Linux distribution

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (September 2009)

A Linux distribution (also called GNU/Linux distribution by some vendors and users)
is a member of the family of Unix-like software distributions built on top of the Linux
kernel. Such distributions (often called distros for short) consist of a large collection of
software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players and database
applications. The operating system will consist of the Linux kernel and, usually, a set of
libraries and utilities from the GNU project, with graphics support from the X Window
System. Distributions optimized for size may not contain X, and tend to use more
compact alternatives to the GNU utilities such as Busybox, uClibc or dietlibc. There are
currently over six hundred Linux distributions. Over three hundred of those are in active
development, constantly being revised and improved.

Because most of the kernel and supporting packages are some combination of free
software and open source, Linux distributions have taken a wide variety of forms — from
fully featured desktop and server operating systems to minimal environments (typically
for use in embedded systems, or for booting from a floppy disk). Aside from certain
custom software (such as installers and configuration tools), a distribution is most simply
described as a particular assortment of applications installed on top of a set of libraries
married with a version of the kernel, such that its "out-of-the-box" capabilities meet most
of the needs of its particular end-user base.

One can distinguish between commercially backed distributions, such as Fedora (Red
Hat), openSUSE (Novell), Ubuntu (Canonical Ltd.), and Mandriva Linux (Mandriva) and
entirely community-driven distributions such as Debian and Gentoo, though there are
other distributions that are driven neither by a corporation nor a community, perhaps
most famously Slackware.

Contents
[hide]
• 1 History
• 2 Components
o 2.1 Package management
• 3 Types and trends
• 4 Installation-free distributions (Live CDs)
• 5 Examples
o 5.1 Popular distributions
 o 5.2 Niche distributions
• 6 Interdistribution issues
• 7 Tools for choosing a distribution
• 8 Installation
o 8.1 Installation via an existing operating system
• 9 Proprietary software
• 10 OEM contracts
• 11 Screenshots of common distributions
• 12 See also
• 13 References

• 14 External links

[edit] History

Linux Distro Genesis, timeline representing the development of various Linux

distributions.

Before the first Linux distributions, a would-be Linux user was required to be something
of a Unix expert, needing to know not only what libraries and executables were required
to successfully get the system to boot and run, but also important details concerning
configuration and placement of files in the system.[citation needed]

Linux distributions began to appear very soon after the Linux kernel was first used by
individuals other than the original Linux programmers. They were more interested in
developing the operating system than developing application programs, the user interface,
or convenient packaging.[citation needed]

Early distributions included:

 • H J Lu's "Boot-root" a two disk pair with the kernel and the absolute minimal
tools to get started
• MCC Interim Linux, which was made available to the public for download on the
FTP server of University of Manchester in February, 1992
• TAMU, created by individuals at Texas A&M University about the same time
• SLS (Softlanding Linux System)
• Yggdrasil Linux/GNU/X, the first CD-ROM based Linux distribution

SLS was not well-maintained, so Patrick Volkerding released a distribution based on

SLS, which he called Slackware, released in 1993.[1] This is the oldest distribution still in
active development.

Users were attracted to Linux distributions as alternatives to the DOS and Microsoft
Windows operating systems on the PC, Mac OS on the Apple Macintosh and proprietary
versions of Unix. Most early adopters were familiar with Unix from work or school. They
embraced Linux for its stability, low (if any) cost, and for the availability of the source
code for most or all of the software included.

The distributions were originally simply a convenience, but today they have become the
usual choice even for Unix or Linux experts. To date, Linux has proven more popular in
the server market, primarily for Web and database servers (see also LAMP), than in the
desktop market.

[edit] Components
A typical desktop Linux distribution comprises a Linux kernel, GNU tools and libraries,
additional software, documentation, a window system, window manager, and a desktop
environment. Most of the included software is free software/open-source software which
is distributed by its maintainers both as compiled binaries and in source code form,
allowing users to modify and compile the original source code if they wish. Other
software included with some distributions may be proprietary and may not be available in
source code form.

Many distributions provide an installation system akin to that provided with other modern
operating systems. Some distributions like Gentoo Linux, T2 and Linux From Scratch
include binaries only of a basic kernel, compilation tools, and an installer; the installer
compiles all the requested software for the specific microarchitecture of the user's
machine, using these tools and the provided source code.

[edit] Package management

See also: Package management system and Linux package formats

Distributions are normally segmented into packages. Each package contains a specific
application or service. Examples of packages are a library for handling the PNG image
format, a collection of fonts or a web browser.
The package is typically provided as compiled code, with installation and removal of
packages handled by a package management system (PMS) rather than a simple file
archiver. Each package intended for such a PMS contains meta-information such as a
package description, version, and "dependencies". The package management system can
evaluate this meta-information to allow package searches, to perform an automatic
upgrade to a newer version, to check that all dependencies of a package are fulfilled,
and/or to fulfill them automatically.

Although Linux distributions typically contain much more software than proprietary
operating systems, it is normal for local administrators to also install software not
included in the distribution. An example would be a newer version of a software
application than that supplied with a distribution, or an alternative to that chosen by the
distribution (e.g., KDE rather than GNOME or vice versa for the user interface layer). If
the additional software is distributed in source-only form, this approach requires local
compilation. However, if additional software is locally added, the 'state' of the local
system may fall out of synchronization with the state of the package manager's database.
If so, the local administrator will be required to take additional measures to ensure the
entire system is kept up to date. The package manager may no longer be able to do so
automatically.

Most distributions install packages, including the kernel and other core operating system
components, in a predetermined configuration. Few now require or even permit
configuration adjustments at first install time. This makes installation less daunting,
particularly for new users, but is not always acceptable. For specific requirements, much
software must be carefully configured to be useful, to work correctly with other software,
or to be secure, and local administrators are often obliged to spend time reviewing and
reconfiguring assorted software.

Some distributions go to considerable lengths to specifically adjust and customize most

or all of the software included in the distribution. Not all do so. Some distributions
provide configuration tools to assist in this process.

By replacing everything provided in a distribution, an administrator may reach a

"distribution-less" state: everything was retrieved, compiled, configured, and installed
locally. It is possible to build such a system from scratch, avoiding a distribution
altogether. One needs a way to generate the first binaries until the system is self-hosting.
This can be done via compilation on another system capable of building binaries for the
intended target (possibly by cross-compilation). See for example Linux From Scratch.

[edit] Types and trends

Further information: Linux adoption and Comparison of Linux distributions

Broadly, Linux distributions may be:

• Commercial or non-commercial;
 • Designed for enterprise users, power users, or for home users;
• Supported on multiple types of hardware, or platform-specific, even to the extent
of certification by the platform vendor;
• Designed for servers, desktops, or embedded devices;
• General purpose or highly specialized toward specific machine functionalities
(e.g. firewalls, network routers, and computer clusters);
• Targeted at specific user groups, for example through language
internationalization and localization, or through inclusion of many music
production or scientific computing packages;
• Built primarily for security, usability, portability, or comprehensiveness.

The diversity of Linux distributions is due to technical, organizational, and philosophical

variation among vendors and users. The permissive licensing of free software means that
any user with sufficient knowledge and interest can customize an existing distribution or
design one to suit his or her own needs.

[edit] Installation-free distributions (Live CDs)

Main articles: Live CD and Live USB

A Live Distro or Live CD is a Linux distribution that can be booted from a compact disc
or other medium (such as a DVD or USB flash drive) instead of the conventional hard
drive. Some minimal distributions such as tomsrtbt can be run directly from as little as
one floppy disk without needing to change the system's hard drive contents.

When the operating system is booted from a read-only device such as a CD or DVD, if
user data needs to be retained between sessions, it cannot be stored on the boot device but
must be written to some other media such as a USB flash drive or an installed hard drive.
Temporary operating system data is usually kept solely in RAM.

The portability of installation-free distributions makes them advantageous for

applications such as demonstrations, borrowing someone else's computer, rescue
operations, or as installation media for a standard distribution. Many popular distributions
come in both "Live" and conventional forms (the conventional form being a network or
removable media image which is intended to be used for installation only). This includes
SUSE, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, MEPIS, Sidux, and Fedora. Some distributions, such as
Knoppix, Devil-Linux and dyne:bolic are designed primarily for Live CD, Live DVD or
USB flash drive use.

