A Guide to Choosing the Right Open Source Operating System For You

2 Conversations


As you read this, there is a 90% chance that you will be using a version of Microsoft Windows. Windows is called an 'operating system' (OS), and all modern computers need an operating system to act as a convenient compatibility layer between your hardware (hard disk, monitor, printer and so on) and your software (the programs you use, like your Internet browser). If you are using Windows, it is quite likely that you did not go into a shop and browse shelf after shelf of different operating systems before deciding Windows was the best buy. You may never have contemplated whether Windows is really best for your individual needs, and the chances are that you're paying a lot of money for it.

So what are the alternatives? Well, there are three main competitors to Windows: Apple's Macintosh OS, Linux and Unix. Macs won't be covered in this article because they are not fully open source. They are also specific to the Apple Mac architecture (the architecture is basically the type of computer). Linux and Unix run on IBM PCs - the most widely used architecture - like Windows does.

Linux - and certain implementations of Unix - are what are called 'open source' operating systems1. Open source is the term used that distinguishes these operating systems from Microsoft Windows, because it means that the source code used to develop the software is available for anyone to view and modify freely.

Because they are open source, the code for these operating systems has been re-implemented in a variety of different ways by different companies, organisations or even solo developers - these are called distributions of the operating systems, colloquially shortened to 'distros'. Over the thirty years or so that Linux and Unix have been around, a large number of distributions have been created. It is estimated that there are now over 300 actively developed distros, and the number is increasing. So how do you know which distro is right for you? This is your guide to choosing.

If you don't want to go through the step-by-step guide, or if you have been recommended a certain distro already, then here is a list of links for the ones that will be covered in this article:
Red Hat LinuxMandrake LinuxSuSE LinuxLinspireDebian LinuxSlackware LinuxGentoo LinuxXandros Desktop OSMEPIS LinuxLycoris Desktop/LXSun Java Desktop SystemFreeBSDNetBSDOpenBSDThe Live CD Distros
If you'd like to see a summary table of the data presented on the major distributions, then follow this link.
Note: Some information here may become out of date, and so it is recommended that you check the website of the distribution in question if you are seriously interested in a certain system. Every effort has been made to make the data as accurate as possible nonetheless.

The Guide - Step by Step


Note: This guide is available to download in an interactive format by following this link.
For this guide, just follow the steps given below and you will be prompted to add or subtract a certain number of points to a certain operating system. When you reach such a direction, write down the name of this distro and keep a running total of its points. When told to disqualify a distro, cross it out and forget about it. Ready? Let's choose an operating system for you...

Step One - Nationality


If your first language is not English, or if you want an operating system that is specifically designed for your country of origin when that country is not officially English-speaking, then follow this link to find a distro suitable for you.

Step Two - Computer Architecture


If you use the x86 architecture (you probably do; it means you have an IBM PC, such as an i486, i586 and so on), then skip this step. Otherwise, use the table below. Please note that there may be another distribution not covered in this article that does support your architecture; this table only lists the major distributions. If you don't find your architecture listed here, or if you think another distro might support your architecture but isn't in the table, then try browsing around on DistroWatch.

If you come to give a distribution an infinite number of points, then this means that that distro is the only one that supports your architecture (or the only major one supporting it), and so you should ignore the rest of the step-by-step guide.
If You Have...Add this Many Points to...This/These Distribution(s)
AcornInfinityNetBSD
AlgorInfinityNetBSD
Alpha10Debian Linux
5Slackware Linux
10FreeBSD
10NetBSD
10OpenBSD
10Debian Linux
AMD6410Red Hat (AS, WS, Desktop)
10Mandrake
10SuSE
10FreeBSD
10NetBSD
10OpenBSD
Amiga(PPC)InfinityNetBSD
ArcInfinityNetBSD
Arm10Debian
10NetBSD
ATARIInfinityNetBSD
BeboxInfinityNetBSD
CATSInfinityNetBSD
CesficInfinityNetBSD
CobaltInfinityNetBSD
Sega DreamcastInfinityNetBSD
Evb*InfinityNetBSD
HP30010NetBSD
10OpenBSD
HP700InfinityNetBSD
HPPA10NetBSD
8Debian
HPc*InfinityNetBSD
IBM S/39010Red Hat (AS)
10Debian
Intel IA-6410Debian
10FreeBSD
Luna68kInfinityNetBSD
Mac68kInfinityNetBSD
Apple Macintosh (PowerPC)5Mandrake
10Debian
10Gentoo
2FreeBSD
10NetBSD
10OpenBSD
MIPS10Debian
10Gentoo
2FreeBSD
10NetBSD
MmeyeInfinityNetBSD
Motorola 680x0InfinityDebian
Mvme*10NetBSD
10OpenBSD
NetwinderInfinityNetBSD
News*InfinityNetBSD
Next68kInfinityNetBSD
PC98InfinityFreeBSD
PC532InfinityNetBSD
Sony Playstation 210BlackRhino
10NetBSD
PmaxInfinityNetBSD
PrepInfinityNetBSD
SandpointInfinityNetBSD
S*MIPSInfinityNetBSD
SharkInfinityNetBSD
SPARC10Debian
10Slackware
10Gentoo
10NetBSD
10OpenBSD
SPARC6410FreeBSD
10NetBSD
10OpenBSD
Sun#InfinityNetBSD
VaxInfinityNetBSD
x68kInfinityNetBSD
Microsoft XBox10Gentoox
10XBox-Linux
XenInfinityNetBSD

Step Three - Who Are You?

