One of the best characteristics of Linux is the unlimited choices of **Linux Distros **that offers to its users. Linux technically refers to the core of the operating system but usually when we’re talking about Linux, people usually understand that besides the core we’re also talking about the applications and the programs that surround it. The core package and also the applications and programs compose what we’re naming as Linux Distro. There are a lot of Linux Distros and in this article we’re going to talk about the most popular ones. Nowadays there are Linux Distros that target more specific audience.
Linux Distros
1. Ubuntu
Ubuntu is developed by its community and at this point is the one of the most popular Linux Distros. Mainly because it addresses in beginners, it offers an easy to install environment and it is for desktop machines and also laptops. It is based in Debian GNU/Lunux and it’s available to download via it’s website. The word Ubuntu is African and means “Humanity to others” or “I am what I am because of what we all are”.
2. Fedora
Fedora used to be known as Fedora Core, it is sponsored from the Red Hat company and it’s community participates a lot to its development. This Linux Distro is based in the good old Red Hat Linux and it is entirely free and open source. Even if Ubuntu has “won” most of the novice users, Red Hat can always be the distribution that a lot of users will start their Linux experience.
3. SUSE
Suse Linux is a distribution Family that are developed by Novell. That family includes the enterprise distribution Sus Linux Enterprise Desktop. Some Enterprise distributions for servers and products that are addressed to businesses and also the free openSUSE that is developed from SUSE community in addition with the commercial distributions that are developed by Novell. Suse used to be the alternative to Red Hat.
4. Mandriva
Madriva Linux is a **Linux Distro **for consumers, it can be found either as free to download from it’s website either as a complete product (retail boxed). In it’s present form, Madriva is a combination of the distributions: Mandrake, Conectiva and Lycoris. Madrake was based on Red Hat Linux with emphasis on graphic tools for novice users and aesthetically improved environment.
5. Debian GNU/Linux
Debian GNU/Linux is the definition of Linux Distros that is developed by it’s community, Debian Project. Debian was the first distribution ever that was open to the contribution every users and programmers. Its basic principle is the social agreement that every Debian OS that will ever be developed will be 100% free. Debian is the most popular and preferred distribution of advanced users and especially for those who count the ideology behind the whole movement of communities of open source and free software.
6. Knoppix
Knoppix is the most popular **Linux Distro **to run directly from the CD without installation required. It is also known for its very wide support in hardware so it is number one choice for users that want to test Linux before install it and also for users that want to test if their hardware are compatible with Linux. Additionally Knoppix offers a choice to install, after which users will end up with a Debian distribution because Knoppix is based on that.
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