[edit] Examples
[edit] Popular distributions

Well-known Linux distributions include:

 • Arch Linux, a distribution based on the KISS principle with a rolling release
system
• CentOS, a distribution derived from the same sources used by Red Hat,
maintained by a dedicated volunteer community of developers with both 100%
Red Hat-compatible versions and an upgraded version that is not always 100%
upstream compatible
• Debian, a non-commercial distribution maintained by a volunteer developer
community with a strong commitment to free software principles
• Fedora, a community distribution sponsored by Red Hat
• Gentoo, a distribution targeted at power users, known for its FreeBSD Ports-like
automated system for compiling applications from source code
• Knoppix, the first Live CD distribution to run completely from removable media
without installation to a hard disk, derived from Debian
• Kubuntu, the KDE version of Ubuntu
• Linux Mint, a distribution based on and compatible with Ubuntu
• Mandriva, a Red Hat derivative popular in France and Brazil, today maintained by
the French company of the same name
• openSUSE, originally derived from Slackware, sponsored by the company Novell
• Oracle Enterprise Linux, which is a derivative of Red Hat Enterprise Linux,
maintained and commercially supported by Oracle
• PCLinuxOS, a derivative of Mandriva, grew from a group of packages into a
community-spawned desktop distribution.
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux, which is a derivative of Fedora, maintained and
commercially supported by Red Hat
• Sabayon Linux, Gentoo Based Distribution, aiming at working Out of the box.
• SimplyMEPIS, a Debian-based distribution intended for easy desktop use and
strong support.
• Slackware, one of the first Linux distributions, founded in 1993, and since then
actively maintained by Patrick J. Volkerding
• Ubuntu, a popular desktop distribution derived from Debian, maintained by
Canonical. Ubuntu also has a netbook version called the Ubuntu netbook remix.
• Xubuntu, is the Xfce version of the popular desktop distro Ubuntu. Commonly
used by Linux users that wish to have the function of a bigger distro such as
Ubuntu or openSuse with the speed of a smaller distro.

DistroWatch maintains a popularity ranking of distributions on its web site; the ranking is
based primarily on page views, which is not considered to be a reliable measure of
distribution popularity.

[edit] Niche distributions

Other distributions are targeted at other specific niches, such as the tiny embedded router
distribution OpenWrt, the Ubuntu project to create Edubuntu for educational users, and
KnoppMyth, which wraps Knoppix around MythTV to ease building Linux-powered
DVRs. Similarly, there is the XBMC Live distro which wraps Ubuntu around XBMC
Media Center ease building Linux-powered HTPC (Home Theater PC). Others target the
Apple Macintosh platform, including mkLinux, Yellow Dog Linux, and Black Lab
Linux. Karoshi is a server system based on PCLinuxOS and aimed at educational users.

[edit] Interdistribution issues

The Free Standards Group is an organization formed by major software and hardware
vendors that aims to improve interoperability between different distributions. Among
their proposed standards are the Linux Standard Base, which defines a common ABI and
packaging system for Linux, and the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard which recommends a
standard filenaming chart, notably the basic directory names found on the root of the tree
of any Linux filesystem. Those standards, however, see limited use, even among the
distributions developed by members of the organization.

The diversity of Linux distributions means that not all software runs on all distributions,
depending on what libraries and other system attributes are required. Packaged software
and software repositories are usually specific to a particular distribution, though cross-
installation is sometimes possible on closely related distributions.

[edit] Tools for choosing a distribution

This section needs references that appear in reliable third-party
publications. Primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject are
generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please add more appropriate
citations from reliable sources. (March 2009)

There are tools available to help people select an appropriate distribution, such as several
different versions of the Linux Distribution Chooser,[2][3] and the universal package search
tool whohas.[4] There are easy ways to try out several Linux distributions before deciding
on one: Multi Distro is a Live CD that contains nine space-saving distributions.[5] Tools
are available to make such CDs and DVDs, among them Nautopia.[6]

Virtual machines such as VirtualBox and VMware Workstation permit booting of Live
CD image files without actually burning a CD.

Details and interest rankings of Linux distributions are available on DistroWatch and a
fairly comprehensive list of live CDs is available at livecdlist.com. Some websites such
as OSDir.com and www.osvids.com offer screenshots and videos as a way to get a first
impression of various distributions.

Workspot provides online Linux desktop demos using Virtual Network Computing
(VNC).

[edit] Installation
 This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may
be challenged and removed. (March 2009)

There are many ways to install a Linux distribution. The most common method of
installing Linux is by booting from a CD-ROM or DVD that contains the installation
program and installable software. Such a CD can be burned from a downloaded ISO
image, purchased alone for a low price, provided as a cover disk with a magazine,
shipped for free by request, or obtained as part of a box set that may also include manuals
and additional commercial software. New users tend to begin by partitioning a hard drive
in order to keep their previously-installed operating system. The Linux distribution can
then be installed on its own separate partition without affecting previously saved data.

Early Linux distributions were installed using sets of floppies but this has been
abandoned by all major distributions. Nowadays most distributions offer CD and DVD
sets with the vital packages on the first disc and less important packages on later ones.
They usually also allow installation over a network after booting from either a set of
floppies or a CD with only a small amount of data on it.[7]

Still another mode of installation is to install on a powerful computer to use as a servers

and to use less powerful machines (perhaps without hard drives, with less memory and
slower CPUs) as thin clients over the network. Clients can boot over the network from
the server and display results and pass information to the server where all the applications
run. The clients can be ordinary PCs with the addition of a network bootloader on a drive
or network interface controller; hard disk space and processor power can be offloaded
onto the client machine if desired. The cost savings achieved by using thin clients can be
invested in greater computing power or storage on the server.

In a Live CD setup, the computer boots the entire operating system from CD without first
installing it on the computer's hard disk. Some distributions have a Live CD installer,
where the computer boots the operating system from the disk, and then proceeds to install
it onto the computer's hard disk, providing a seamless transition from the OS running
from the CD to the OS running from the hard disk.

Both servers and personal computers that come with Linux already installed are available
from vendors including Hewlett-Packard and Dell.

On embedded devices, Linux is typically held in the device's firmware and may or may
not be consumer-accessible.

Anaconda, one of the more popular installers, is used by Red Hat Enterprise Linux,
Fedora and other distributions to simplify the installation process.

[edit] Installation via an existing operating system

Some distributions let the user install Linux on top of their current system, such as
WinLinux or coLinux. Linux is installed to the Windows hard disk partition, and can be
started from inside Windows itself.

Virtual machines (such as VirtualBox or VMware) also make it possible for Linux to be
run inside another OS. The VM software simulates a separate computer onto which the
Linux system is installed. After installation, the virtual machine can be booted as if it
were an independent computer.

Various tools are also available to perform full dual-boot installations from existing
platforms without a CD, most notably:

• The Wubi installer, which allows Windows users to download and install Ubuntu
or its derivatives without the need for hard drive partitioning or an installation
CD, allowing users to easily dual boot between either operating system on the
same hard drive without losing data
• Win32-loader, which is in the process of being integrated in official Debian
CDs/DVDs, and allows Windows users to install Debian without a CD, though it
performs a network installation and thereby requires repartitioning[8]
• UNetbootin, which allows Windows and Linux users to perform similar no-CD
network installations for a wide variety of Linux distributions and additionally
provides live USB creation support

[edit] Proprietary software

See also: List of proprietary software for Linux

Some specific proprietary software products are not available in any form for Linux. This
includes many popular computer games, although in recent years some game
manufacturers have begun making their software available for Linux, such as Epic
Games' Unreal Tournament 2004. Emulation and API-translation projects like Wine and
Cedega make it possible to run non-Linux-based software on Linux systems, either by
emulating a proprietary operating system or by translating proprietary API calls (e.g.,
calls to Microsoft's Win32 or DirectX APIs) into native Linux API calls. A virtual
machine can also be used to run a proprietary OS (like Microsoft Windows) on top of
Linux.

[edit] OEM contracts

Computer hardware is usually sold with an operating system other than Linux from a
software original equipment manufacturer (OEM) already installed. In the case of IBM
PC compatibles the OS is usually Microsoft Windows; in the case of Apple Macintosh
computers it has always been a version of Apple's OS, currently Mac OS X; Sun
Microsystems sells SPARC hardware with Solaris installed; video game consoles such as
the Xbox, PlayStation, and Wii each have their own proprietary OS. This limits Linux's
market share: consumers are unaware that an alternative exists, they must make a
conscious effort to use a different operating system, and they must either perform the
actual installation themselves, or depend on support from a friend, relative, or computer
professional.[original research?]

However, it is possible to buy hardware with Linux already installed. Lenovo, Hewlett-
Packard, Dell, Affordy,[9] and System76 all sell general-purpose Linux laptops,[10] and
custom-order PC manufacturers will also build Linux systems (but possibly with the
Windows key on the keyboard). Fixstars Solutions (formerly Terra Soft) sells Macintosh
computers and PlayStation 3 consoles with Yellow Dog Linux installed.

It is more common to find embedded devices sold with Linux as the default
manufacturer-supported OS, including the Linksys NSLU2 NAS device, TiVo's line of
personal video recorders, and Linux-based cellphones, PDAs, and portable music players.