If You Are...Add This Many Points...To This/These Distribution(s)
An Absolute Beginner to Linux/Unix15Mandrake Linux
15SuSE Linux
15Linspire
15Xandros
15Lycoris
10Sun JDS
DISQUALIFYAll the rest.
A Business15Red Hat Linux
10Mandrake Linux
10SuSE Linux
Running a Server15Red Hat Linux
15Mandrake Linux
15SuSE Linux
15Debian Linux
10Sun JDS
15FreeBSDNetBSDOpenBSD
Running a 'Cluster'15Red Hat Linux (WS)
15Mandrake Linux
An Academic Institute10Mandrake Linux
10SuSE Linux
A Unix Fan15FreeBSDNetBSDOpenBSD
Anybody ElseSkip this Step.

Step Four - What is your Budget?

  1. If you wish not to pay a thing for your operating system, then skip this section, and if you have acquired any points for Sun JDS, Lycoris, Linspire or Xandros, disqualify them.
  2. If on the other hand you can pay for the operating system, but would prefer not to, then subtract 10 points from Red Hat, Sun JDS, Lycoris, Linspire and Xandros.
  3. If you want a commercial version specifically, use the table below:
    If You're Budget Is...Add This Many Points To...This/These Distributions...
    Small25SuSE Linux
    20Xandros
    20Lycoris
    15Mandrake Linux
    No Object20Red Hat Linux
    20Sun JDS
    15Mandrake

Step Five - Would You Prefer to be Able to Get Support from the Developers Themselves?

  1. If so, add 25 points to: Red Hat, SuSE, Mandrake, Slackware, Linspire, Lycoris, Xandros and Sun JDS.
  2. If you are on a budget and would therefore prefer not to have to pay for your technical support from the developers themselves, then subtract 12 points from Red Hat, 10 points from Mandrake, Xandros and Lycoris and 8 points from Linspire and SuSE.

Step Six - Would You Prefer to Buy from a Retail Store?



If you don't like ordering products from the Internet, don't have a fast enough Internet connection to download products or just prefer to go into a shop and buy something, then you'll want a distro you can get from a retail store.
  1. If this applies to you, disqualify all distros except RedHat, SuSE, Mandrake and Linspire. If you don't live in the USA, disqualify Linspire also. If you distinctly remember seeing Lycoris, Xandros or another distro in your local retail store, then don't disqualify it.
  2. If you'd prefer to buy from a retail store, but don't really mind either way, then just add 10 points to the distros mentioned above, except for Linspire if you don't live in the USA.

Step Seven - Do You Like to Have Lots of Included Software?


If this is a preference, add 10 to Mandrake, Debian and Gentoo, though remember that this could involve spending much more time downloading the extra CDs of software.

Step Eight - Do You Have a Package Management Preference?


Different distributions allow you to install software in different ways - this is called its 'package management' system. If you don't know what this means, then the likelihood is that you have no preference and you can safely skip this step. Otherwise, refer to the table below.
If Your Favourite Package Manager Is...Add 15 Points To...
RPM (RedHat Package Management)Red Hat LinuxMandrake LinuxSuSE LinuxLycoris Desktop/LXSun JDS
DEBDebianLinspireXandros Desktop OSMEPIS Linux
TGZ (GZipped Tar archives) SourceSlackwareNetBSDOpenBSD
TBZ (BZipped Tar archives) SourceFreeBSD
PortageGentoo

