General-purpose Debian-based distributions Distribution Description AbulÉdu French. Designed for data processing in educational establishments. AGNULA Former DeMuDi for multimedia production Baltix For Lithuanian and Latvian languages BeatrIX A compact distribution from the Czech Republic that focuses on providing a user-friendly desktop environment. Corel Linux Commercial. Short-lived desktop distribution, bought by Xandros Linux Dreamlinux A Brazilian Linux distribution. Elive A Live CD and Distribution featuring Enlightenment as the only window manager. Aims to be intuitive and easy to use. gnuLinEx A distribution promoted by the government of Extremadura, Spain. grml Live CD for system recovery Kanotix An installable live CD for desktop usage using KDE, focusing on convenient scripts and GUI for ease of use. Knoppix The first Live CD (later DVD) version of Debian GNU/Linux. Kurumin Earlier, it was a version of the Knoppix distribution, modified with Debian and designed for Brazilian users. LiMux An ISO 9241 industry workplace certified Linux distribution, deployed at the City of Munich, Germany. Linspire Commercial. Desktop-oriented distribution, previously called Lindows. Focuses on a proprietary software application manager obtained via a paid (CNR) subscription. Bought by Xandros Linux. MEPIS Focuses on ease of use. NepaLinux A Debian and Morphix based distribution focused for desktop usage in Nepali language computing. Parsix Optimized for desktop and laptop computers with the latest version of GNOME desktop and supports dozens of languages. PingOO French distribution aimed at local communities, public organizations, schools, etc. It comes in three editions: PingOO Communication Server, PingOO Secure Server and PingOO File Server. Progeny Componentized Linux Distribution from Progeny Linux Systems which was also founded by Debian founder Ian Murdock. Rxart Desktop-oriented distribution. Focused on providing proprietary software. sidux Multilingual desktop-oriented Live CD based on Debian unstable. Skolelinux A distribution from Norway. It is provided as a thin client distribution for schools. Symphony OS Includes the Mezzo desktop environment. Previous versions were based on Knoppix. Tuquito Created in Argentina. Ubuntu A distribution sponsored by Canonical Ltd as well as receiving major funding from South African Mark Shuttleworth. Aims to offer a complete and polished desktop on a single CD. UserLinux Commercial distribution that would have included GNOME. Short-lived. Xandros Open Circulation Edition Based on Xandros 3.0 Standard Edition. DVD burning is disabled and CD burning is restricted to a maximum speed of 4X. Specialized Debian-based distributions Distribution Description 64 Studio Attempts to specialize in audio and video production on AMD64 workstations. eBox Router/Firewall and NAS/PDC Finnix A small system administration Live CD that is available for multiple architectures. Gibraltar Commercial. Router/firewall distribution. LEAF Project The Linux Embedded Appliance Firewall. A tiny primarily floppy-based distribution for routers, firewalls and other appliances. The Linux Router Project A defunct floppy-based distribution for routers and firewalls. Supplanted by LEAF Project. Maemo A development platform for hand held devices such as the Nokia N800 and N810 Internet Tablets and other Linux-based devices. OpenZaurus Debian packages and ROM image for the Sharp Zaurus PDA. Replaced by Ångström distribution. Outernet Server A modified version of Debian that installs preconfigured and is specifically meant for a High speed multimedia Networks. Pure:dyne pure:dyne is an Debian based operating system developed to provide media artists with a complete set of tools for realtime audio and video processing. Salgix Distribution developed and maintained by GMSI (Gemini Microsystems International) for its line of Visual Computing workstations. Voyage Linux Oriented for embedded routers on multiple platforms Xebian For the Xbox home gaming console. Knoppix-based Knoppix, itself, is based on Debian. Distribution Description Buildix For agile developers. Damn Small Linux Generally considered as the starter of mini distributions. A live CD designed for MiniCD with a hard drive install option. Feather Linux Fits in under 128 MB. It boots from either a CD or a USB flash drive. Uses Knoppix-based hardware detection and the Fluxbox window manager. Gnoppix The GNOME version of Knoppix. Kaella The French translation of Knoppix. KnoppMyth Specialized Knoppix distribution for easy setup of the MythTV PVR software. Morphix A Live CD distribution with different flavours, including GNOME. Used as a base for many other custom live distribution such as Clusterix, PHlAK or Gnix. Musix A Knoppix/Debian based distribution, intended for music production, graphic design, audio, video editing, and other tasks. It is built with only free software. Ubuntu-based Ubuntu is a distribution based on Debian. Each has a different release schedule; Debian’s release cycle is about 1.5 years and Ubuntu’s is 6 months. Ubuntu’s packages are downloaded from Debian, re-packaged with Ubuntu version numbers and integrated to the system with Ubuntu-specific patches as needed. Ubuntu officially only supports 2 computer architectures, Debian about 10. Ubuntu has two maintenance lines (stable, in development), Debian has several suites (stable, testing, unstable, experimental). Official