Choosing Choosing LinuxLinux  DistroDistroPersonal desktop

Dani Iswara

a newbie's perspective of main Linux distro

GNUGNU/LinuxLinuxLinux (kernel) + OSS =

OS (GNU)

GNU/Linux + installer + OSS =

distribution (distro)

GNU = GNU is not Unix; OSS = Open Source Software;OS = operating system

http://www.gnu.org/

GNU/Linux OSGNU/Linux OS

Special edition for special purpose

Multipurpose● Server● Desktop

Main Linux DistroMain Linux Distro

● Debian GNU/Linux● Fedora (RHEL)● Gentoo● Mandriva● OpenSUSE (Novell SLE)● Slackware

RHEL = Red Hat Enterprise Linux; SLE = SUSE Linux Enterprise

Debian GNU/LinuxDebian GNU/Linuxhttp://www.debian.org/

Debian GNU/LinuxDebian GNU/Linux

● Incredible amounts of deb­based softwares (>18733)

● Stable, unstable & testing version● Conservative● Easy of apt­get packaging sytem● GNOME desktop● Text­based (menuing system) installer

More: http://www.debian.org/intro/why_debian

FedoraFedorahttp://fedoraproject.org/

FedoraFedora

● Incredible amounts of rpm­based softwares● Latest software, upstream development● Easy of yum packaging sytem● GNOME desktop● GUI installer

More: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Overview

GentooGentoohttp://www.gentoo.org/

GentooGentoo

● Source­based softwares● Extreme configurability & performance● Easy of emerge packaging system (portage)● XFCE desktop (2008)● GUI, text­based installer, stage

More: http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/about.xml

MandrivaMandrivahttp://www.mandriva.com/

MandrivaMandriva

● rpm­based softwares● Easy of Mandriva Control Center● Easy of urpm packaging system● KDE desktop● GUI installer

More: http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/Home

openSUSEopenSUSEhttp://en.opensuse.org/

openSUSEopenSUSE

● YaST, easy & complete GUI configuration tool● Latest softwares● GNOME & KDE equal support● GUI installer

More: http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:About

SlackwareSlackwarehttp://www.slackware.com/

SlackwareSlackware

● Source­based (tgz) packaging system● Almost pure/generic, most Unix­like● No deadline for each version● Stable & simple● KDE desktop● Text­based (menuing system) installer

More: http://www.slackbook.org/html/introduction­slackware.html

Which one?Which one?

Are you hobbyist, networker, student?

Hardware requirements

Try with liveCD/DVD

Find the community support

Don't like it? Try the others

It's free

You are free to share (copy, distribute, transmit) & adapt this workunder the similar license Creative Commons Attribution­Noncommercial­Share Alike 3.0 Unported(CCA­NC­SA 3.0 Unported)

Dani Iswaradaniiswara@gmail.comhttp://daniiswara.net/

Last updated: December 2008