' software libraries. This
distribution is sold on inexpensive computers at Walmart. The system comes with
a bare minimum of software. It is expected that the user will subscribe to
Lindows' software subscription service for a yearly fee, and download whatever
they like off of Lindows' servers. Recently this company was sued all over the
world by Microsoft for the use of the name "Lindows". Naturally, these lawsuits
have far less to do with Microsoft's concern over possible infringement of its
trademarks, and far more to do with Microsoft's desire to block Linux at any
opportunity. As a result of these lawsuits, Lindows has changed the name of its
distribution to "Linspire".
<p>
<STRONG>Linux From Scratch</STRONG> isn't so much a distribution as a document
that tells you, step by step, how to put together a Linux distribution. You
follow along in the document, download software packages, and compile and install
them yourself. In the end, you have a minimal, but functional, system lacking
some things, like X Window. This "distribution" is really meant as a teaching
tool (self teaching). There are follow-on documents like "Beyond Linux From
Scratch", which take LFS a step further and instruct you in the downloading,
compiling and installation of more advanced software, like the X Window GUI
system. Using these, you can have a system tweaked for your particular hardware
and fully as capable as other distribution.
<p>
<STRONG>Others</STRONG>. There are probably hundreds of Linux distributions,
all based on the same kernels, but including different software tools and
applications, and incorporating varying degrees of facility in operation and
management. Some are specifically designed for use on gateways, routers and
firewalls. Some are geared to a specific language or geographical part of the
world. Most of the variations on the above distributions exist to answer a
specific need or scratch a specific "itch"; that is, to do one or more things
"better" than an existing distribution.
<HR>
<CENTER>
<H3>
Who To Contact...
</H3>
</CENTER>
<P>
The above seem to be the most popular distributions. (Things change from
time to time.) New Linux distributions seem to come out every week.
The most complete list of distributions is probably at
<a href="http://www.distrowatch.com">DistroWatch.com</a>.
<P>
On this page, you'll find links to some of these distributions and to places
that sell these distributions.
<HR>
<P>
<STRONG>
Paul M. Foster
</STRONG>
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<a href="./snags.php">Problems or comments?</a>
<P>
<i>
Version: 5.1 Last updated: Thu Sep 7 09:16:09 2006
<BR>
Copyright © 1997-2005 Suncoast Linux Users Group <BR>
<strong>Linux</strong> is a trademark of Linus Torvalds.
<br>
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