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- Ways to explore different Linux distributions are discussed in Linux distribution.
The many available Linux distributions differ for a range of reasons including technical, organizational, and philosophical.
Technical variations include support for different hardware devices and systems or software package configurations. Organizational differences may be motivated by technical decisions but also by philosophical or even historical reasons. Some distributions specialise in use on desktops, servers or routers. Other criteria include security, including how quickly security upgrades are available; ease of package management; and number of binary packages available.
These tables compare the latest stable release of major distributions on a range of objective criteria. It does not cover the subjective merits of each operating system, branches marked as unstable/beta, nor compare Linux distributions with other operating systems.
General
Basic general information about the distributions: creator/producer, release date/latest version, cost/license etc.
| Creator | Producer | First Public Release (yyyy-MM-dd) | Predecessor | Latest Stable Version (Release Date) | Cost (USD) | Preferred license | Target audience | Origin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aLinux | Jay Klepacs | (pre-1999-08-19 (1.1)) | Red Hat Linux | 12.6 (2005-11-20) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Windows users | Canada | |
| ALT Linux | ALT Linux Team | 2001-03-21 | Mandrake Linux | 3.0 (2005-12-08) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Russia | |
| Annvix | Vincent Danen | 2003-Nov | Mandrake Linux | 1.1-RELEASE (2005-10-28) | Free | GPL | Server | Canada | |
| Arch Linux | Judd Vinet | dev team | 2002-March | CRUX | 0.7.2 (2006-05-23) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Canada |
| Ark Linux | Bernhard Rosenkraenzer | dev team | 2003-01-25 | None | 2006.1-rc2 (2006-06-01) | Free | GPL | Beginners, Desktop, Workstation, Windows users | Switzerland |
| Arudius | Haidut | dev team | 2005-11-04 | None | 0.5 (2006-02-06) | Free | GPL | Information assurance, information security users | USA |
| Asianux | Miracle Linux, Red Flag Linux, Haansoft Linux | dev team | 2004-June | RHEL | 2.0 (2005-08-31) | Free | GPL | Server, good for Desktop | East Asia |
| Aurox | Software-Wydawnictwo Sp. z oo | Aurox Sp. z oo | 2002-September | Red Hat Linux | 11.1 (2006) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Poland |
| Caixa Mágica | Daniel Neves José Guimarães Paulo Trezentos | Caixa Mágica | 2000-Oct | None | 10 (2006-02-01) | Free (download editions) | Desktop, Server (not free) | Portugal | |
| CentOS | CentOS Project | CentOS Project | 2003-Dec | RHEL | 4.3 (2006-03-21) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA |
| CRUX | Per Liden | CRUX Linux community | 2001-Jan-20 | None | 2.2 (2006-04-09) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Sweden |
| Damn Small Linux | John Andrews | dev team | 2003 | Knoppix | 3.0.1 (2006-06-22) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA |
| DARKSTAR Linux | DARKSTAR Linux Project | DARKSTAR Linux Project | 2004-February | Slackware | 1.0-DOT3 (2005-06-14) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Romania |
| Debian | Ian Murdock | Debian Project | 1993-August | none | 3.1 (sarge) (2005-06-06) | Free | any DFSG-free | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA |
| DeLi Linux | Henry Jensen | 2002-November | None | 0.7-TP3 (2006-04-04) | Free | GPL | Desktop | Germany | |
| DeMuDi | dev team | AGNULA | 2002-April | Debian | 1.2.1 (2005-11-03) | Free | GPL | DAW, Desktop, Workstation | Europe |
| bolic | Jaromil | 2001-June | none | 2.0 (2006-06-06) | Free | GPL | Windows users, DAW, Desktop, Workstation | Italy | |
| Fedora Core | Fedora Project | 2003-November | Red Hat Linux | 5 (Bordeaux) (2006-03-20) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA | |
