SWiK
» tagged pages
» logout

sorted by: recent | see : popular
Content Tagged with Linux-distribution + distribution

gNewSense

A GNU/Linux distribution, that takes all the non-free blobs out of the popular Ubuntu distribution and makes it free.

GoboLinux

GoboLinux is an alternative Linux distribution that redefines the entire filesystem hierarchy. Applications are stored entirely in their own folder for simple management.

Debian

Debian is a free software operating system distribution. Debian releases a linux distribution called “Debian GNU/Linux”, which at over ten years in development is one of the oldest linux distributions still under active development.

Although “Debian GNU/Linux” is the most popular Debian release, Debian has also unofficially released distributions based on other open source kernels: Hurd, NetBSD, and FreeBSD.

The Debian Project

Debian hews closely to the standards and principles of the open source philosophy, only distributing software that is deemed to be truly free and open source, according to strict legal principles.

The Debian project was first released by Ian Murdock, (the ian in Debian) in 1994, it was later helmed by Bruce Perens, who left in 1998.

Debian is noted, sometimes critically, as having a slow release process. Debian continually updates and develops the project, however years can pass before the latest ‘released’, or ‘stable’ version of Debian is released. In the eight years since the first release, there have been 8 releases, the latest, ‘sarge’, being released in June of 2005. The name “Sarge” refers to the leader of the plastic solider army in “Toy Story”: all Debian releases are named after Toy Story characters.

Package management

For a package management system, Debian uses the powerful APT, (Advanced Packaging Tool), commonly front-ended graphically by the Synaptic project.

Debian based distributions

Debian is the origin of many other high profile distributions: Knoppix, Ubuntu, Mepis, Xandros and Linspire all are forks of Debian.

External Links

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution growing in popularity and based on Debian that focuses on desktop Linux. It is included in Sourcelabs’ Self-Support Offering for Linux

Ubuntu has one of the largest, if not the largest and most active user communities of any Linux distribution. Ubuntu is also one of if not the most popular Linux distributions for desktop Linux use.

Notable included packages

Ubuntu packages the GNOME project as its window manager, however side projects Kubuntu and Xubuntu also package the KDE and XFCE desktop environments as well. Ubuntu releases are timed to follow GNOME releases by roughly 1 month, and Ubunut shoots for 2 releases a year.

Like its source distribution Debian, Ubuntu uses Apt for package management, and deb packages—however Ubuntu is not always compatible with Debian deb packages. Synaptic serves as a graphical front end to the Apt package manager.

Other notable projects Ubuntu includes in the distribution are Firefox and OpenOffice.

General design

Ubuntu focuses on being usable and being up-to-date, both with new Linux kernels and new versions of GNOME. Ubuntu follows in the sudo security model used by OSX and others, users are strongly discouraged from running as root.

Ubuntu features a very smooth upgrade process from release to release that is built on the apt package management. All that is required to maintain a current version of Ubuntu is to stay up to date on packages via Apt/Synaptic. Ubuntu can be switched to Kubuntu as well through package management as well.

Ubuntu’s design theme is centered around ‘people’ – flesh tones or dark orange and iconographic pictures of humans characterize the style of the distribution.

Derivatives of Ubuntu

The Ubuntu project encourages changes and customizations of Ubuntu, such as:
  • Ebuntu – Enlightenment window manager
  • Edubuntu – aimed at education
  • Fluxbuntu – Fluxbox window manager
  • gNewSense – Fully Free Libre FSF GNU Open version of Ubuntu
  • Kubuntu KDE (instead of GNOME) window manager
  • nUbuntu – network and security
  • Xubuntu – XFCE (instead of GNOME) window manager

Bug Database: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/ is on Launchpad.

IRC Support: #ubuntu on irc.freenode.net

Web Support forums: http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community/webforums

Additional web forums: http://ubuntuforums.org/

Mailing Lists: https://lists.ubuntu.com/