Consumers also have the option of obtaining a refund for unused OEM operating system
software. The end user license agreement (EULA) for Apple and Microsoft operating
systems gives the consumer the opportunity to reject the license and obtain a refund. If
requesting a refund directly from the manufacturer fails, it is also possible that a lawsuit
in small claims court will work.[11] On February 15, 1999, a group of Linux users in
Orange County, California held a "Windows Refund Day" protest in an attempt to
pressure Microsoft into issuing them refunds.[12] In France, the Linuxfrench and AFUL
organizations along with free software activist Roberto Di Cosmo started a "Windows
Detax" movement,[13] which led to a 2006 petition against "racketiciels"[14] (translation:
Racketware) and the DGCCRF branch of the French government filing several
complaints against bundled software

Comparison of Linux distributions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Technical variations of GNU/Linux distributions include support for different hardware

devices and systems or software package configurations. Organizational differences may
be motivated by historical reasons. Other criteria include security, including how quickly
security upgrades are available; ease of package management; and number of packages
available.

These tables compare each noteworthy distribution's latest stable release on wide-ranging
objective criteria. It does not cover each operating system's subjective merits, branches
marked as unstable or beta, nor compare Linux distributions with other operating
systems.

Contents
[hide]
• 1 General
• 2 Cost
• 3 Technical
• 4 Architecture support
• 5 Package management and installation
• 6 Live CDs/DVDs/USBs
• 7 Security features
• 8 See also
• 9 References

• 10 External links

[edit] General
Basic general information about the distributions: creator or producer, release date and
latest version, and so forth.

First
public Latest
Distribution release release Purpose
Creator Producer Base distribution
(yyyy-
date
MM-dd)

Daniel James,
2005-05-
64 Studio Free 64 Studio Ltd. Debian 2008-06-09 multimedia
09
Ekanayaka
Alinex Team, Alinex Team,
2005-12-
Alinex University of University of Ubuntu 2008-03-07 general
06
Évora Évora
? pre-
aLinux Jay Klepacs Jay Klepacs 1999-08- Red Hat Linux 2006-11-08 desktop
19 (1.1)
ALT Linux
ALT Linux 2001-03-
ALT Linux Team / ALT none 2009-02-20 general
Team 21
Linux LLC
Annvix Vincent Danen Vincent Danen 2003-11-? Mandrake Linux 2007-12-30 server
2002-03-
Arch Linux Judd Vinet dev team none 2009-02-16 general
11
Bernhard 2003-01-
Ark Linux dev team none 2008-05-14 desktop
Rosenkraenzer 25
2005-11-
Arudius Haidut dev team none 2006-02-06 auditing
03
Red Flag
Linux, Miracle server,
Asianux dev team 2004-06-? RHEL 2007-09-22
Linux, workstation
Haansoft Linux
Software-
Aurox Wydawnictwo Aurox Sp. z oo 2002-09-? Fedora 2006-08-31 general
Sp. z oo
BackTrack Max Moser, Remote-Exploit 2006-08- Slackware(version < 2009-06-19 auditing
 Mati Aharoni
3.x)/Ubuntu(version >
& Martin J. 31
4.x)
Muench
Brixton Linux Brixton Linux 2002-10- 2008-07-21
BLAG Fedora [1] desktop
Action Group Action Group 22
C-DAC C-DAC (Centre
(Centre for for
2007-01- 2008-07-21
BOSS Development Development of Debian [2] general
10
of Advanced Advanced
Computing) Computing)
Daniel Neves,
José
Caixa Mágica 2000-10-
Caixa Mágica Guimarães, Mandriva Linux 2009-06-03 general
Software 28
Paulo
Trezentos
DeepSpaceO Arjo 2009-12-
Arjo129 Opensuse 2009-12-10 general
S Chakravarty 10
server,
CentOS CentOS Project CentOS Project 2003-12-? RHEL 2009-10-21
workstation
Chrome OS Google Google N/A Ubuntu N/A netbooks
Philip Philip 2008-01-
CrunchBang Ubuntu 2009-01-19 desktop
Newborough Newborough 30
CRUX Linux 2001-01-
CRUX Per Liden none 2009-09-08 general
community 20
Damn Small
John Andrews dev team 2003-?-? Knoppix 2008-11-17[3] portable
Linux
1993-08-
Debian Ian Murdock Debian Project none 2009-09-05 general
16
Desktop
Henry Jensen Henry Jensen 2002-10-? none 2008-05-28 desktop
Light Linux
DeMuDi AGNULA AGNULA 2002-04-? Debian 2005-11-03 multimedia
dyne:bolic Jaromil Jaromil 2001-06-? none 2007-09-22 multimedia
Jon Ramvi, Jon Ramvi,
2008-07-
Easy Peasy Easy Peasy Easy Peasy Ubuntu 2009-04-20 netbooks
04
community community
2005-01-
Elive Thanatermesis Thanatermesis Debian 2007-07-05 desktop
01
EnGarde Guardian Guardian
2001-?-? none 2008-04-? server
Secure Linux Digital, Inc. Digital, Inc.
2003-11-
Fedora Fedora Project Fedora Project Red Hat Linux 2009-11-17 general
05
2000-03- maintenanc
Finnix Ryan Finnie Ryan Finnie Debian 2008-01-29
22 e
Foresight
Ken VanDine dev team 2004-12-? rPath 2008-11-24 general
Linux
2004-09-
Frugalware Miklos Vajna dev team 02[citation Slackware 2009-09-07 general
needed]

Gentoo
2002-03-
Gentoo Linux Daniel Robbins Foundation, none Weekly [4] general
31
Inc.
gNewSense Brian Brazil dev team 2006-11- Ubuntu (8.04) 2009-09-14 desktop
and Paul 02
O'Malley
Gnoppix Klaus Knopper dev team ? pre- Knoppix 2005-09-07 live
 2003-07-
17 (0.4)
Regional
2002-06-
gnuLinEx Government of dev team Debian 2006-06-20 desktop
09
Extremadura
Hisham
2002-03-
GoboLinux Muhammad, dev team none 2008-03-30 desktop
20
Andre Detsch
2007-11-
gOS Good OS LLC Good OS LLC Ubuntu 2008-02-07 desktop
01
2010-01-15
SHR FSO portable
(testing)
Gauteng Linux Impi Linux
Impi Linux 2003-11-? Debian 2006-01-31 desktop
Users Group (Pty) Ltd.
Jörg Schirottke 2003-12- desktop,
Kanotix dev team Debian, Knoppix 2007-12-31
(Kano) 24 live
2008-08-
Kiran Linux Kiran Shila Kiran Shila Slackware 2008-08-19 general
19
? pre-
Knoppix Klaus Knopper dev team 2003-01- Debian 2009-11-18[5] live
19 (3.1)
desktop,
KnoppMyth Cecil Watson dev team ? Debian, Knoppix 2007-09-09
live
2008-10- Acer Aspire
Kuki Linux João Ferro kuki bakers Ubuntu 2009-08-30
21 One
Kurumin Carlos GuiadoHardwar desktop,
2003-01-? Knoppix 2007-02-21
Linux Morimoto e live
Lindows.com,
Linspire Linspire, Inc. 2002-03-? Debian 2007-10-10 desktop
Inc.
Lindows.com, Debian/Ubuntu(developin
Freespire Linspire, Inc. 2002-03-? 2007-11-30 desktop
Inc. g)
2009-02-
Linux4One ? ? Ubuntu 2009-04-06 desktop
28
Clement 2006-08-
Linux Mint dev team Ubuntu 2009-11-28 desktop
Lefebvre 27
Chuck Mead,
Foo-
Lunar Linux Lunar Penguin 2002-03-? Sorcerer 2007-02-17 general
Projects.org
Project
1998-7-23
Mandriva Mandrakesoft
Mandriva S.A. (5.1 Red Hat Linux 2009-04-29[6] general
Linux S.A.
(venice))
MontaVista MontaVista MontaVista
1999-?-? Debian 2007-03-? embedded
Linux Software Software
Mutagenix Dan Barber Dan Barber 2005-7-7 Slackware 2007-08-16 rescue
Musix Marcos Knoppix, Kanotix,
? ? 2007-03-05 audio
GNU+Linux Guglielmetti Debian
Ronald W.
Network
Henderson, 2003-01- network,
Security dev team Fedora 2009-09-22
Paul 01 security
Toolkit
Blankenbaker
NexusWare Performance dev team 1998-?-? Debian and others 2008-02-02 embedded
Core Technologies,
Inc
Bogdan Bogdan
NimbleX 2005-12-? Slackware 2006-12-25 desktop
Radulescu Radulescu
 Net Integration Net Integration
Nitix Technologies, Technologies, 2001-?-? none 2006-10-18 server
Inc. Inc.
Open
Enterprise Novell, Inc. dev SUSE Linux Enterprise
Novell 2003 2009-03-24 server
Server on team Server
Linux
Novell, Inc. &
SUSE Linux /
openSUSE openSUSE 1994-03-? SUSE Linux 2009-11-12 general
Novell
Project
2009-06-03
OpenWRT ? OpenWrt team ? ? [7] embedded
Oracle
Oracle Oracle 2006-10-
Enterprise RHEL 2009-09-09 server
Corporation Corporation 26
Linux
António António
Paipix 2004-?-? Debian 2007-10-17 science
Amorim Amorim
Pardus TUBITAK TUBITAK 2005-?-? Gentoo Linux 2008-09-14 general
Alan 2005-01-
Parsix Parsix Project Kanotix, Debian 2007-10-05 desktop
Baghumian 25
PCLinuxOS Bill Reynolds dev team 2003-11-? Mandrake Linux 2009-03-11 desktop
Pie Box
2004-04-
Enterprise PixExcel PixExcel Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2006-08-15 general
19
Linux
Puppy 2002-07- 2008-11-03
Puppy Linux Barry Kauler none [8] portable
Foundation 12 (0.4)
2003-10-
31
QiLinux QiLinux team QiLinux team none 2006-08-01 general
(1.0alpha2
)
Institute of
Software,
Chinese
Red Flag
Red Flag Academy of 1999-09-
Software Co., Asianux 2005-11-11 general
Linux Sciences, 20
Ltd.
NewMargin
Venture
Capital
2002-03-
26 Red
Hat
Red Hat
Enterprise server,
Enterprise Red Hat Red Hat Red Hat Linux/Fedora 2008-05-21
Linux 2.1 workstation
Linux
AS
(Pensacola
)
Red Hat 1995-05- server,
Red Hat Red Hat none 2003-03-31
Linux 13 (1.0) workstation
UCSD UCSD
2008-11-?
Supercomputin Supercomputin 2000-11-? server,
Rocks Red Hat Linux Rocks 5.1
g Center, g Center, Rocks 1.0 workstation
(V.1)
Clustercorp Clustercorp
Rxart Pixart SRL Pixart SRL 2000-03-? Debian 2006-04-16 general
Sabayon
lxnay Design dev team ? Gentoo 2009-10-02[9] desktop
Linux
[10]
Satux Institute of Institute of 2007-?-? Debian 2007 desktop
 Technology
Technology
JRSC
JRSC (iTJRSC)
(iTJRSC)
Scientific CERN,
dev team 2004-5-10 RHL/RHEL 2008-06-28 science
Linux Fermilab
2007-02-
sidux sidux team sidux team Debian Sid 2009-11-11 desktop
21
SimplyMEPI Warren 2003-09-
MEPIS LLC. Debian 2009-08-25 desktop
S Woodford 05
Patrick 1993-07-
Slackware dev team SLS 2009-08-26 general
Volkerding 16
Tomas Tomas 2002-06- 2009-08-
SLAX Slackware live
Matejicek Matejicek 16 04[11]
SMS - Slack 2007-08-
gerasimos_h gerasimos_h Slackware 2009-07-05 live, server
Mini Server 10
SliTaz Christophe 2008-03-
dev team none 2009-04-16 portable
GNU/Linux Lincoln 25
Source Mage Ryan Abrams,
dev team 2002-06-? Sorcerer 2009-02-11 general
GNU/Linux Eric Schabell
SUSE Linux / Novell, Inc. dev workstation
SUSE Linux 1994-03-? Slackware, Jurix[12] 2008-05-21
Novell team , server
Symphony Ryan Quinn &
Ryan Quinn ? Debian 2006-12-13 desktop
OS Jason Spisak
2010-01-
SYS W.Landgraf W.Landgraf 2007-11-? Slackware 21(0.23r4+) general
[13]