| Finnix | Ryan Finnie | 2000-March | Debian | 87.0 (2006-03-31) | Free | GPL | Administration, Server | USA | |
| Fox Linux | Dev team, supported by ILDN network | 0.5 (2004-09-30) | Fedora | 0.8 (2005-05-24) | Free | GPL | Desktop | Italy | |
| Frugalware | Miklos Vajna | dev team | 2004-September | Slackware | 0.4 (Wanda) (2006-03-30) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Hungary |
| Gentoo Linux | Daniel Robbins | Gentoo Foundation, Inc. | 2002-March | none | 2006.0 (2006-02-27) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA |
| Gnoppix | Klaus Knopper | dev team | (pre-2003-07-17 (0.4)) | Debian, Knoppix & Ubuntu | 2.12.b1 (2005-09-07) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Windows users | Germany |
| GoboLinux | Hisham Muhammad, Andre Detsch | dev team | 2002-June | none | 012 (2005-06-06) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Brazil |
| ImpiLinux | Gauteng Linux Users Group | ImpiLinux (Pty) Ltd. | 2003-November | Debian, Gnoppix, Knoppix & Ubuntu | 2005 UP2 (2005-06) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | South Africa |
| Kanotix | Kano | dev team | 2003-12-24 | Knoppix | 2005-4 (2005-12-31) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Windows users | Germany |
| Knoppix | Klaus Knopper | dev team | (pre-2003-01-19 (3.1)) | Debian | 4.0.2 (2005-09-23) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Enthusiast, Windows users | Germany |
| Kurumin Linux | Carlos Morimoto | GuiadoHardware | 2003-January | Knoppix | 5.1 (2005) | Free | GPL | Desktop | Brazil |
| Linspire | Lindows.com, Inc. | Linspire, Inc | 2002-March | Debian | 5-1.427 (2006-04-24) | $49.95 | GPL/Commercial | Beginners, Desktop, Windows Users | USA |
| Lunar Linux | Chuck Mead, Lunar Penguin Project | dev team | 2002-March | Sorcerer | 1.6.0 (2006-04-06) | Free | OSI Approved | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA |
| Lycoris Desktop/LX | Redmond Linux Corp. | Lycoris, Inc., Mandriva S.A. | 2001-December | Caldera OpenLinux | 1.4 | $40-$75 | Lycoris License | Workstation | USA |
| Mandriva Linux | Mandrakesoft S.A. | Mandriva S.A. | 1998-July-23 (5.1 (venice)) | Red Hat Linux | 2006 (2005-10-06) | Free (Download edition) | GPL | Beginners, Desktop, Workstation, Server | France, Brazil |
| MeNTOPPIX | Galuh Prasetyawan | Galuh Prasetyawan | 2006-March-30 (1.1 (malang)) | Debian, Knoppix | 1.3 (2006-03-30) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Windows users | Indonesia |
| MEPIS | Warren Woodford | MEPIS LLC. | 2003-September-05 | Debian | SimplyMEPIS 3.4-3 (2006-02-08) | Free (Download edition) | GPL | Beginners, Desktop, Windows Users | USA |
| NimbleX | Bogdan Radulescu | 2005-December | Slackware | 2005 (2005-12-26) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Newbie, Enthusiast, Windows Users | Romania | |
| PCLinuxOS | Texstar | dev team | 2003-October | Mandriva | Preview .92 | Free | GPL | Desktop, Windows Users | Texas, USA |
| PLD Linux Distribution | PLD Linux Distribution | 2002-November-19 | none | 2.0 RC1 (2006-03-03) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Poland | |
| Puppy Linux | Barry Kauler | Puppy Foundation | 2002-July-12 (0.4) | none | 1.0.7 | Free | GPL/LGPL | Beginners, Desktop, Embedded, Enthusiast | Australia |
| Red Flag Linux | Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences, NewMargin Venture Capital | Red Flag Software Co., Ltd. | 1999-September-20 | Red Hat Linux | 5.0 (2005-11-11) | Free, desktop version | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | China |
| Red Hat Linux | Red Hat | replaced with Fedora Core | 1995-May-13 (1.0) | 9 (Shrike) (2003-03-31) | $40, Obsolete | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA | |
| RHEL | Red Hat & Fedora Project | 2000-March-27 (RHL 6.2E (Zoot)) | Red Hat Linux | RHEL 4 (Nahant) (2005-02-15) | $180-2,500 | GPL | Workstation, Server, Businesses | USA | |