Step Nine - Your System Specifications


In this step you will need to know your computer's speed in MegaHertz (MHz)2, your free hard disk space in MegaBytes, and your Random Access Memory (RAM). If you don't know what this means, try to find out the details, but otherwise, you will have to skip this step. If your computer has 4GB free disk space or more, 256MB RAM or more and is 1GHz or faster, then skip this step too.
  1. Below is a list of the main open source operating systems and the minimum hard disk space that you require to install them. Work your way down this list, disqualifying the distributions you find in it, until you reach the distribution that has your free hard disk space next to it (which you should obviously not disqualify). The disk space is measured in MegaBytes (MB).
    • 4000 - Sun JDS
    • 4000 - Gentoo
    • 2500 - MEPIS
    • 2000 - Linspire
    • 1500 - Xandros
    • 1000 - Lycoris
    • 800 - RHEL
    • 520 - Fedora
    • 500 - Mandrake
    • 475 - OpenBSD
    • 400 - SuSE
    • 50 - Slackware
    • 40 - NetBSD
    • 40 - FreeBSD
    • 35 - Debian
  2. Now do the same with the MegaBytes of RAM that your computer has:
    • 256 - RHEL
    • 128 - Linspire
    • 128 - SuSE
    • 128 - Sun JDS
    • 128 - MEPIS
    • 64 - Xandros
    • 64 - Fedora
    • 64 - Lycoris
    • 64 - Gentoo
    • 32 - Mandrake
    • 16 - Slackware
    • 4 - Debian
    • 2 - OpenBSD
    • 2 - FreeBSD
    • 2 - NetBSD
  3. Unless in the unlikely event that your computer's processor speed is less than about 20MHz (i.e. pre-Pentium), you can safely keep all distributions in the running, except for the following, for which you should follow the same procedure as above:

    • 800MHz - Linspire
    • 300MHz - RHEL
    • 266MHz - Sun JDS
    • 200MHz - Fedora

Step Ten - What Qualities Do You Value Most in Your Computer?

  1. If security is a big issue for you and something that is of top priority for your computer's operating system, then Unix is reputedly more secure than Linux (though not by much). Add 10 points to the BSD distributions in this case.
  2. If reliability is of high priority for you - i.e. few crashes and so on - then add 10 points to Debian, Slackware and the three BSDs.
  3. If speed is of high priority for you, then add 10 points to NetBSD, Gentoo, Debian and Slackware.
  4. If ease of use is a big priority for you, then add 10 points to Mandrake, SuSE, Linspire, Xandros, Lycoris and MEPIS Linux.
  5. If aesthetics are what you love in your computer, then add 10 points to Mandrake, SuSE, Linspire, Red Hat, Xandros and Lycoris, whilst bearing in mind that with the right amount of time you would be able to make any of these operating systems look as good as the ones that have done it for you.

Final Step - Count Up the Scores!



Count up the scores to evaluate a winner, and then browse down to its section below to read about it. You may find that more than one operating system has won; in this case, look at their sections below and make an informed decision of your own. If you can't decide, take a look at the LiveCDs section, which will tell you about a great way to test out an operating system before you even think about installing it.

Return to the Contents

Red Hat Linux

Fact File

Is it available for free?Only the Fedora Project is.
Price Rating3$$$$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes, except for the Fedora Project.
Is it available in most retail stores?Yes.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes, depending on the version you get.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?No.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Mission-critical applications.
  • 'Clustering'.
  • Home users.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?1994.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?200MHz or equivalent processor speed (300 for Enterprise Linux);
520MB of HDD space (800 for Enterprise Linux);
64MB RAM (256MB for Enterprise Linux4).
What are the recommended system requirements?400MHz or equivalent or faster processor;
2.4GB of HDD space;
256MB RAM.
What is its package management system?RPM
How popular is this distribution?NB378; 11 600 000; Extremely popular.
Link:Red Hat Home Page.

Description


Since 1994, the American Red Hat company has been the leader in professional developers' Linux solutions. Today, there are many different flavours of Red Hat Linux, tailored for different uses. On a fundamental level, there are two main choices: Red Hat Enterprise Linux, for stable and secure workstations or servers used for technical design or mission-critical applications; or the Fedora Project, made by the community of open source developers as a general purpose operating system.

If you're a beginner, then the Fedora Project is the best of the Red Hat options, since it is free to download. If you're in a business with mission-critical applications, large databases or enterprising purposes, then the 'AS' flavour of Red Hat Enterprise Linux is best. If you have a small business or need a server for an individual department, then their 'ES' flavour is the one to go for. For a very technical workstation, for clustering and other high-end uses, the 'WS' version is best. And finally the newly released (May 2004) 'Red Hat Desktop' is designed for business client computers, multi-user environments, or general personal use.
Follow this link for more detailed information on the different Red Hat choices.

Mandrake Linux

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes, but with some restrictions.
Price Rating5$$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes. If you buy the boxed product, this is free for a limited time; otherwise you must pay.
Is it available in most retail stores?Yes.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes - the x86, PPC and AMD64 architectures are supported.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Mission-critical applications.
  • 'Clustering'.
  • Home users.
  • Beginners to Linux.
Where is it based?France.
What year was it started?1998.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
500MB of HDD space;
32MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?1GB of HDD space;
64MB RAM.
What is its package management system?RPM
How popular is this distribution?NB1 438; 4 410 000; Extremely popular.
Link:Mandrake Linux Home Page

Description


Inspired by Red Hat in France in 1998, MandrakeSoft created the Mandrake Linux distribution with accessibility in mind; since then, it has become very different from Red Hat. The distribution has experienced a rapid growth in popularity, despite a period of bankruptcy that ended at the beginning of 2004.

