Linux Unleashed, Third Edition:Types of Linux





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Chapter 2Types of Linux

by Tim Parker

In This Chapter
•   Where to get Linux
•   What’s a Linux release?
•   Linux releases and disk sets
•   Updating existing Linux systems

This chapter covers a couple of subjects that you will need to know about prior to installing Linux. If you do not already have Linux available to install or if you want to obtain a different version than the one you have, the first part of this chapter explains where and how to get Linux. The rest of the chapter explains which disk sets are necessary to install Linux and what each disk set does. You’ll need to know this information when you add features to your Linux system.

There are a lot of different versions of Linux available on the market: There’s Slackware, Red Hat, Caldera, SLS (Softlanding Linux System), TAMU (Texas A&M University), Yggdrasil, and about a dozen others. There are differences between the versions—some significant, others not. The version that is best for you is difficult to predict ahead of time. A lot of the differences you’ll find in versions of Linux are little items that add up: better installation routines and administration tools, technical support, better hardware drivers, and so on. While you can mix and match to some extent, most people choose one version and stick with it. While you can always reload another version of Linux, there should be very good reasons to do so before you bother.
Where to Get Linux
Linux is readily (and freely) available for you if you know where to look. Since Linux is distributed without a central organization controlling it (as with commercial UNIX versions), there is no single responsible party to keep Linux updated and easily available. It is completely up to you to find a source of the software and to make sure the version you receive has all the components you need. You also have to be careful choosing versions because many distributors such as book and computer superstores often stock several different versions (often from the same Linux distributor), some of which may not be very recent.

There are several ways you can obtain a copy of Linux. Choose whichever method is most convenient or economical for you, depending on your priorities. The most common method of obtaining a complete set of Linux binaries and utilities is through a CD-ROM such as the one that accompanies this book or in a packaged multi-CD set from a distributor such as Workgroup Solutions. Alternatives to purchasing a CD-ROM include downloading from FTP sites and Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs), most of which offer free copies (although you absorb download time charges, if any). You can also get a copy of Linux mailed to you from some sources.
The method you choose to obtain a copy of Linux also dictates to some extent how complete the software set will be. CD-ROM versions, for example, usually have every piece of Linux software available included on the disk, while some BBSs and FTP sites only offer a basic distribution that is enough to install and use as a basic system. The small systems, for example, may not include all the available language compilers and X software.
CD-ROM Linux
There are over a dozen different manufacturers and distributors offering CD-ROM–based versions of Linux as this book is being written. The packages differ in the release number of the Linux software that is included on the disk, as well as the amount of bundled material included with the operating system. You can purchase single and double CD-ROM packages that include most of the software, or four and six CD-ROM collections that include a ton of support material, Usenet threads, auxiliary documentation, and alternate kernel builds.

Most distributions include much of the same basic products but differ in how they are organized. There’s also a big difference in the value of added features from each distributor, such as new installation documents and utilities or system administration tools. Since most Linux distributions are available for well under $100 even for the 6-disk sets, choose the set of software and release of Linux that best suits you.
Check the disks you buy to make sure you have the most recent release of the Linux kernel (compare version numbers among CD-ROMs available) as well as all the add-ons that you want. Cover sheet copy on most CD-ROMs gives you a general idea of the release number (such as Slackware 3.4 or Red Hat 5.0) and the included software (such as XFree86, compilers, and so on). It can sometimes be hard to identify the contents from the sparse identification on the cover of some CD-ROM collections, so you may find yourself unwittingly purchasing outdated or incomplete material. Luckily, Linux CD-ROMs tend to be inexpensive.
A few vendors have dressed up their Linux collections with added utilities or boot disks that make installation much easier. The addition of precompiled games, applications, and user utilities makes these CD-ROMs a little more attractive. Typically, the vendors charge a little more for these versions, but often you get a well-written manual and sometimes technical support as well for the few extra dollars. Caldera is a good example of a popular premium package (although “premium” is a false term here, since Caldera’s software tends to cost less than some of the larger shareware CD-ROM collections).



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