Linux Distros

[dave_boo]

So, there's been a bit more movement in the Linux forum. I decided to throw together this list of various distros, arranged under their base distro, for member's purusal. I excluded any distro that has not released since 2008. Feel free to bring to my attention any that should be included.

Debian

64 Studio (based on Ubuntu-A/V programmes galore-64 bit)

Alinex (based on Ubuntu-Portugese)

CrunchBang (based on Ubuntu-Open Box window manager)

Debian (one of the oldest distros-community supported-3 branches, stable, testing, and unstable)

dam_n Small Linux (Knoppix based but stripped down to 50MB)

Easy Peasy (based on Ubuntu-netbook install)

Edubuntu (based on Ubuntu-educational)

Elive (has Enlightenment desktop)

Finnix (25MB distro-live cd-based on Debian testing)

gNewSense (based on Ubuntu-same same Gobuntu)

Gobuntu (based on Ubuntu-totally free (as in freedom) software)

gOS (based on Ubuntu-net appliance install)

Knoppix (based on Debian unstable)

Kubuntu (based on Ubuntu-KDE desktop)

Kuki Linux (based on Ubuntu-Acer Aspire One install)

Linsipre (paid support distro-phased out for Xandros)

Linux4One (based on Ubuntu-Acer Aspire One install-Italian)

Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu-better theme and mucho non-free software)

NexusWare Core (embedded distro)

SimplyMEPIS (KDE desktop-latest software)

Ubuntu (distro designed for new users-Gnome desktop)

Ubuntu Studio (based on Ubuntu-A/V programmes galore)

XBMC Live (based on Ubuntu-original X-Box install-for a media extender)

Xubuntu (based on Ubuntu-XFCE desktop)

Fedora

BLAG (distro from Brixton)

CentOS (RHEL-Enterprise Version-server grade distro)

Caixa Maigica (based on Madriva-Portugese)

Fedora (community driven distro)

Mandriva Linux (a lot of non-free software)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (paid support distro)

Scientific Linux (RHEL-Enterprise Version-distro from Fermilab and Cern)

Yellow Dog Linux (distro for Cell and PPC-a drop in distro for the PS3)

Gentoo

Gentoo (distro that compiles everything from source)

Sabayon Linux (Gentoo distro that installs with packages and then reverts to compiling)

Slackware

Austrumi Linux (live cd-from Latvia)

BlueWhite64 (pure 64 bit version of Slackware)

Frugalware (an intermediate user distro)

Slackware (one of the oldest distros)

Slam64 (64 bit version of Slackware)

SLAX (live cd distro-lightweight)

SMS (a trimmed down Slackware distro for server)

Zenwalk Linux (i686 only distro-adds dependency resolution to *.tgz)

SuSE

openSuSE (community ran distro of SuSE)

SuSE (paid support distro)

No Affiliation

Arch Linux (takes clues from BSD-uses Pacman to install *.tgz)

Ark Linux (uses both APT and RPM)

CRUX (takes cues from BSD-uses *.tgz)

Desktop Light Linux (a distro designed for older hardware-uses CRUX port system)

EnGarde Secure Linux (server only distro-enables SELinux by default)

GoboLinux (organises each program into its own directory rather than in /bin /etc)

Pardus (a Turkish distro)

Puppy Linux (live cd-features an incremental write to CD-R for persistent changes)

SliTaz GNU/Linux (live cd-25MB)

I understand this is in no way a complete list; but I'll update as I find.

[Tywais]

I understand this is in no way a complete list; but I'll update as I find.

Nicely done, only one I can think of off the top of my head was the very first version of unix for the PC I used. Surprised to see that it is still around. Minix

//edit - just realized it is not based on Linux but its own version so doesn't apply to the above list. Useful for teaching though it appears version 3 has expanded to a desktop system.

[dave_boo]

I understand this is in no way a complete list; but I'll update as I find.

Nicely done, only one I can think of off the top of my head was the very first version of unix for the PC I used. Surprised to see that it is still around. Minix

//edit - just realized it is not based on Linux but its own version so doesn't apply to the above list. Useful for teaching though it appears version 3 has expanded to a desktop system.

Yeah, Linus used Minix in university, but due to the liscensing decided to roll his own. In fact for a while the Minix userland was used in Linux until GNU's came into its own.