Like Red Hat, there are a number of different editions of the Mandrake Linux distribution: Discovery, ideal for newbies to Linux who literally wish to 'discover' the operating system; PowerPack, which takes up seven CDs packed with extra software; and PowerPack+, designed for servers or networks in businesses. With each successive edition there is an extra printed manual and more free technical support from MandrakeSoft. There are also versions specifically for corporate servers and clustering.

New releases of Mandrake Linux are made available only to subscribed 'MandrakeClub' members, who receive a host of extra benefits and are permitted to test the distribution before it becomes 'Official'.

SuSE Linux

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes, but only if you can install it via FTP.
Price Rating6$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes. Advanced support is provided at a cost.
Is it available in most retail stores?Yes.
Does it support multiple architectures?Only the x86 and AMD64 architectures are supported.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Home users.
  • Beginners to Linux.
Where is it based?Germany.
What year was it started?1992.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
400MB of HDD space;
128MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?2GB of HDD space;
256MB RAM.
What is its package management system?RPM
How popular is this distribution?NB742; 10 900 000; Very popular.
Link:Suse Linux Home Page

Description


The German SuSE company, started in 1992, provides Linux solutions for home and business users. For business, standard and enterprise server editions of the SuSE software is available; for home users, 'personal' and 'professional' implementations are provided, with the latter coming equipped with more software. Versions up to and including version 8 of SuSE Linux came with the StarOffice office suite.

Many have praised SuSE's attention to detail; in particular their complete printed documentation is considered of the most useful to Linux users. Almost the opposite to Debian's development techniques, SuSE's evolution is kept away from the community until its release. Novell, a former owner of the Unix rights, purchased SuSE in late 2003. The Sun Java Desktop System is based on SuSE.

Linspire

Fact File

Is it available for free?No.
Price Rating7$$$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes. Some support requires payment.
Is it available in most retail stores?Yes.
Does it support multiple architectures?No. Just x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • Home users.
  • Beginners to Linux.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?2001.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?800MHz or equivalent processor;
2GB of HDD space;
128MB RAM.
What is its package management system?DEB8
How popular is this distribution?NB260; 1 009 000; Distinct, but not as widely used as the rest.
Link:Linspire Home Page

Description


In 2001, a new contender in the Linux distro market was established, this time by the American Michael Robertson, the former CEO of mp3.com, an archive of downloadable music files. It was called LindowsOS, and was based on Debian Linux. Its focus was, and still is, on providing a beginner's Linux system with a similar look-and-feel of Microsoft's Windows operating system, but much cheaper. Microsoft, however, began legal proceedings against the company because the name 'Lindows' is very similar to 'Windows', and could, in some countries where ambiguous copyright laws exist, cause confusion. The name was changed to Linspire in 2004.

Debian

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes.
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?No.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Indirectly, yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes. The following are supported:
  • Alpha;
  • ARM;
  • HP PA-RISC;
  • Intel IA-64;
  • Motorola 680x0;
  • Mips (DEC);
  • PowerPC;
  • IBM S/390;
  • SPARC;
  • x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?No.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Home users.
Where is it based?Nowhere specific; it is globally developed.
What year was it started?1993.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?An Intel 386 processor or equivalent or higher;
35MB of HDD space;
4MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?800MB of HDD space.
What is its package management system?DEB
How popular is this distribution?NB777; 29 200 000; Exceedingly popular.
Link:Debian Linux Home Page

Description


Debian was started in 1993 by Ian Murdock and a small group of software developers. The number of developers has since grown considerably, and Debian has become extremely popular. There is a long list of Universities and other research institutes that regularly use Debian Linux. Their main aim has always been to keep the distribution totally open, and above all, totally free. In total, 8710 pre-compiled binary packages are available to download for free for use in Debian.

Installation of Debian is often regarded as the most difficult of all distributions, since it does not feature a graphical set-up procedure. However, resulting Debian systems are arguably the most stable of any distro, because of the way that they are produced. Releases of Debian begin life codenamed 'Sid' and deemed 'unstable'. Once they have passed initial tests they become 'Sarge' and enter a process of rigorous community testing. This can last months, and ends with the 'Woody' release - the most stable.

Debian also features the highly acclaimed DEB package management system, which allows easy installation of .deb binary packages using the 'apt-get' or 'dpkg' commands.