Trustix Comodo Comodo Group,

2000-02-? Red Hat Linux 2007-03-06 server
Secure Linux Group, Inc. Inc.
2004-10-
Ubuntu Canonical Ltd. Canonical Ltd. Debian 2009-10-29 general
20
2005-04-
Kubuntu Canonical Ltd. Canonical Ltd. Debian 2009-10-29 desktop
08
2006-06-
Xubuntu Canonical Ltd. Canonical Ltd. Debian 2009-10-29 desktop
01
2005-10- computer
Edubuntu Canonical Ltd. Canonical Ltd. Debian 2009-10-29
13 lab
2007-10-
Gobuntu Canonical Ltd. Canonical Ltd. Debian 2008-07-03 desktop
18
Ubuntu 2007-05-
Canonical Ltd. Canonical Ltd. Debian 2009-10-29 multimedia
Studio 11
Ututo Diego Saravia, UTUTO dev-
2000-?-? Gentoo Linux 2009-03-15 general
GNU/Linux Daniel Olivera team
Robert S. 2009-08-
VectorLinux dev team 1999-?-? Slackware desktop
Lange 30[14]
2009-06-
Wolvix Wolven Wolven 2007?-?-? Slackware desktop
02[15]
2002-10-
Xandros Xandros Corp. Xandros, Inc. Corel Linux 2006-06-21 desktop
22
The XBMC 2008-11-
XBMC Live Team-XBMC Ubuntu 2008-11-14 multimedia
Project 14
Yellow Dog Terra Soft Fixstars
1999 Fedora, CentOS 2009-06-29 general
Linux Solutions Solutions
Andreas The Yoper 2003-03-
Yoper none 2007-10-03 general
Giradet Team 05
Zenwalk Jean-Philippe dev team 2004-05- Slackware 2009-03-07 general
 21 (as
Linux Guillemin
Minislack)
First
public
Latest
Distribution Creator Producer release Base distribution Purpose
release date
(yyyy-
MM-dd)

[edit] Cost
The following distributions are available without cost: aLinux, ALT Linux, Annvix, Arch
Linux, Ark Linux, Arudius, Asianux, Aurox, BLAG Linux and GNU, CentOS, CRUX,
Damn Small Linux, Debian, DeLi Linux, DeMuDi, Devil-Linux, dyne:bolic, Easy Peasy,
Edubuntu, EnGarde Secure Linux, Fedora, Finnix, Foresight Linux, Freespire,
Frugalware, Gentoo, gNewSense, gnuLinEx, GoboLinux, Gobuntu, Impi Linux, Kanotix,
Knoppix, Knoppmyth, Kubuntu, Kurumin Linux, Linux Mint, Lunar Linux, Musix
GNU+Linux, Network Security Toolkit, NimbleX, NUbuntu, openSUSE, Paipix, Pardus,
Parsix, PCLinuxOS, Puppy Linux, QiLinux, Sabayon Linux, Satux, Scientific Linux,
sidux, Slackware, SLAX, SliTaz GNU/Linux, Source Mage GNU/Linux, Symphony OS,
SYS, Trustix, Ubuntu, Ututo GNU/Linux, Super OS, Xubuntu, XBMC Live, Yoper,
Zenwalk and OpenWRT.

The following distributions have several editions, some of which are without cost and
some of which do cost money: Caixa Mágica, Mandriva Linux, MEPIS and Red Flag
Linux.

The following distributions cost money: Elive, Linspire[16], Novell Open Enterprise
Server[17], Red Hat Enterprise Linux[18][19], Rxart[20], SUSE Linux Enterprise[21],
Xandros[22].

Note that when talking about "free software", the word "free" refers to software freedom,
not monetary cost: for an explanation of the difference, see The Free Software Definition.

[edit] Technical
The following table shows the default file system, but many Linux distributions support
some or all of ext2, ext3, ext4, ReiserFS, Reiser4, JFS, XFS, GFS, GFS2, OCFS, OCFS2,
and NILFS. It is possible to install Linux onto the majority of these file systems. The ext
file systems, namely ext2, ext3 and ext4 are based on the original Linux file system. File
systems have been developed by companies to meet their specific needs, and by
hobbyists, or adapted from UNIX, Microsoft Windows, and other operating systems.
Linux has full support for XFS and JFS, along with FAT (the MS-DOS file system), and
HFS which is the primary file system for the Macintosh. Support for Microsoft Windows
NT's NTFS file system has appeared, and is now comparable to the support available for
other native UNIX file systems. CDs, DVDs, and BluRay discs' ISO 9660 and Universal
Disk Format (UDF) are supported. Unlike other operating systems, Linux and UNIX
allow any file system to be used regardless of the media it is stored in, whether it is a hard
drive, a disc (CD,DVD...), an USB key, or even contained within a file located on another
file system.

Similarly, many C-compilers, desktop environments and window managers are widely
supported.