[Richard-BKK]

He Dave,

You where busy...

Anyway in the Ubuntu family you forgot Medibuntu, for everybody who is using Ubuntu I suggest you include the medibuntu repo data to you resources.... This will really help you installing the obvious needed stuff ...

Edited May 15, 2009 by Richard-BKK

[jackdanielsesq]

There are 3 very good desktop operating systems here - I have used them all extensively and they are all bulletproof.

Latest is 2009.1 which is what MDV shoulda done, 2008 is a superquick mini distro, on roids, 2007 is my absolute fav - no-brainer, lazy, big block V8 - big power, solid - enjoy.

2009.1

2008

2007

BR>Jack

http://www.pclinuxos.com/index.php?option=...d&Itemid=36

[joncl]

There are 3 very good desktop operating systems here - I have used them all extensively and they are all bulletproof.

Latest is 2009.1 which is what MDV shoulda done, 2008 is a superquick mini distro, on roids, 2007 is my absolute fav - no-brainer, lazy, big block V8 - big power, solid - enjoy.

2009.1

2008

2007

BR>Jack

http://www.pclinuxos.com/index.php?option=...d&Itemid=36

Be very careful with this one as it has caused me no end of grief lately.

We have used 2007 here and minme since it came out on the http, smtp, pop, dns, samba etc servers and on the notebooks etc, for the company, but now in 2009, when you do a apt-get upgrade it installs the 2009 distro over the 2007 distro, and frankly screws the 2007 distro totally. So we are now moving to ubuntu for everything (notebooks and servers)

Edited May 20, 2009 by joncl

[RKASA]

There are 3 very good desktop operating systems here - I have used them all extensively and they are all bulletproof.

Latest is 2009.1 which is what MDV shoulda done, 2008 is a superquick mini distro, on roids, 2007 is my absolute fav - no-brainer, lazy, big block V8 - big power, solid - enjoy.

2009.1

2008

2007

BR>Jack

http://www.pclinuxos.com/index.php?option=...d&Itemid=36

Be very careful with this one as it has caused me no end of grief lately.

We have used 2007 here and minme since it came out on the http, smtp, pop, dns, samba etc servers and on the notebooks etc, for the company, but now in 2009, when you do a apt-get upgrade it installs the 2009 distro over the 2007 distro, and frankly screws the 2007 distro totally. So we are now moving to ubuntu for everything (notebooks and servers)

Why not install the 2009.1 release fresh like any ubuntu release would be done.  I have always used PClinuxOS 2007 and minime and never bothered with the update route for this rare new release, its just so easy to install and all my data is another drive anyway.

[joncl]

Why not install the 2009.1 release fresh like any ubuntu release would be done.

! do not / did not want PClinucos 2009 else I would gone down that route.

Also, if they did this now to 2007, they might do it in the future and I do not want to go through this saga ever again for the want of synaptic space on their repos. Until this happened I used to be a pclinuxos champion, but not any more.

Edited May 20, 2009 by joncl

[RKASA]

  OK      I know a few had problems updating 2007 after the repo changed for the 2009 version.  If you do get the Big update done then it becomes a 2009.1 install anyway.  I had just stopped updating 2007 before the change and waited to see what would happen.  I then downloaded the 2009.1 iso and installed it so I would not have any of those update problems.  Every distro has to release once in a while and 2007 had a good run.  The 2009.1 I am running is problem free, never had an issue with it.  I stopped updating one copy of my local repo so I could rebuild a 2007 if I needed it but have not had to.  I would serve that up for those that want to keep 2007 running but don't have the bandwidth.  Its complete bar a few games and the sage program.  Its about 13gig but worth keeping around for awhile still.  If I come across an older PC it might come in handy.

[jackdanielsesq]

Yup - 2009.1 will bite ya hard if not vigilant - I have 12 O/S running so always do a fresh install, harden it, then leave alone. I never update anything. I have better things to do. 2009.1 is as good, if not better than 2007, which was a killer. They stepped on a lot of weenies with all the fallout with the rippers and all the repo sync nonsense. It has settled down now - but there is still a lot left to be desired.

You can of course install both 2007/2008 and keep them stock - which is what I have done - be selective in what you install - you can then of course go outside their repo - who doesnt? - and install anything you like, with due diligence.

The best thing about them is KDE3.xx

BR>Jack