Similar distributions to Debian include:

Slackware

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes.
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?No.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes. As well as x86 support, earlier Alpha and SPARC versions are available.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?No.
Who uses it?It's a general purpose operating system, so everyone (except perhaps absolute beginners) could use it.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?1991.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?An Intel 386 processor or equivalent or higher;
50MB of HDD space;
16MB RAM.
What is its package management system?TGZ
How popular is this distribution?NB668; 2 230 000; Relatively popular.
Link:Slackware Linux Home Page

Description


Slackware Linux was originally developed by Linus Torvalds, who was also the founder of Linux, in 1991. It is very similar to UNIX, and is actively developed by millions of people, the prime goals being stability and ease of use. Although all software that is used on Slackware has to be configured and compiled from its source code, the distribution has gained a lot of popularity.


Similar distributions to Slackware include:

Gentoo

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes.
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?No.
Does it install a GUI by default?No.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Indirectly, yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes. The following are supported:
  • AMD64;
  • Mips;
  • PowerPC;
  • SPARC;
  • x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?No.
Who uses it?It's a general purpose operating system, so everyone (except perhaps absolute beginners) could use it.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?2002.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A 1GHz or equivalent processor;
4GB of HDD space;
64MB RAM.
What is its package management system?Portage
How popular is this distribution?NB669; 2 770 000; Relatively popular.
Link:Gentoo Linux Home Page

Description


Gentoo was created by Daniel Robbins, who had previously worked on FreeBSD. The first release of Gentoo was announced in March 2002.

The different thing about Gentoo Linux is that it allows the user to be in control of everything to do with their ultimate system. Most other Linux distributions install a kernel9 that it thinks is best, and installs default packages, default desktops and so on, all on a default filesystem - with Gentoo, it is up to the user to decide on all of these details. The process is made easier with the existence of 'stage' 2 and 3 installations, which provide some things pre-compiled.

Another advantage of Gentoo is the Portage package management system, a way of installing software by typing one command - 'emerge' plus the name of the software. All dependencies are automatically downloaded, configured, compiled and built.

Xandros Desktop OS

Fact File

Is it available for free?Only the Open Circulation Edition is.
Price Rating10$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes, free for a limited period.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?No, just x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • Home users.
  • Beginners to Linux.
Where is it based?Canada.
What year was it started?2001.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
1.5GB of HDD space;
64MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?450MHz or equivalent or higher processor speed;
3GB of HDD space;
128MB RAM.
What is its package management system?DEB
How popular is this distribution?NB347; 279 000; Quite considerably popular.
Link:Xandros Home Page.

Description


Xandros Desktop is largely a commercial distribution; the only version of it that you can download for free is the 'Open Circulation Edition', which is fairly limited. Xandros Desktop is based on Debian, and the company originally began after buying Corel Linux in August 2001. Xandros is designed for beginners to Linux and its commercial versions come in two editions: Standard and Deluxe. The Deluxe edition comes with Codeweaver's CrossOver Office11 and an NTFS partition resizing tool12. Xandros has also included its own proprietary components, an enhanced KDE13 for example, and its own file manager; the down side of this, however, is that it prevents the distribution from being re-distributed freely.

MEPIS Linux

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes.
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Possibly through their support forums.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?No, just x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running dedicated servers.
  • Home users.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?2003.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
2.5GB of HDD space;
128MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?4GB of HDD space;
512MB RAM.
What is its package management system?RPM
How popular is this distribution?NB481; 154 000; Fast growing popularity.
Link:MEPIS Home Page.

Description


This is one of the newest Linux distributions in existence, having only been started by Warren Woodford in July 2003. It began with a novel concept: allow users to boot up a sample of the operating system that runs entirely from the CD (see the section on Live CDs in this article), and then, if they like it, allow them to install it for real on their hard disk. This concept has been a very popular idea ever since, and many other distributions have copied the idea.

Another big advantage of MEPIS is that, if you buy the distro, it comes with pre-installed commercial Linux software, such as the Sun Java Runtime Environment, Macromedia Flash plugin and NVIDIA graphics drivers.

Lycoris Desktop/LX

Fact File

Is it available for free?No.
Price Rating14$$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?No, just x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?
  • Organisations.
  • Home users.
  • Linux beginners.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?2000.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
1GB of HDD space;
64MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?500MHz or equivalent or higher processor speed;
128MB RAM.
What is its package management system?RPM
How popular is this distribution?NB180; 194 000; Not considerably popular.
Link:Lycoris Home Page.

Description


Lycoris is another commercial distribution - there is no free version available, but buying the products is very inexpensive. It was founded in 2000 by Joseph Cheek in Washington, USA, and its aim, like so many others before it, was making Linux user-friendly enough to be accessible to anyone. Its target audience is the individual desktop user, and it has succeeded in gaining positive press coverage to the effect that it is a simple but powerful operating system.

Sun Java Desktop System

Fact File

Is it available for free?No.
Price Rating15$$$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?No; just i586.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Mission-critical applications.
  • General use.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?2003.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium II 266MHz or equivalent processor;
4GB of HDD space;
128MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?600MHz or equivalent or higher processor speed;
256MB RAM.
What is its package management system?RPM
How popular is this distribution?NB164; 1 560 000; Quite popular.
Link:Sun JDS Home Page.