Commonly chosen
Default file
Distribution Linux kernel C Compiler desktop environment or
system
window manager
Alinex 2.6.22 GCC 4.1.2 ext3 GNOME
aLinux 2.6.12 GCC 4.1.1 none KDE
ALT Linux 2.6.25 GCC 4.1.2 ext3 KDE, Xfce
Annvix 2.4.32 GCC 3.4.3 none
Arch Linux 2.6.32.3[23] GCC 4.4.1[24] none[25] any
Archie 2.6.22[26] Xfce
Ark Linux 2.6.22.3 GCC 4.2.1 JFS[27] KDE
Arudius 2.6.13 GCC 3.3.6 ext3 Fluxbox
Asianux 2.6.18 GCC 4.1.1 ext3 KDE
Aurox 2.6.9 GCC 4.1.1 ext3 KDE
BackTrack 2.6.21.5 GCC 4.1.1 ext3 KDE, Fluxbox
BLAG Linux and
2.6.25.10[28] GCC 4.1.1 ext3 GNOME
GNU
[29]
Caixa Mágica 2.6.29.3 GCC ? ? ?
CentOS 2.6.18 GCC 4.1.2 ext3 GNOME
CrunchBang Linux 2.6.27 GCC 4.3.1 ext3 Openbox
CRUX 2.6.27.8 GCC 4.3.2 none Openbox
Damn Small Linux 2.4.31 GCC 3.3.5, TCC ext3 JWM
GCC 4.3.2, GNOME, KDE, LXDE or
Debian 2.6.26 4.2.4, 4.1.2, ext3 Xfce (depending on
3.4.6 installation media)
DeLi Linux 2.4.32 GCC 2.95 ext3/ext2 IceWM
DeMuDi 2.6.12 GCC 3.3.5 ext3 GNOME
Dreamlinux 2.6.28.5[30] Xfce
SquashFS,
dyne:bolic 2.6.18 GCC 3.4.3 Xfce
ext3
Gnome, Ubuntu Netbook
Easy Peasy 2.6.30.5[31] ext3
Remix
SquashFS,
Elive 2.6.15/2.6.18.2 GCC 3.4.3 Enlightenment
ReiserFS
EnGarde Secure
2.6.17 None ext3 none
Linux
GNOME, KDE, Xfce
Fedora 2.6.31.5[32] GCC 4.4.2 ext4
(depending on spin)
Finnix 2.6.22 GCC 4.1.1 SquashFS none
Foresight Linux 2.6.27 GCC 4.1.2 ext3 GNOME
Frugalware 2.6.30 GCC 4.4.1 none none
Gentoo 2.6.32 GCC 4.4.2 none any
gnuLinEx 2.6.16 GCC 3.3.5 ext2 GNOME
GoboLinux 2.6.24.4 GCC 4.1.2 ReiserFS KDE
gNewSense 2.6.15.27 GCC 4.0.3 ext3 GNOME
Impi Linux 2.6.11.7 GCC 4.0.1 ? KDE
Kanotix 2.6.22 GCC 4.1.1 ext3 KDE
Knoppix 2.6.24.4 GCC 4.2.2 XFS LXDE
Kurumin Linux 2.6.18 GCC 4.1.1 ext3 KDE
Linspire 2.6.14 GCC 3.4.3 ReiserFS KDE
GNOME, KDE or Xfce
Linux Mint[33] 2.6.31 GCC 4.4.1 ext3
(depending on edition)
GCC 3.4.6
Lunar Linux 2.6.26 none none
GCC 4.2.4[34]
Mandriva Linux 2.6.31.5[35] GCC 4.4.1 ext3 GNOME,KDE
ReiserFS,
MEPIS 2.6.22.14 GCC ? KDE
ext3
Musix GNU+Linux 2.6.16 GCC 4.0.3 ? IceWM
Mutagenix 2.6.18 GCC ? ? KDE
Network Security
2.6.31.9[36] GCC 4.4.2 ext4 GNOME, Fluxbox
Toolkit
NimbleX 2.6.11 ? SquashFS KDE
Nitix 2.4.21 GCC 3.3.4 ReiserFS none
openSUSE 2.6.31.5 GCC 4.4.1 ext4 GNOME, KDE, Xfce
OpenWRT 2.6.27.10 none yaffs none
Paipix 2.6.14 GCC 4.0.2 none KDE
Pardus 2.6.25 GCC 3.4.6 ext3 KDE
Parsix 2.6.23.9 GCC 4.2.2 ext3 GNOME
PCLinuxOS 2.6.16 GCC 3.3.1 none KDE
Pie Box Enterprise
2.6.9 GCC 3.4.6 ext3 GNOME
Linux
SquashFS
Puppy Linux 2.6.25.16 GCC 3.3.4 containing JWM
ext2
QiLinux 2.6.17 GCC 4.0.2 ReiserFS KDE
Red Flag Linux 2.6.9 GCC 3.4.3 ext3 KDE
Red Hat Enterprise
2.6.18[37] GCC 4.1.2 ext3 GNOME
Linux
Rxart Desktop 2.6.11 ? ext3 KDE
Sabayon Linux 2.6.31 GCC 4.3.2 ext4[38] KDE, GNOME
Satux 2.6.22 GCC 4.1.2 ext3 GNOME
Scientific Linux 2.6.18 GCC 4.1.2 ext3 GNOME
SHR 2.6.29 GCC ext3 Enlightenment's Illume
sidux 2.6.31 GCC 4.3.4 ext3 KDE 4.3.2
Slackware 2.6.27.7 GCC 4.2.4 ext4 KDE
SLAX 2.6.24.4 GCC 4.2.3 SquashFS KDE
SMS - Slack Mini
2.6.29.5 GCC 4.3.3 ext4 KDE
Server
SliTaz GNU/Linux 2.6.25.5 GCC 4.2.2 ext3 Openbox
Source Mage 2.6.27.10[39] (ISO) or
GCC 4.1.2 ext2 none
GNU/Linux any
SUSE Linux 2.6.27.19 GCC 4.1.3 ext3, JFS, GNOME, KDE, Xfce
ReiserFS,
XFS
Symphony OS 2.6.16 GCC 4.1.0 ReiserFS Mezzo
SYS 2.6.26.2 (iso) / 2.6.33- GCC 4.2.4 ext3 KDE, GNOME 2.28, Xfce
 rc6 (repository [40],
(selectable in kdm)
server [41])
2.6.31[42] / 2.6.24
Ubuntu/Edubuntu GCC 4.4.1[43] ext4 GNOME
(LTS)
Kubuntu 2.6.31[42] 2.6.24 (LTS) GCC 4.4.1 [43]
ext4 KDE
XBMC Live 2.6.27 GCC 4.1.2 ext3 XBMC Media Center
Xubuntu 2.6.31[42] 2.6.24 (LTS) GCC 4.4.1 ext3 Xfce
Ututo GNU/Linux 2.6.27 GCC 4.3.2 ext3 GNOME
VectorLinux 2.6.13 GCC 3.4.6 ? Fluxbox, IceWM, Xfce
Wolvix 2.6.27.7 GCC 4.2.4 ext3 XFCE,OpenBox
Xandros Desktop
2.6.15 GCC 3.3.5 ReiserFS KDE
OS
Yoper 2.6 GCC 4.0, 4.2 ext3 KDE
Zenwalk Linux 2.6.30.5 GCC 4.3.3 ext4 Xfce
Commonly chosen
Default file
Distribution Linux kernel C Compiler desktop environment or
system
window manager

[edit] Architecture support

x86 IA-
x86 -64 ppc ppc6 sparc3 sparc6 arm hppa mips loongso s390 s390x alpha
Distribution 64
4 2 4 n
64 Studio Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
aLinux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Alinex Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
ALT Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Annvix Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Arch Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Ark Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Arudius Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Asianux Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No
Aurox Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
BLAG Linux and
Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
GNU
Caixa Mágica Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No
CentOS Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes
CrunchBang Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
CRUX Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Damn Small Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Debian[44] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ?[45] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
DeLi Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
DeMuDi Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
dyne:bolic Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Eagle Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Elive Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
EnGarde Secure
Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Linux
Fedora[46] Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No ? No No No No No No
 Finnix Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No
Foresight Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Frugalware Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Yes[4 Yes[48
Gentoo Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 7] Yes ][49] Yes Yes Yes Yes
gnuLinEx Yes Yes ? No No No No No No No No No No No
GoboLinux[50] Yes No No No No No No Yes No No No No No No
Impi Linux Yes Yes ? ? No ? ? No No No No No No No
Kanotix Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Knoppix Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Kurumin Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Linspire Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Linux Mint Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Lunar Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Mandriva Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
MEPIS Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Mutagenix Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Musix GNU+Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Network Security
Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Toolkit
NimbleX Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Nitix Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
OES2-Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No Yes No No
openSUSE[51] Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
OpenWRT[52] No No No No No No No Yes No Yes No No No No
Oracle Enterprise
Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No
Linux[53]
Paipix Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Pardus Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Parsix Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
PCLinuxOS Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Pie Box Enterprise
Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Linux
Puppy Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
QiLinux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Red Flag Linux Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No
Red Hat Enterprise No[55
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No
Linux[54] ]

Rxart Desktop Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No

Sabayon Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Satux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Scientific Linux Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No
SHR No No No No No No No Yes No No No No No No
sidux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
Slackware Yes Yes No No No No No Yes No No No Yes No No
Slax Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
SMS -Slack Mini
Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Server
SliTaz GNU/Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Source Mage Yes Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No
 GNU/Linux
SUSE Linux
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No Yes No
Enterprise Server [56]
Symphony OS Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
SYS Yes ? No No No No No No No No No No No No
Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Edu
Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No No No No No
buntu/Xubuntu
UTUTO GNU/Linux Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No
VectorLinux Yes ? No No No No No No No No No No No No
Xandros Desktop OS Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
XBMC Live Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Yellow Dog Linux No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No
Yoper Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Zenwalk Linux Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No
x86 IA- ppc6 sparc3 sparc6 loongso
Distribution x86 ppc arm hppa mips s390 s390x alpha
-64 64 4 2 4 n

[edit] Package management and installation

Information on features in the distributions. Package numbers are only approximate.

