A Whole Lotta Kinds of Linux
The main Linux project develops the Linux kernel, the heart of the system that runs programs, handles files, networks, virtual memory, and lots of other crucial details. But to have a usable system, you also need text editors and file copiers, and all of the other programs that we take most of this book to describe. Because the Linux kernel is free software, and a huge variety of editors, file copiers, and so forth are available, anyone who cares to do so can collect his or her favorites into what’s known as a Linux distribution. Some of the best-known distributions include Red Hat, Debian, Gentoo, Mandrake, Slackware, and SuSe, but a whole lot more is out there. (The list at www. linux.org has close to 200.)
Which Linux distribution should you choose? We were afraid you’d ask. Some of the distributions are for special purposes, such as Knoppix, which runs off a CD without needing to be installed on your hard drive (a good choice if you want to try Linux quickly), or FlightLinux, intended for controlling experiments in outer space. But the mainstream versions, including the ones we mention in this chapter, all work fine, so we suggest that you use whatever your friends use, so you have people you can commiserate with to solve problems.
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