distributions These Ubuntu variants simply install a set of packages different from the original Ubuntu, but since they draw additional packages and updates from the same repositories as Ubuntu, all of the same software is available for each of them. Distribution Description Ubuntu Server Edition An official derivative made for use in servers. Ubuntu Server handles mails, printers, fileserver, LAMP and more. Kubuntu An official derivative of the Ubuntu Linux distribution using the KDE environment instead of the default GNOME environment used by default in Ubuntu. It has a predictable 6 month release cycle and is part of the Ubuntu project. Xubuntu An official derivative of the Ubuntu open source operating system, using the Xfce desktop environment. Xubuntu is intended for use on less-powerful computers or those who seek a highly efficient desktop environment on faster systems and uses mostly GTK+ applications. Edubuntu A complete Linux-based operating system targeted for primary and secondary education. It is freely available with community based support. The Edubuntu community is built on the ideas enshrined in the Edubuntu Manifesto: that software, especially for education, should be available free of charge and that software tools should be usable by people in their local language and despite any disabilities. Since version 8.04, Edubuntu has now been named Ubuntu Education Edition and has been made as an add-on for the Ubuntu operating system. Ubuntu JeOS (pronounced as “juice”) Described as “an efficient variant [...] configured specifically for virtual appliances”. Ubuntu Mobile An embedded operating system designed for use on mobile devices. The operating system will use Hildon from maemo as its graphical frontend. Ubuntu Netbook Remix,[4] Released in 2008,[Netbook Remix is an official derivative of Ubuntu designed for netbooks using the Intel Atom processor. Contributed distributions Distribution Description Gobuntu Was an official derivative of the Ubuntu operating system, aiming to provide a distribution consisting entirely of free software, it was officially announced by Mark Shuttleworth on July 10, 2007, and daily builds of Gobuntu 7.10 began to be publicly released. The project ended around the release of 8.04 and has since merged into Ubuntu as a 'free software' option (Discontinued). Ubuntu Studio A multimedia creation flavor of Ubuntu. Ubuntu Studio is aimed at the audio, video and graphic enthusiast as well as professional. The project aims to provide a suite of the best open-source applications available for multimedia creation. Mythbuntu provides an Ubuntu based and MythTV based distribution that is easy to configure, maintain, and use. [edit] Unofficial distributions Unofficial variants and derivatives are not controlled or guided by Canonical and are generally forks with different goals in mind: Distribution Description Alinex Portuguese Linux distribution, from Évora university, used as OEM from some Portuguese computer manufacturers. andLinux Linux distribution running Ubuntu on Microsoft Windows (2000, XP, 2003, Vista 32-bit) natively[1] by combining coLinux and Xming. File access is either samba or coLinux CoFS[2].[citation needed] Baltix Ubuntu based distribution for Lithuanian and Latvian people. Supported languages are Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Russian, English, Norwegian and other around Baltic region. Main language is Lithuanian. Buddhabuntu Ubuntu based distribution for Buddhists to complement Ubuntu Christian Edition and Muslim Editions CrunchBang Linux An Ubuntu based distribution featuring the lightweight Openbox window manager and GTK+ applications developed from a minimal Ubuntu install and has been designed to offer a good balance of speed and functionality. Easy Peasy (formerly Ubuntu eee) Easy Peasy is a project to create a linux distribution for netbooks. It’s built off Ubuntu. Easy Peasy favors well known closed source software instead of open source alternatives (e.g. Skype instead of Ekiga) when the functionality offered seems better. Fluxbuntu Light-weight and featuring the Fluxbox window manager. The project’s primary goal is to develop an operating system that would run on a wide range of mobile devices and computers, both low-end and high-end (as of May 2009: 7.10rc legacy, 8.10 testing, 9.04 experimental[3]). gNewSense Designed for users who wish to use only free software. It is officially sponsored and recommended by the Free Software Foundation. The project has also produced a set of scripts that allow anyone to create a free distribution. gOS Uses the GNOME desktop environment with user interface enhancements to make it work more like Mac OS X, it also features Google Apps, Picasa, Google Gadgets and other web-based applications, and comes with Wine 1.0 pre-installed Guadalinex Ubuntu-based distribution promoted by the local government of Andalucia, Spain, for home users and schools (cf. EduLinux, Skolelinux). Hiweed Chinese Linux distribution, based on Ubuntu. Its features include preconfigured Chinese applications, such as Chinese (simplified) input method, Chinese-English and English-Chinese dictionaries, and Chinese (simplified) true-type fonts. Impi Linux South African and focuses on the enterprise and government sector. Kanotix Distribution based on current Debian “stable” aka “Etch”, but uses the current “ubuntu” kernel with some patches.