Approximat
Approximat Default
e number of Graphical
e number of package Package Default
pre- installation
Distribution source managemen Format installer
compiled procedure
packages
packages t tools

Alinex 20300 APT DEB Yes

aLinux 1200 RPM RPM No
APT (apt-
ALT Linux 8300[57] RPM Yes
rpm), RPM
Annvix APT, RPM RPM
Arch Linux 15000 Pacman tar.gz No
Archie
Ark Linux 4000 RPM, APT RPM Yes
Slackware
Arudius tgz No
Pkgtools
mlupdater,
Asianux RPM Yes
RPM
Aurox 3000 RPM, yum RPM Yes
BlackMouse Linux pkgsrc tar.gz, source
RPM, yum,
BLAG 10000 [58] RPM Yes
APT
urpmi, APT
Caixa Mágica 16000 RPM Yes
(apt-rpm)
CrunchBang Linux 23000 APT deb Yes
CRUX 1155 pkgutils tgz No
RPM,
CentOS 1660 RPM Yes
yum/up2date
Damn Small Linux 610 myDSL, .dsl, No
 .tar.gz,
APT .uci, .unc,
deb
Debian-
Debian 25113 12123 APT deb Yes
Installer
Desktop Light Linux 150 No
DeMuDi 875 APT deb Yes
Draco GNU/Linux pkgsrc tar.gz, source
Dreamlinux 23000 APT deb Yes
dyne:bolic none none Yes
Elive 20000 APT deb Yes
EnGarde Secure Linux 500 RPM, APT RPM
Fedora 8000 yum RPM Anaconda Yes
Finnix 350 APT deb No
Conary,
Foresight Linux 15000 PackageKit[59 Yes
]

Frugalware 3000 Pacman .tar.bz Yes

Gentoo 80 13000 Portage ebuild Yes[60]
gnuLinEx 200 APT deb Yes
Manager,[61]
Compile, recipes,tar.bz
GoboLinux 2000 Yes
InstallPackag 2
e
Impi Linux No
Kanotix 1200 APT deb Yes
KateOS
Knoppix 3600 APT deb No
Kurumin APT deb Yes
CNR "click
Linspire 2200 deb Yes
and run"
APT,
Linux Mint 23000 deb Ubiquity Yes
mintInstall
Lunar 3120 lin source Yes
urpmi,
Mandriva Linux 20000 RPM DrakX Yes
rpmdrake[62]
MEPIS 20000 APT deb Yes
Musix GNU+Linux 1300 APT deb Yes
Mutagenix tgz Yes
Mythbuntu 26000 APT deb Ubiquity
Network Security
8280 8280 yum RPM Anaconda Yes
Toolkit
NimbleX 500 none tgz No
SoftUpdate,
Nitix RPM Yes
yum
YaST,
openSUSE 22000 RPM YaST Yes
Zypper
OpenWRT opkg opk opkg No
Paipix 2000 APT deb Yes
Pardus 1600 PiSi .pisi Yes
Parsix APT deb Yes
PCLinuxOS 5025 APT, RPM RPM Yes
Pie Box Enterprise up2date,
1500 RPM Yes
Linux yum
PupGet,
Puppy 300 .pup, .pet Yes
DotPup
QiLinux 2500 RPM, APT RPM Yes[63]
Red Flag
Installer
Red Flag RPM Yes
System,
RPM
Red Hat Enterprise
3000 RPM, yum RPM Yes
Linux
Rxart 5000 APT deb Yes
Portage,
Sabayon Linux 12000 ebuild Yes
Entropy
SAM Linux
Satux dpkg,apt-get deb Yes
Scientific APT/yum RPM Yes
SHR opkg opk opkg No
sidux 23000 APT deb Yes
installpkg,
Slackware 544 tgz, .txz No
upgradepkg
Slax 2050 none .lzm
installpkg,
SMS - Slack Mini Server 600 tgz, .txz .lzm No
upgradepkg
SliTaz GNU/Linux 1400 Tazpkg .tazpkg Yes
Sorcery
Source Mage
5514 Package src Yes
GNU/Linux
Manager
YaST,
SUSE 22000 RPM YaST Yes
Zypper
APT,
Symphony OS RPM Yes
OneClick
installpkg,
SYS 6000 tgz No
upgradepkg
Ubuntu,Kubuntu,Xubun
26000 APT deb Ubiquity Yes
tu
UTUTO
Ututo 5000 Package ebuild
Manager
slapt-get,
Vector Linux gslapt, tgz Yes
installpkg
installpkg,
Wolvix --- tgz, .txz Yes
upgradepkg
Xandros Desktop OS APT deb Yes
XBMC Live APT deb No
Yoper 2000 Smart RPM No
netpkg,
Zenwalk Linux 1200 installpkg, tgz Yes
upgradepkg
Distribution Approximat Approximat Default Package Default Graphical
 e number of package
e number of installation
source managemen Format installer
packages procedure
packages t tools

[edit] Live CDs/DVDs/USBs

Boots from Installable
Size in RAM Use Boots from Installable Live
Distribution CD-ROM DVD[clarification Over
MB in MB needed] CD
USBs
ALT Linux Desktop
700 Yes Yes No
or Lite
Archie Yes Yes
Ark Linux 700 Yes Yes
Austrumi 50 Yes Yes
BackTrack 1570 No Yes
Officially not
CentOS 700 Yes
supported[64]
16 to
Damn Small Linux 50 Yes Yes Yes Yes
24[65]
50 to
Debian Live Yes Yes Yes Yes
5120
Dreamlinux 700 Yes Yes
dyne:bolic 650 Yes Yes
Elive 700 Yes Yes
Feather Linux 128 48 to 96 Yes Yes
Fedora 256 to
683 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Live CD 1024
100 to
Finnix 28 to 64 Yes Yes No
130
128 to
Freespire 700 Yes No Yes
768
iloog 700 Yes No
Inquisitor live CD 210 96 Yes Yes Yes
Kanotix 700 Yes Yes
Only DVD
Knoppix CD 128 to
700 Yes Yes edition is
edition 320
maintained
Knoppix DVD
4812.8 No Yes
"Maxi" edition
No longer
Knoppix STD 497 Yes Yes
updated
No longer
Gnoppix 4812.8 No Yes
updated
gOS 700 Yes Yes Yes
256 to
Linux Mint 700 Yes Yes Yes Yes
768
Mandriva Linux 128 to
700 Yes Yes Yes Yes
One 768
MCNLive 350 Yes Yes
Morphix 700 Yes Yes
Musix 700 Yes Yes Yes
Network Security
483 to 256 to
Toolkit Yes Yes Yes Yes
1300 1024
Live CD/DVD
NimbleX 200 96 to 320 Yes Yes
nUbuntu 265 Yes Yes
192 to
openGEU 700 Yes Yes
512
128 to
openSUSE 700 Yes Yes Yes Yes
768
OpenWRT < 100 < 64 No No No No
No longer
Oralux 500 Yes Yes
updated
Parted Magic 30 Yes Yes
130 to
PCLinuxOS 96 to 512 Yes Yes Yes
700
No longer
Phlak 500 Yes Yes
updated
Puppy Linux
70 32 to 192 Yes Yes Yes
(standard edition)
pure:dyne 542 Yes Yes
Red Hat Linux
Sabayon Linux Live
695 Yes Yes Yes
CD
Sabayon Linux Live
4000 No Yes Yes
DVD
SAM Linux 683 Yes Yes
400 to
sidux 193 Yes Yes Yes Yes
1999
128 to
SimplyMEPIS 706 Yes Yes Yes
512
SLAX 200 96 to 320 Yes Yes Yes
SMS - Slack Mini 283 to 128 to
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Server 950 786
SliTaz GNU/Linux 29 Yes Yes Yes Yes
SystemRescueCD 160 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Trinity Rescue Kit 104 Yes Yes
Ubuntu 700 384 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Edubuntu 700 Yes Yes
Kubuntu 700 384 Yes Yes Yes Yes
256 to
XBMC Live 700 Yes No Yes Yes
1024
Xubuntu 700 256 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Boots from Installable Live Installable
Distribution Size RAM Use Boots from DVD
CD-ROM CD Over USBs

[edit] Security features

Distribution Compile Time Mandatory Software executable grsecurity RSBAC
Buffer access control space protection
 Checks
Debian/Ubuntu unknown Yes (AppArmor) Optional (PaX) Optional Optional
Fedora Yes Yes (SELinux[66]) Yes (Exec Shield[67]) No No
Optional
Gentoo[68] unknown Optional (PaX) Optional Optional
(SELinux)
Yes
Mandriva unknown unknown unknown Yes
(AppArmor[69])
Yes (Hardware NX and
Yes
SUSE Yes other methods in mainline No No
(AppArmor[70])
kernel and toolchain [71])

[edit] See also

Free software portal
• List of Linux distributions
• List of Linux distributions free of proprietary code
• Comparison of operating systems

Comparison of Windows and Linux

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For a broader comparison of closed source and open source software, see Comparison
of open source and closed source.
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (October 2007)
This article is written like an advertisement. Please help rewrite this article
from a neutral point of view. For blatant advertising that would require a
fundamental rewrite to become encyclopedic, use {{db-spam}} to mark for
speedy deletion. (January 2010)

Comparisons between the Microsoft Windows and Linux computer operating systems
are a common topic of discussion among their users. Currently Windows is by far the
most popular proprietary personal computer operating system (in terms of desktop
installations), while Linux is the most prominent free software operating system (note
that some proprietary components, such as compiled, binary only drivers provided by
hardware manufacturers, are included in many Linux distributions). Both operating
systems not only compete for user base in the personal computer market but are also
rivals in the server and embedded systems markets.