Description


Sun Microsystems is renowned for its contribution to open source software with StarOffice - an affordable multi-platform XML-based office suite compatible with Microsoft Office file formats. Bundling StarOffice with a Linux distribution is definitely a competitive advantage for a business product, and the Sun Java Desktop System - which has a considerable number of Java-based components - does just this. Of note is the fact that the United Kingdom government has been considering the migration from Windows to this very operating system, claiming that the licencing structure of £60 per desktop per year was so much more comprehensible than Microsoft's. Sun based their Java Desktop System on SuSE Linux.

UNIX


The operating system, Unix, originally developed by AT&T's Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, has had its trademark rights passed on to more companies than you can shake a stick at. Then, by the close of the 1980s, an organisation called Berkeley Software Design Inc. (BSD) went through a lengthy legal process to create a new type of Unix - the BSD distributions. Earlier versions of Unix are called 'System V' and they include the closed-source multi-tasking multi-user mission critical server operating systems like HP-UX, QNX and IRIX. The BSD distributions, on the other hand, are freely available and are open source - the three main ones are FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD.

FreeBSD

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes.
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?No.
Does it install a GUI by default?No.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Indirectly, yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes; the following:
  • Alpha;
  • AMD64;
  • Intel IA-64;
  • PC98;
  • SPARC64;
  • x86.

MIPS and PowerPC support is forthcoming.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?No.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Mission-critical applications.
  • Home users.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?1993.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
40MB of HDD space;
2MB RAM.
What is its package management system?TBZ
How popular is this distribution?NB171; 9 560 000; Considerably popular.
Link:FreeBSD Home Page.

Description


The first version of FreeBSD was released in November 1993. One main advantage of using the BSD OSs over the System V versions is that you get the speed, reliability and security of Unix and you can still use all the same software that you can with Linux (e.g. the X Server, the GIMP, OpenOffice and so on). FreeBSD has been praised for its excellent documentation, but it has been criticised for not being able to keep up as fast as Linux when it comes to support for new hardware.

NetBSD

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes.
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?No.
Does it install a GUI by default?No.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Indirectly, yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes; the following:

    Acorn26, Acorn32, Algor, Alpha, AMD64, Amiga, Amigappc, Arc, Arm32, Atari, Bebox, Cats, Cesfic, Cobalt, Sega Dreamcast, Evbarm, Evbmips, Evbppc, Evbsh3, Evbsh5, HP300, HP700, HPcarm, HPcmips, HPcsh, x86, Luna68k, Mac68k, Mac PPC, MIPSco, Mmeye, Mvme68k, Mvmeppc, Netwinder, News68k, Newsmips, Next68k, OfPPC, PC532, Sony Playstation 2, Pmax, PmPPC, Prep, Sandpoint, Sbmips, Sgimips, Shark, Sparc, Sparc64, Sun2, Sun3, Vax, x68k, Xen.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?No.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Mission-critical applications.
  • Home users.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?1993.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
40MB of HDD space;
2MB RAM.
What is its package management system?TGZ
How popular is this distribution?NBNot listed; 6 490 000; Eyebrow-raising.
Link:NetBSD Home Page.

Description


The first version of NetBSD was released in 1993, a few months before FreeBSD's first release. One main advantage of using the BSD OSs over the System V versions is that you get the speed, reliability and security of Unix and you can still use all the same software that you can with Linux (e.g. the X Server, the GIMP, OpenOffice and so on). NetBSD has been praised for its remarkable ability to be ported to almost any machine architecture, but it can also be criticised for not being able to keep up as fast as Linux when it comes to support for new hardware.

OpenBSD

Fact File

Is it available for free?Yes.
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?No.
Does it install a GUI by default?No.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Indirectly, yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?No.
Does it support multiple architectures?Yes; the following:
  • Alpha;
  • AMD64;
  • HP300;
  • HPPA;
  • Mac68k;
  • MacPPC;
  • Mvme68k;
  • Mvme88k;
  • SPARC;
  • SPARC64;
  • x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?No.
Who uses it?
  • Businesses/other organisations - large or small.
  • People running corporate servers.
  • Mission-critical applications.
  • Home users.
Where is it based?Canada.
What year was it started?1996.
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?A Pentium or equivalent processor;
475MB of HDD space;
2MB RAM.
What is its package management system?TGZ
How popular is this distribution?NB49; 3 300 000; Quite obscure.
Link:OpenBSD Home Page.