[6]. As a result of the cooperation between ubuntu Developers and Kanotix Developer Jörg Schirottke aka “Kano” most of the new patches are implemented in Hardy Heron’s kernel, too. Kuki Linux Lightweight Ubuntu-based Linux distribution founded by João Ferro, built to be a replacement for the Linpus Linux Lite distribution on the Acer Aspire One. Linux4One Based on Ubuntu, specially designed to work on the Acer Aspire One series Linux Mint Intended to produce an elegant, up to date and comfortable Linux desktop based on Ubuntu, with some added features. #3 Page Hit Ranking on distrowatch, after Ubuntu and openSUSE, as of May 2009. LinuxMCE (Linux Media Center Edition) Kubuntu based distribution that provides in depth HTPC functionality as well as home automation. LOUD (LCSEE Optimized Ubuntu Distribution) An Ubuntu distribution used at West Virginia University. It contains several specialized educational packages as well as its own themes and login manager. Maryan Linux Uses the Enlightenment 17 window manager as default window manager, also has Fluxbox and Pekwm ready to use. It is aimed at users migrating from Microsoft Windows. Molinux Ubuntu based initiative to introduce the Castile-La Mancha community in Spain to the information society. Neopwn Debian based network penetration-testing distribution for mobile phones. nUbuntu or Network Ubuntu A project to take the existing Ubuntu distribution and remaster it as a Live CD and Full Install with tools needed for penetration-testing servers and networks. The main idea is to keep Ubuntu’s ease of use and mix it with popular penetration testing tools. Besides usage for network and server testing, nUbuntu will be made to be a desktop distribution for advanced Linux users. OpenGEU Ubuntu based distribution with Enlightenment window manager, previously known as Geubuntu. Poseidon Linux Distribution designed for academic and scientific use. Although based on Ubuntu, it enhances its parent by adding a large number of applications for GIS/maps, numerical modelling, 2D/3D/4D visualization, statistics, tools for creating simple and complex graphics, programming languages and more. The usual software for daily use, such as office suite, Internet browser, instant messaging and chat clients are also included. PSUbuntu Ubuntu distribution intended for the PlayStation 3. Qimo Qimo had an intuitive interface with large icons and comes with educational games for children aged three and up. Sabily Ubuntu based distribution for Muslims (formerly Ubuntu Muslim Edition). Super OS Aiming to provide an ‘Out of the Box’ experience, containing various enhancements over Ubuntu. TOSS TCE Operating System Services is a distribution derived from Ubuntu which targets users ranging from developers to laymen. TOSS has a variety of engineering applications required by the Engineers of all branches. TOSS has a completely different look and feel.It has been developed and released by Thiagarajar College of Engineering,Madurai,India. Ubuntu Christian Edition (CE) An Ubuntu based distribution for Christians. Development now discontinued.[7] Trisquel Created in Galicia (Spain). It has support for old PCs, includes a 3D desktop with Compiz. TurnKey Linux Open source project developing a family of free, Ubuntu-based appliances optimized for ease of use in server-type usage scenarios. U-lite Has the main goal to be very light consuming hardware resources. The last version uses the LXDE desktop environment. It was previously called Ubuntulite. XBMC Live An embedded operating system with XBMC Media Center designed to make any computer into a dedicated media center appliance. Gentoo-based Gentoo is a distribution designed to have highly optimized and frequently updated software. Distributions based on Gentoo use the Portage package management system with emerge. Distribution Description Gentoox An adaptation of Gentoo for the Xbox. Knopperdisk A new distribution aimed at USB sticks. Kororaa Aimed at easy installation of a Gentoo system by using install scripts instead of manual configuration. Pentoo Penetration-testing Live CD Sabayon Linux Live DVD which includes a wide range of desktop environments and open-source software applications. Like Knoppix, Sabayon Linux can be installed on the hard drive. SystemRescueCD System rescue Live CD version of Gentoo. Tin Hat Linux Based on hardened Gentoo Ututo Made in Argentina VidaLinux Uses Anaconda as its installer. RPM-based Red Hat Linux and SUSE Linux were the original major distributions that used the RPM file format, which is today used in several package management systems. Both of these later divided into commercial and community-supported distributions. Red Hat Linux divided into a community-supported distribution sponsored by Red Hat called Fedora, and a commercially supported distribution called Red Hat Enterprise Linux. [edit] Fedora-based Distribution Description Aurora SPARC Linux For Sun’s SPARC architecture K12LTSP A distribution for educational purpose. Comes with LTSP support. Linux XP Focuses on ease of installation and use. It uses a Windows like interface. Linpus Linux Focused on the Chinese market, along with Linpus Lite focused on the netbook market. Ojuba Linux Focused on providing the best Arabic support, as well as some Islamic tools such as Hijra (Hijri calendar) and Minbar (prayer time indicator). Yellow Dog Linux For the PowerPC platform.