The comparisons below reflect three different families of Windows operating systems,
each based on a different codebase and design. These families are: (1) Windows and
Windows for Workgroups 3.1 (DOS-based), Windows 95, and Windows 98 and ME,
legacy versions that are no longer sold today; (2) the NT family, including Windows
2000, XP, Vista, 7, and Servers 2003 and 2008. This family runs all Microsoft-supported
desktop and server computers today; and (3) The Windows Embedded family, comprised
of both scaled-down versions of other Windows versions and specialized operating
systems such as Windows CE. The focus of these comparisons is mainly on the NT
family.

Linux is available for many types of CPUs: IA-32 (i386 and later PC processors), x86-64
(64-bit PCs and most Mac computers with Intel processors), Itanium, MIPS, PowerPC,
ARM, and others. However, current versions of the Windows NT kernel focus only on
the first three. Because of the diversity of CPU types supported, Linux finds applications
today in routers, set-top boxes, PDAs and mobile phones as well as in servers and
desktops. Windows Embedded has a historically long market, starting with DOS on POS
terminals. Today's Windows CE kernel runs in under a megabyte of memory, and it no
longer solely targets hand-held computers.[1] Microsoft has based many embedded
platforms on the core Windows CE operating system, including AutoPC, Windows
Mobile, Mediaroom, Portable Media Center, and many industrial devices and embedded
systems. Windows CE even powered select games for the Dreamcast.

Microsoft Windows dominates in the desktop and personal computer markets with about
90% of the desktop market share, and in 2007, accounted for about 66% of all servers
sold (while not necessarily used).[citation needed] In server revenue market share, as of Q4
2007, Microsoft Windows had 36.3% and Linux had 12.7%.[2] As of June 2009, Linux
powered 88.6% of the world's most powerful supercomputers.[3] In December 2008,
Linux powered five of the ten most reliable internet hosting companies, compared to
Windows' one.[4]

Linux and Microsoft Windows differ in philosophy, cost, ease of use, versatility and
stability, with each seeking to improve in their perceived weaker areas. Comparisons of
the two operating systems tend to reflect their origins, historic user bases and distribution
models. Typical perceived weaknesses regularly cited have often included the poor “out-
of-box” usability of the Linux desktop for the mass-market[citation needed], while Microsoft
Windows' main drawback is susceptibility to viruses and malware due to its enormous
market share and lack of security features that could thwart this.[5]

Proponents of free software argue that the key strength of Linux is the degree of freedom
allowed to the users: "the freedom to run the program [such as Linux]...to study...and
change it...the freedom to redistribute copies...[and] improve the program, and release
your improvements."[6] Windows embedded devices are often configured without disk
storage, and may be configured as a “closed” system that does not allow for end-user
extension.

Contents
[hide]
• 1 Total cost of ownership
 o 1.1 Real world experience
• 2 Market share
• 3 User interface
• 4 Installation
• 5 Accessibility and usability
• 6 Stability
• 7 Performance
• 8 Support
• 9 Programs
o 9.1 Gaming
• 10 Security
o 10.1 Filesystem permissions
 10.1.1 Linux and Unix-like systems
 10.1.2 Windows
• 11 VLSI industry
• 12 Localization
• 13 See also
• 14 References

• 15 External links

[edit] Total cost of ownership

See also: Studies related to Microsoft

In 2004, Microsoft launched a marketing campaign, "Get the Facts", to encourage users
to switch from Linux to its Windows Server System.[7] Microsoft claims that its products
have an overall lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than open source programs because
of their ease of use, resulting in less work and lower staff wages.[8]

However, a variety of Linux supporters, companies, and organizations, notably Linux

distributor Novell, who produces SUSE Enterprise Linux and tech news outlet The
Register, dispute Microsoft's figures.[9] One argument supporting the cost-effectiveness of
Linux is that although Linux administrators are usually paid somewhat higher salaries
than Windows administrators, a competent Linux administrator can take care of more
computers than the latter. A study conducted by Chad Robinson, senior research analyst
at tech/business researcher Robert Frances Group (RFG), supports this view.[10][11]

In 2004, The UK's Advertising Standards Authority warned Microsoft that an

advertisement using research that claimed "Linux was […] 10 times more expensive than
Windows Server 2003", was "misleading", as the hardware chosen for the Linux server
was needlessly expensive.[12]

[edit] Real world experience

The German Foreign Office said that the cost of open source desktop maintenance is by
far the lowest it experienced.[13] The French Gendarmerie reported saving millions on
license fees by switching to Linux desktops from Windows XP, following the success of
OpenOffice.org roll-outs.[14][15]

[edit] Market share

The market share of Linux or Microsoft Windows is difficult to determine as users of the
former are usually not required to register with any organization to use their copies;
additionally, a large number of unlicensed (illegal) copies of Windows exist. The above
desktop usage share data is estimated from web browser user agent strings, rather than
actual sales information or detailed surveys. This is highly unreliable for many reasons
including, but not limited to, web browsers that do not always provide accurate
information to web servers, and selection bias: Different websites attract different
audiences that may be more prone to using one OS or another. Also, desktop computers
used for other tasks will be given a lower weight than computers mostly used for web-
surfing. Microsoft's own numbers for Linux share are higher.[16] More estimates of the
market shares are available at Usage share of desktop operating systems. According to a
survey by the Eclipse Foundation (an open-source foundation) in 2009, Linux was the
most popular deployment choice for developers. There is a shift from Microsoft
Windows to Linux and Apple's Mac OS X for their desktop development operating
system. 26.9% of the respondents cited Linux as their primary desktop operating system,
representing a 7% increase from 2007. Though Windows was still the dominant
development OS at 64%, it had decreased 10% from 2007. The most popular Linux
variant of choice for development use was Ubuntu, which accounted for over half of
Linux respondents. Mac OS X had increased to 6.9% from 3.5% in 2007.[17]

Windows Linux Notes

Estimated 92.54%[18] 1.02%[18] October 2009

Desktop Usage
Share

Pre- Pre-installed by default on Pre-installed by default on Microsoft's

installation almost all new desktop PCs very few new desktop PCs. agreement
However, Ubuntu is now with vendors
available on all System76 to sell only the
computers, some Dell Windows OS
computers, and SUSE Linux is being
Enterprise Desktop on some challenged in
Lenovo ThinkPads.[19] court by
Recently many more Linux- French
 based low-end consumer consumer
laptops have been rights groups.
introduced.[20] [21]
Such
agreements by
See also: Comparison of Microsoft
Subnotebooks were found
illegal in the
case United
States v.
Microsoft.

