31 Flavors of Linux

Welcome to the 31 Flavors of Linux Wiki Page. Here we offer 31 plus flavors of Linux that will tantalize your OS tooth and leave your technology belly satisfied! Please browse our selection that includes some new flavors, but rest assured that your favorite flavors will have a place here.

Glossary

Difficulty

• Beginner: when you hear RAM you start running
• Intermediate: when troubleshooting is no longer trouble
• Advanced: RMS is on speed dial

Desktops

Desktops create the appearance of the operating system. Different desktops will give different appearances and features.

Gnome

• Description: Gnome is a desktop environment created by the GNU Project. It is made up of entirely free software and looks similar to the classic Mac interface.
• Screenshot: [1]
• Website: [2]

JWM

• Description: JWM is an extremely lightweight desktop environment that resembles Windows 98.
• Screenshot: [3]
• Website: [4]

KDE

• Description: KDE is a desktop environment created the KDE Project. It is resembles the Windows interface and features many eye candy effects. It uses more computer resources when compared with Gnome.
• Screenshot: [5]
• Website: [6]

LXDE

• Description: LXDE is a lightweight desktop environment that is similar to KDE. It is designed to keep the computer resource usage to a minimum.
• Screenshot: [7]
• Website: [8]

Openbox

• Description: Openbox is a lightweight and fast desktop environment that is designed for more advanced users.
• Screenshot: [9]
• Website: [10]

Xfce

• Description: Xfce is a desktop environment that is fast and lightweight. It resembles Gnome and is suitable for older computers.
• Screenshot: [11]
• Website: [12]

Package Managers

Package managers are pieces of software that make installing and upgrading software easier by automating software dependencies.

• DEB: was originally developed for Debian. It allows for easy installation of software without adding any software repositories. [13]

• Entropy: uses the source code from software in the Portage package manager but compiles the software first to make installation easier. [14]

• Pacman: is designed for advanced users with large deployments. It is controlled through the command line or through a graphical user interface. [15]

• PET: is a small package manager for Puppy Linux. [16]

• RPM: was originally developed by Red Hat. It is the file format for LSB. [17]

• • APT: is a front end for DEB and RPM that simplifies software dependency for the user. [18]

• • URPMI: is a tool developed for Mandriva to simplify software installation, removal, updating, and locating. [19]

• • YUM: is a command line tool for updating software. [20]

• Portage: is a BSD style package manager that offers wide support but the software must be compiled from the source code. [21]

• TAR: is a type of file format used for Unix, Linux, BSD, and other Unix-like operating systems that often contains the source code for software. [22]

• • TGZ: stands for gzip. It is a type of compression. [23]

• • TLZ: stands for LZMA. It is a type of compression. [24]

Miscellaneous

• 64-bit: is a processor technology that improves performance. It will only work with 64-bit processors, but is usually backward compatible with 32-bit.

• BSD: is a Unix based operating system that is similar to Linux. There are three major versions: OpenBSD, NetBSD, and, FreeBSD.

• FSF: stands for the Free Software Foundation, an organization that advocates the use of free (libre) software.

• GNU: stands for GNU's Not Unix, is a project that tries to make free (libre) versions of all necessary (and unnecessary) software for computers.

• Libre: is a more descriptive term for free software. It refers to free as in liberty not price.

• Live CD: an operating system that is able to boot off the cd-rom drive without installing anything on the hard drive.

• LSB: is the Linux Standard Base. It is a joint project lead by the Linux Foundation to standardize the software system structure.

• LTS: stands for Long Term Support. Ubuntu 8.04 LTS will be supported until April 2011.

• MythTV: is a media center front end for Linux that is similar to Tivo or Windows Media Center.

• PPC: the PowerPC architecture. Common PPC computers include the Apple G3, G4, and G5 Macintoshs.

• Unix: an operating system that was developed in 1969 that still exists in variations (Linux, BSD, etc.) today

Links

• Ubuntu new user FAQ