Introducing Linux
What Is Linux?
11
The X Window System: It's the graphical user interface.
One or more graphical desktops: Among the most popular are GNOME
and KDE.
A selection of applications: Linux programs come in the form of ready-
to-run software, but the source code (the commands we humans use to
tell the computer what to do) is included (or easily available), as is its
documentation.
Current Linux distributions include a huge selection of software -- so
much that some distributions usually require multiple CD-ROMs or a
single DVD-ROM (which this book includes).
The development and maintenance of the Linux kernel, software packages in
a Linux distribution, and the Linux distributions themselves are organized as
open source projects. In a nutshell, open source means access to the source
code and the right to freely redistribute the software without any restrictions.
There's a lot more to the definition than my succinct note. To find out more
details of what open source means and the acceptable open source licenses,
you can visit the Open Source Initiative Web site at www.opensource.org.
Table 1-1 lists a few major Linux distributions along with a brief description
of each. There are many more Linux distributions besides the ones I show in
Table 1-1.
To find out more about Linux distributions, visit DistroWatch.com at www.
distrowatch.com
. At that Web site, you can read up on specific distribu-
tions as well as find links for ordering CDs or DVDs for specific distributions.
Table 1-1
Major Linux Distributions
Distribution
Description
Debian GNU/Linux
This noncommercial distribution started in 1993 and continues to
be a popular distribution with many volunteer developers around the
world contributing to the project. Debian is a huge distribution. The
binary packages alone require 14 CDs or 2 DVDs. However, if you
have an Internet connection, you can install a base system by using
a single Debian network install CD, available at
www.debian.
org/CD/netinst
. After you have installed the base Debian
system, you can install and upgrade Debian packages easily with
a package installer called
apt-get
where
apt
stands for the
Advanced Package Tool. Debian is available free of charge from
www.debian.org
. Debian is the basis for several other recent
distributions including Knoppix, MEPIS, Ubuntu, and Xandros.
(continued)