Description


OpenBSD began in 1996, and, unlike the other two BSDs that are based in the USA, OpenBSD is based in Canada. One main advantage of using the BSD OSs over the System V versions is that you get the speed, reliability and security of Unix and you can still use all the same software that you can with Linux (e.g. the X Server, the GIMP, OpenOffice and so on). Like all BSDs, it has been criticised for not being able to keep up as fast as Linux when it comes to support for new hardware. There aren't really many advantages of using OpenBSD over FreeBSD or NetBSD - but all are independent and develop in different ways. Sometimes you have to make a decision based on personal preference alone.

DISTRIBUTION SUMMARY


This data refers only to the operating systems with their own section above.
DistroRed Hat LinuxMandrake LinuxSuSE LinuxLinspireDebian LinuxSlackware LinuxGentoo Linux
Free?No16YesYes17NoYesYesYes
GUI Install?YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
GUI?YesYesYesYesYesYesNo
Support from Developers?YesYesYesYesIndirectlyYesIndirectly
Available in Stores?YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
ArchitecturesYes18x86;PPC;AMD64.x86;AMD64.Just x86.
  • Alpha;
  • ARM;
  • HP PA-RISC;
  • Intel IA-64;
  • Motorola 680x0;
  • Mips (DEC);
  • PowerPC;
  • IBM S/390;
  • SPARC;
  • x86.
x86;Alpha;SPARC.
  • AMD64;
  • Mips;
  • PowerPC;
  • SPARC;
  • x86.
Suitable for Beginners?NoYesYesYesNoNoNo
Origin (Place)The USA.France.Germany.The USA.Global.The USA.The USA.
Origin (Year)1994199819922001199319912002
Min HDD Space19520500400200035504000
Package ManagerRPMRPMRPMDEBDEBTGZPortage
Popularity:NB378; 11 600 000; Extremely popular.1 438; 4 410 000; Extremely popular.742; 10 900 000; Very popular.260; 1 009 000; Distinct, but not as widely used as the rest.777; 29 200 000; Exceedingly popular.668; 2 230 000; Relatively popular.669; 2 770 000; Relatively popular.
DistroXandros Desktop OSMEPIS LinuxLycoris Desktop/LXSun Java Desktop SystemFreeBSDNetBSDOpenBSD
Free?NoYesNoNoYesYesYes
GUI Install?YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
GUI?YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
Support from Developers?YesPossiblyYesYesIndirectlyIndirectlyIndirectly
Available in Stores?NoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Architectures:Just x86Just x86Just x86Just x86
  • Alpha;
  • AMD64;
  • Intel IA-64;
  • PC98;
  • SPARC64;
  • x86.
See NetBSD
  • Alpha;
  • AMD64;
  • HP300;
  • HPPA;
  • Mac68k;
  • MacPPC;
  • Mvme68k;
  • Mvme88k;
  • SPARC;
  • SPARC64;
  • x86.
Suitable for Beginners?YesNoYesYesNoNoNo
Origin (Place)Canada.The USA.The USA.The USA.The USA.The USA.Canada.
Origin (Year)2001200320002003199319931996
Min. HDD Space15002500100040004040475
Package ManagerDEBRPMRPMRPMTBZTGZTGZ
Popularity:NB347; 279 000; Quite considerably popular.481; 154 000; Fast growing popularity.180; 194 000; Not considerably popular.164; 1 560 000; Quite popular.171; 9 560 000; Considerably popular.Not listed; 6 490 000; Eyebrow-raising.49; 3 300 000; Quite obscure.
Most Suitable Distro for Beginners:Mandrake Linux
Distro With the Most Bundled Software:Mandrake Linux
Youngest Distro:Sun Java Desktop System
Oldest Distro:Slackware Linux
Most Popular Distro (by DistroWatch visitors):Mandrake Linux
Most Popular Distro (by Google hits):Debian
Most Expensive Distro:Red Hat
Cheapest Commercial Distro:SuSE

LIVE CD DISTRIBUTIONS


Early in 2003, a new concept in Linux distributions was born: the Live CD. The idea was so appealing, especially to those that quivered at the thought of tampering with their computer in order to install Linux. The concept is simple: don't install the operating system, just run it straight from the CD-ROM. Nothing stays on your hard drive, so you can 'try out Linux' with the minimum of hassle. One of the first of these distros was the German project called Knoppix, which effectively revolutionised the mindset of distro-makers. Suddenly, every major distribution wanted a Live CD; and there was an influx of new distributions springing up with their own Live CD of Linux.

Live CDs are not just good for trying-before-you-download (or buy, as the case may be) - they are also great as rescue CDs, or emergency operating systems, as well as vehicles with which to test new hardware on a certain distribution.

