The Linux operating system packaged for customers for a fee. It includes the Linux kernel, essential operating system components from the GNU Project, an installation program, various open source utilities and applications, documentation and technical support. Some distributions contain a thousand or more programs delivered by download, CD-ROM or DVD.
Linux distributors sometimes offer a version free of charge, which may comprise an older kernel, fewer utilities and no support, other than written help on their Web site. The paid version includes the latest modifications, a multitude of related software and a support program. For example, Red Hat's Fedora is totally free of charge, but offered without support (see Fedora). For information about more than 100 Linux distributions, visit www.distrowatch.com.
Why a Distribution?
Linux packages are called distributions because the Linux vendor is distributing an open source operating system that it did not develop from scratch, although it may have enhanced it with its own modifications. See Linux, GNU, GNU/Linux, embedded Linux and open source.
Linux distributors sometimes offer a version free of charge, which may comprise an older kernel, fewer utilities and no support, other than written help on their Web site. The paid version includes the latest modifications, a multitude of related software and a support program. For example, Red Hat's Fedora is totally free of charge, but offered without support (see Fedora). For information about more than 100 Linux distributions, visit www.distrowatch.com.
Why a Distribution?
Linux packages are called distributions because the Linux vendor is distributing an open source operating system that it did not develop from scratch, although it may have enhanced it with its own modifications. See Linux, GNU, GNU/Linux, embedded Linux and open source.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Numbers of new Core i7 iMacs are turning up DOA
- I guess it goes to show that......even the almighty apple is not immune to issues. We have some iMacs (about 100 - 120) in my organization compared to about 2500 Windows Desktops and out of the 90 we ordered a few years ago (17" iMacs) we had one come...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-24
- Google makes Chrome OS open source today
- I like itThe ChromeOS demo looked pretty cool!I'm almost 100% webapp-based already, so I could see myself using a simple, fast & no maintenance OS like that the majority of the time.I like it too, but, for me, I need to compile and run programs locally. I would imagine that...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- OpenSUSE Education announces Li-f-e 11.2
- Li-f-e is OpenSUSE's Linux for Education product. While this product has been quietly maturing, it has, to some extent fallen off my radar. However, the latest features announced today with this release of OpenSUSE's educational distribution have me downloading as fast as my BitTorrent client will allow. by...
- Blog posts 2009-11-17
- Netbooks dead? Not when sales are up 264% percent
- My prediction:Intel and MS and the major brands are trying to drag the market upwards in size and cost to maintain their margins. They will shortly face a barrage of products based on ARM class processors and Linux (Chrome?), which will cost much less and have much better battery lives....
- Discussion threads 2009-11-16
- Friday Challenge: What's your take on OS/browser market share trends?
- Firefox is taking over...With Firefox the days of vendor lock-in withIE required are over, like banking sites theyare cross-platform as they should be.I use CentOS/Fedora/RHEL and use I am able todo all of my job functions and use any applicationI want without the fear of security holes andthreats from a...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-13
- Microsoft gives up to 1 million Xbox modders the boot from Live
- Exactly. I could not agree moreno different then many other things.In NASCAR, the team owns the car, NASCAR the rest.You are perfectlly free to do with your car whatever you wish, NASCAR just will not allow you to run it at their events.Microsoft is not stopping them from modifying their...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-11
- How fast can remote monitoring move?
- Ler's use mu computer and my iPhoneMay sound nuts, but my notebook mine happens to be a Mac and my iPhone have the ability to work with a lot of medical devices - IF the makers build the connectors and write the software.I can enter my blood sugars on an...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-04
- Microsoft partners to allow Eclipse interop on Win7, WinServer 2008 R2, Azure
- Eclipse should decline the 'plug ins'M$ only ries to extend and extinguish here folks!Self interests always......Isn't that what most things revolve around? I'm sure that if Linux had a chance to extend and draw to its platform by working with Microsoft it would, unless they are too stupid to...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-28
- News to know: Apple tablet; Android; Social Search; Netflix on PS3; Verizon
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET's around-the-Web tech coverage.: Jason D. O'Grady: Times exec hints at Apple tablet Larry Dignan: Apple slate "impending," says NYT exec editor; Much...
- Blog posts 2009-10-27
- Ubuntu 9.10 launch - 29 October
- Today Canonical announces the upcoming release of Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop and Server Edition, the latest version of the popular Linux desktop distribution. Ubuntu 9.10 will be available for free download on Thursday 29 October. Ubuntu 9.10 brings changes small and large that all have a common purpose - to...
- Blog posts 2009-10-26
- Stallman admits GPL flawed, proprietary licensing needed to pay for MySQL development
- You really believe that?Look at Red Hat. $5.1 Bln market cap and they're not making *any* money with free software? There is plenty of money out there for consulting services and support. Just ask IBM.Proprietary software is not religion.The problem with Sun was that they couldn't commit either...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-22
- News to know: Bing-Twitter; Net Neutrality; eBay; VMWare; Nook; Win7
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET's around-the-Web tech coverage. Larry Dignan: Microsoft lands Facebook, Twitter deals for Bing Sam Diaz: Tweets on Bing: Watch out for more noise,...
- Blog posts 2009-10-22
- Hannah Montana's good, but Ubuntu Kidsafe would be better
- Hannah, of course, is cute and could make Windows Me look good to the average tween, saying nothing of a modern Linux distribution. However, the right technology which already exists and the right partnerships most of which are already emerging make a kid-safe Linux not only feasible, but really...
- Blog posts 2009-10-20
- Looking beyond Windows 7 and Office; Pondering the alternatives
- Gartner is telling customers to upgrade to Windows 7 and the latest Office, but adds that it may make sense to at least ponder the alternatives and move toward a more operating system neutral stance. In a talk at the Gartner IT Symposium in Orlando, Gartner analyst...
- Blog posts 2009-10-20
- Free Silverlight streaming service to be replaced by paid Azure-hosted service
- Ought to be interestingSilverlight is the means by which Netflix streams their on-demand content. I cannot help but wonder if MS cut a deal with the new Blockbuster service.Does MS support "open internet", or do they want us to pay for itDoes MS support "open internet", or do they want...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-19
- Sneak Preview: Chrome OS Browser Video Tour
- Another videoThere's another video on a blog at http://chromeos-blog.com that also shows the browser. It's 3 mins.RE: Sneak Preview: Chrome OS Browser Video TourWith Google in the fight against MS over MS tyingbundling their browser to their OS, can someone explain to me why its ok for Google to make...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-16
- Mono-mania: It's risky business
- M$ must give away its patentsIf M$ want to have its technolgies adopted by FOSS it must give up all its patents and GPLed the code.Until then we must stay away from any code that resembles M$ technologies and support Stallman and FSF in their fight against software tirany.RE: Mono-mania:...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-15
- Linux-Windows gap to remain for five years
- In other words...This only confirms what we have been saying for sometime now.Desktop Linux lags behinds Windows And Mac for these facts alone, but the biggest one is mainstream application software compatibility which so far, were you to look at system requirements would only support Windows and Mac... There are...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-14
- Who is a Candidate for Desktop Linux?
- I personally do not fall into the group of people that can easily migrate away from Windows, but that doesn't mean you or someone you know can't make the switch. As I said in earlier post last month, the work that I...
- Blog posts 2009-10-11
- Red Hat, Microsoft deliver on virtualization interop promises
- It's more than notable that Red Hat and Microsoft have delivered on some aspects of their cross certification virtualization promises. Here's what was delivered today (verbatim, from the Red Hat press release), following pledges of both companies last February: Validation of Red Hat Enterprise...
- Blog posts 2009-10-07
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