Linux for Dummies
tribution (but requires that the software be distributed in source-code form)
and stipulates that anyone may copy and distribute the software in source-
code form to anyone else. Several Linux distributions are available free of
charge under the GPL, which means that the publisher may include these
distributions on a DVD-ROM with this book and that you may make as many
copies of the DVD as you like.
Additional software programs (such as GNOME and KDE) that come with the
Linux distribution have their own version numbers as well. The version num-
bers for the Linux kernel and the Linux distributions are unrelated, but each
has particular significance.
knit Linux development community adopted a version-numbering scheme.
Version numbers such as 1.x.y and 2.x.y, where x is an even number, are con-
sidered the stable versions. The last number, y, is the patch level, which is
incremented as problems are fixed. For example, 2.6.14 is a typical, stable
version of the Linux kernel. Notice that these version numbers are in the
form of three integers separated by periods -- Major.Minor.Patch -- where
Major and Minor are numbers denoting the major and minor version num-
bers, and Patch is another number representing the patch level.
for developers only; they may be unstable, so you should not adopt such
versions for day-to-day use. For example, if you were to find version 2.7.5
of the Linux kernel, the 7 in the minor version number tells you it's a beta
release. Developers add new features to these odd-numbered versions of
Linux.
www.kernel.org
bers usually follow the format x.y, where x is the major version, and y is
the minor version.