What follows is a break-down of the most popular Live CD distros.
DistroKnoppixMEPISPCLinuxOSSLAX
Is it available for free?Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.
Does it support multiple architectures?Just x86.Just x86.Just x86.Just x86.
How big is it?CD version is CD-sized; DVD version also available.CD-sized.CD-sized.CD-sized.
Where is it based?Germany.The USA.The USA.Czech Republic.
How popular is this distribution?NB959; 1 340 000; Very popular.482; 155 000; Growing popularity.525; 107 000; Quite popular.237; 117 000; Quite popular.
What distro is it based on?DebianKnoppixMandrakeSlackware
Link:Knoppix.MEPIS.PCLinuxOS.SLAX.
DistroDamn Small LinuxPuppy LinuxFeather Linux
Is it available for free?Yes.Yes.Yes.
Does it support multiple architectures?Just x86.Just x86.Just x86.
How big is it?50MB48MB.64MB.
Where is it based?The USA.Australia.The UK.
How popular is this distribution?NB317; 36 300; Quite popular.91; 8 110; Not so popular.154; 10 700; Very popular.
What distro is it based on?Knoppix-Knoppix
Link:DSL.Puppy.Feather.


Here are the links to the pages of a LiveCD (if one exists) for each of the distributions listed above.

DistributionLink
RedHat-
MandrakeMandrakeMove
SuSESuSE Linux Live-Eval
LinspireLinspireLive!
DebianKnoppix
SlackwareSLAX
GentooJollix
Xandros-
Lycoris-
Sun JDS-
*BSD-

A Final Comparison


In the OSs listed above with their own section, an interesting fact file has been provided. Well, for another interesting exploit, let's take a look at what the fact file of Microsoft Windows XP would look like in comparison...

Fact File

Is it available for free?No.
Price Rating20$$$$$
Does it have a largely automated, graphical installation procedure?Yes.
Does it install a GUI by default?Yes.
Can you get support from the company/organisation itself?Yes.
Is it available in most retail stores?Yes.
Does it support multiple architectures?No - only x86.
Is it suitable for absolute beginners?Yes.
Who uses it?It's a general purpose operating system, so it is used in a wide variety of applications.
Where is it based?The USA.
What year was it started?2001 (that's the launch date for Win XP; Microsoft, of course, have existed since 1984).
What are the basic, minimum system requirements?233MHz or equivalent processor speed;
1.5GB of HDD space;
64MB RAM.
What are the recommended system requirements?300MHz or equivalent or faster processor;
128MB RAM.
What is its package management system?.EXE linked to .DLL files.
How popular is this distribution?---; 8 940 000; Extremely popular.


Therefore, it is possible to say that Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the only OS above that surpasses Windows in its prices, although there is some debate over 'Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)' for these systems. 50% of the open source operating systems above require less hard disk space than Windows; 64% require less RAM. 64% of them also support multiple architectures. By Google hits, Red Hat, SuSE, Debian and FreeBSD are more popular on the web than Windows XP.



The question may be on the tip of your tongue: this is all very well, but why use Linux/Unix anyway, instead of Windows? This is the subject of a whole new debate. It can be said that popular belief claims Linux and BSD are more secure, more stable, more valuable for the money, and in many cases, faster; but the debate goes on in more depth, so try the information at the Linux Online website, and the interesting explanation of the WINE project for more details.



Good luck in the open source world!

N.B. There are two ways that popularity is measured, each being separated by a semi-colon. The first is the average number of hits per day of the DistroWatch summary page for the distribution in the last 6 months (as of 10/7/04. The data is obviously subject to fluctuate, but this does not happen very wildly); the second is the number of Google hits that the distro gets. A summary note of this data is given after another semi-colon.

Useful Sites

1Follow the link to learn more about the open source concept and why you might want to use open source operating systems.2If you do not own an Intel processor, then you will need to find the equivalent Intel speed of your processor model, e.g. the AMD Athlon XP2400+ is equivalent to a Pentium 4 2.0GHz.3Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.4And 512MB if you are using an AMD64 or Itanium2 processor architecture.5Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.6Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.7Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.8Disguised as 'Click 'N' Run' packages9That's the 'core' of the operating system - the essential code that makes it all work.10Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.11This allows Microsoft Office and some other Windows products to run on Linux.12This is (probably) essential for Windows XP users migrating to Linux.13The K Desktop Environment - a GUI desktop for Linux.14Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.15Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.16Except for the Fedora Project17But only if you install it via FTP.18Depending on the version you get19Measured in MegaBytes (MB)20Where five $s indicates extortion and one $ indicates a bargain.

Bookmark on your Personal Space


Entry

A2759844

Infinite Improbability Drive

Infinite Improbability Drive

Read a random Edited Entry


Written and Edited by

References

h2g2 Entries

External Links

Not Panicking Ltd is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Disclaimer

h2g2 is created by h2g2's users, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the Not Panicking Ltd. Unlike Edited Entries, Entries have not been checked by an Editor. If you consider any Entry to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please register a complaint. For any other comments, please visit the Feedback page.

Write an Entry

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."

Write an entry
Read more