| Rxart | Pixart SRL | Pixart SRL | 2000-March | Debian | 3-0 (2006-04-16) | $14.95 | GPL/Commercial | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast, Windows users | Argentina |
| Scientific Linux | CERN, Fermilab, dev team | 2004-October | Fermi (LTS) & RHL/RHEL | 4.2 (Beryllium) (2005-11-22) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server | Switzerland, USA | |
| Slackware | Patrick Volkerding | dev team | 1993-July | SLS | 10.2 (2005-09-14) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | USA |
| Source Mage GNU/Linux | Ryan Abrams, Eric Schabell | dev team | 2002-June | Sorcerer | 0.9.6 (2006-03-13) | Free | GPL | Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | |
| SUSE Linux | Novell, Inc and OpenSource community | 1994-March | Jurix | 10.1 (2006-05-11) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Germany | |
| Symphony OS | Ryan Quinn | Ryan Quinn & Jason Spisak | Debian | 2006-05 Beta (2005-05-18) | Free | GPL Version 2 | Desktop, Workstation | ||
| Trustix Secure Linux | Comodo Group Inc. | ? | ? | 3.0 (2006-06-13) | ? | ? | Server | ? | |
| Ubuntu Kubuntu Edubuntu Xubuntu | Canonical Ltd. | 2004-October | Debian | 6.06 (2006-06-01) | Free | GPL | Beginners, Desktop, Workstation, Enthusiast, Server | Isle of Man | |
| Ultima Linux | Martin Ultima | 2005-March-18 | Slackware | 4 SP3 (2005-11-06) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Enthusiast, Server | USA | |
| UTUTO | Diego Saravia & Daniel Olivera | UTUTO dev-team | 2000 | Gentoo | XS 2006.1 (2006) | Free | GPL-2 or later | Freedom lovers, Desktop, Workstation, Server, Enthusiast | Argentina |
| Vector Linux | Robert S. Lange | dev team | 1999 | Slackware | 5.1 Standard (2005-07-27) | Free (download editions) | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Enthusiast | Canada |
| Xandros Desktop OS | Xandros Corp. | Xandros Inc. | 2002-October-22 | Corel | 4.0 (2006-06-21) | $39.99 (Home Edition), $79.99 (Home Edition Premium), or free (3.0.2 Open Circulation Edition). | Commercial/GPL | Beginners, Windows Users, Desktop, Workstation, Server | Canada |
| Zenwalk | Jean-Philippe Guillemin | dev team | 2006-August-23 (as Minislack) | Slackware | 2.6 (2006-05-23) | Free | GPL | Desktop, Workstation, Enthusiast | (unknown) |
| Creator | Producer | First Public Release (yyyy-MMMM-dd) | Predecessor | Latest Stable Version (Release Date) | Cost (USD) | Preferred license | Target Audience | Origin | |
Technical
Information on technical aspects of the distributions.
Features
Information on features in the distributions.
Architecture support
| Distribution | 68k | alpha | amd64 | arm | hppa | ia64 | mips | ppc | ppc64 | s390 | sparc32 | sparc64 | x86 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archlinux | |||||||||||||
| Slackware | |||||||||||||
| Debian | |||||||||||||
| Fedora Core | |||||||||||||
| Gentoo | |||||||||||||
| Mandriva Linux Limited Edition | |||||||||||||
| Rxart | |||||||||||||
| Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Edubuntu and Xubuntu | |||||||||||||
| SuSE |
Security features
| AppArmor | BGCC* | Exec Shield | GrSecurity | Pax | Rsback* | SELinux | Systrace | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CentOS | ||||||||
| Fedora Core | ||||||||
| Hardened Debian | ||||||||
| Hardened Gentoo | Optional | Optional | Optional | |||||
| RHEL | ||||||||
| SUSE Linux | ||||||||
See also
- List of Linux distributions
- Comparison of operating systems
- Comparison of file systems
- Operating system advocacy
External links
- DistroWatch.com - Compares all significant Linux distributions in detail, and was a source for some information shown here.
- LWN.net Linux Distribution List - A comprehensive list of hundreds of distributions, including historical ones.
Linux distributions | Software comparisons
Vergleich von Linux-Distributionen | Porównanie dystrybucji Linuksa | Сравнение дистрибутивов Linux
"Comparison of Linux distributions"