Linux distribution: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:53, 25 April 2005

Revision as of 03:43, 30 April 2005

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A '''[[Linux]] distribution''' or '''[[GNU/Linux naming controversy|GNU/Linux]] distribution''' (or a '''distro''') is a [[Unix-like]] [[operating system]] comprising of software components such as the [[Linux kernel]], the [[GNU toolchain]] , and assorted [[free software|free]] and [[open source]] software. Some [[proprietary software]] areis found in certain distributions and areis not free software. A ''Linux Distribution'' — or ''distro'', en parlante, are— is created by individuals, groups and organizations from around the world.

Companies such as [[Red Hat]], [[SUSE]] and [[Mandriva]], and community projects such as [[Debian]] and [[Gentoo Linux]], assemble and test the software before releasing their distribution. There are currently over two hundred Linux distribution projects in active development, revising and improving their respective distribution.

== History ==

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These are the most popular according to [http://www.distrowatch.com/] and therefore the most common distributions of Linux for PCs and other workstations, listed alphabetically.

They can use different file base distributions (''e.g.'', dpkg for [[Debian]], RPM for [[Fedora Core|Fedora]]), [[desktop environment]] (''e.g.'', [[KDE]], [[GNOME]], [[XFce]]), media (''e.g.'', 1 or 2 [[floppy disk|floppies]]s, [[LiveCD]], bootable [[Keydrive]], only hard disk installation), localization (setting for a language and country), free software direction or not, for a specific purpose (''e.g.'', firewalls and security, robotics, desktop workstation) and so on.

==Interdistribution issues==