Server revenue 37.3%[2] 13.8%[2] First quarter,

market share 2009

Top 500 1.0% (absolute 5)[3] 88.6% (absolute 443), the June 2009
supercomputer 14 fastest supercomputers
operating run Linux[3]
system family
share

[edit] User interface

Windows Linux Notes

Graphical The Windows Shell. The

user window manager is the
interface Desktop Window Manager on
Windows Vista, and a
Stacking window manager
built on top of GDI in older The KDE Plasma Desktop
versions. The desktop
environment may be modified A number of desktop
by a variety of third party environments are available,
products such as of which GNOME and KDE
WindowBlinds; or are the most widely used. By
completely replaced, for default, they use as their
example by Blackbox for window managers Metacity
Windows, or LiteStep. With and KWin respectively,
Windows Server 2008 and though these can be replaced
 later, there is also the option by other window managers
of running "Server Core" such as Compiz Fusion.
which replaces the standard
window manager with the Other desktop environments
command prompt [22]. The and window managers
graphics drivers, subsystem, include Xfce, LXDE,
and core widgets are included Enlightenment, Xmonad,
with all installations, Openbox, Fluxbox, etc. The
including those used as X Window system runs in
servers. user-space and is optional.[23]
Multiple X Window system
instances can run at once, and
it is a fully networked
protocol. See Also:
Comparison of X Window
System desktop
environments.
Command- A command-
line line interface,
interface typically
displayed in a
system console
or terminal
emulator
window, allows
users to tell the
A sample Windows computer to
PowerShell session perform tasks
ranging from
A sample Bash session the simple (for
The Command Prompt exists
to provide direct example,
Linux is strongly integrated copying a file)
communication between the with the system console. The to the complex
user and the operating command line can be used to (compiling and
system. A .NET-based recover the system if the
command line environment installing new
graphics subsystem fails.[24][25] software).
called Windows PowerShell A large number of Unix
has been developed. It varies Shells are
shells exists; with the powerful but
from Unix/Linux shells in majority being "Bourne shell can be
that, rather than using byte compatible" shells, of which confusing to
streams, the PowerShell the most widely used is GNU new users.
pipeline is an object pipeline; Bash. Alternatives include the Some complex
that is, the data passed feature-full Z shell; as well as tasks are more
between cmdlets are fully shells based on the syntax of easily
typed objects. When data is other programming accomplished
 through shells
piped as objects, the elements languages, such as the C than through a
they encapsulate retain their shell, and Perl Shell. Many GUI, such as
structure and types across applications can be scripted piping, or
cmdlets, without the need for through the system console, scripting. See
[26]
any serialization or explicit there are a lot of small and also:
parsing of the stream. specialized utilities meant to Comparison of
Cygwin or MS's own work together and to integrate computer shells.
Services for Unix provides a with other programs. This is
bash terminal for Windows. called the toolbox principle.
[citation needed]
Posix subsystem is
built in but not enabled by
default. The Console can
execute up to 4 kinds of
environments, MSDOS
scripts under NT or via
Command.com runnung on
NTVDM, NT shell scripts
and OS/2 Console Scripts.
Certainly NT3.1 to NT4.0 ran
OS/2 console mode binaries
also. Windows Script Host is
included in Windows 98 and
newer versions.

[edit] Installation
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk
page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (January
2009)

Windows Linux Notes

[29][30][31]
Varies greatly by
Ease of Install On Windows Server 2003 distribution. Most
and prior, the installation is distributions intended for
divided into two stages; the new or intermediate users
first, text-mode; the second, provide simple graphical
graphical.[27] On Windows installers.
Vista and newer, the
installation is single stage, General purpose oriented
and graphical. distributions offer a live CD
or GUI installer (SuSE,
Some older versions require Debian, Pardus, Pclinuxos,
third party drivers (for Mandriva, Ubuntu, Fedora
 example, by using driver etc.), others offer a menu-
floppies disks or driven installer (Vector
slipstreaming the drivers and Linux, Slackware, Debian)
creating a new installation while others, targeting more
CD) if using a large number specialized groups, require
of SATA or SATA2 drives source to be copied and
or RAID arrays.[28] compiled (Gentoo). The
system can also be built
completely from scratch,
directly from source code
(Linux from Scratch).
Drivers The Windows installation Linux kernels in most
media usually contains distributions include the
enough drivers to make the majority of drivers available
OS functional. To this end, as modules, hardware is
"generic" drivers may be detected and drivers loaded
used to provide basic at boot with usually little or
functionality. Drivers for no user interaction required.
these devices can later be These drivers are generally
upgraded from the written by someone working
manufacturer. Windows for the hardware
Update may also contain manufacturer or by someone
updated drivers that can be in the user community
installed after the base OS is skilled in doing so; usually
in place. Drivers are almost the drivers are included in
always closed-source, the kernel (open-source),
maintained and published by and therefore do not require
the manufacturer of their additional media or any user
respective devices. Recent interaction. A few hardware
version of 64-bit Windows manufactures (Broadcom,
force all drivers to be signed, Nvidia) have proprietary
giving Microsoft the sole drivers which require
ability to authorize drivers; manual installation.
this feature cannot be easily
overridden by system Prior to introduction of
[32][33]
administrators. DKMS, third party kernel
modules had to be manually
updated when the kernel was
upgraded.
Installation May be installed through the Almost all Linux
via Live Windows Preinstallation distributions now have a live
Environments Environment or BartPE. CD that may be used for
However, only the former is testing, install or recovery.[34]
endorsed by Microsoft. Only
 Microsoft-certified System
Builders (OEM companies)
are allowed to use the
WinPE disk for installation,
by license. End-users are not
allowed to use the WinPE
installation environment.
Pre-installed Some multimedia and home All main distributions Microsoft's
software use software (IE, Media contain numerous programs: methods of
Player, Notepad, WordPad, multimedia, graphics, bundling
Paint…) plus OEM bundled internet, office suites, software were
software. Windows Vista games, system utilities and deemed illegal
Includes IE7, Windows alternative desktop in the case
Mail, Windows Media environments. Some United States
Center, etc. depending on distributions specialise in v. Microsoft.[35]
which edition is purchased. education, games, or
It does not include Office security. Most distributions
suites or advanced give users the choice of
multimedia software. which bundled programs to
However, Microsoft has install, if any.
licensed decoders for a
number of patented audio
and video coding methods,
including the mp3 audio
format, and Windows is able
to play a number of patented
formats by default.
Not pre- A massive pool of both A massive pool of free Linux
installed proprietary software software and some distributions
software (including shareware and proprietary software can not
freeware) and free software. covering a wide range of lawfully
Programs usually come with use. A Microsoft employee include MP3 or
the required libraries and are
wrote in an internal report in MPEG-4 file
normally installed easily. 1998 that "Most of the decoders in a
Most programs must be primary apps that people majority of
individually installed. require when they move to countries, as it
Linux are already available would violate
Uninstallation can be of for free."[36] Using free the Patent
varying difficulty depending Windows-compatibility Cooperation
on which of many installer layers like Wine, some Treaty. There
methods were used, Windows software can also is nothing
components and registry be run, often to a lesser preventing a
entries may be left behind. degree, on Linux. Third- user from
Windows has a built-in party software is usually installing these
installer program, and listed/integrated into a decoders,
 packaging system, which is however the
software that is to be built into the OS. Less user assumes
installed has an installer popular programs, which are all liability for
"wrapper" that interfaces not in the distributions installing said
with the Windows Installer repositories, are often pieces of
to accomplish installation. provided in a form (such as software.
Not all Windows software the DEB format or the RPM Media players
uses the install manager. (Red Hat Package Manager) (such as
format) which can be Rhythmbox))
installed easily by the for free
package manager. If no alternative
precompiled package exists, audio/video
programs can be more or formats are
less automatically built from available in
the source code. Most Linux, but
software is installed non- these players
interactively to a default are unable to
configuration. decode
patented
formats, such
as MP3,
without
installing
additional
plugin(s).[37] In
particular with
the MP3 file
format, many
companies
claim patents
relevant to the
format. See
Patent issues
with MP3 for
more
information.
Partitioning Expanding NTFS partitions Most file systems support
is possible without resizing partitions without
problems, and on Vista it is losing data. LVM provide
possible to shrink partitions dynamic partitioning. All
as well. Dynamic Disks Linux distributions have
provide dynamic bundled partitioning
partitioning. Third party software such as fdisk or
tools are available that have gparted
more features than the built-
in partitioning tools.
 File systems Natively supported: NTFS, Natively supported: ext2, Windows can
FAT, ISO 9660, UDF, and ext3, ext4, ReiserFS, FAT, read and write
others; 3rd-party drivers ISO 9660, UDF, NFS, NTFS with Ext2 and
available for ext2, ext3, (incomplete), JFS, XFS and Ext3 file
reiserfs, HFS, and others others; many additional systems with
filesystems (most notably third-party
NTFS using NTFS-3g, and drivers such as
ZFS) are available using FS-driver or
FUSE. Archives and FTP ext2fsd; and
sites also can be mounted as ReiserFS
filesystems. through rfstool
and related
programs.
Boot Loader May boot to multiple May boot to multiple
versions of Windows operating systems through
through the Windows Boot numerous bootloaders such
Manager in Windows Vista as LILO and GRUB. With
and newer; or the earlier these, it is possible to choose
boot loader NTLDR in among multiple installed
Windows Server 2003 and kernel images at boot time.
prior. Graphical Graphical configuration
configuration tools are tools for GRUB are
available for both, such as available including
EasyBCD for the Windows KGRUBEditor[39] (KDE) and
Boot Manager and GrubConf [40] (GNOME).
MSConfig for NTLDR, GRUB can also accept
which can chain load arbitrary, one-time
multiple non-NT configurations at boot time
environments, including via the GRUB prompt.
Linux, by referring to GRUB and LILO also
volume boot records from support booting to non-Unix
those environments saved on operating systems via chain
the Windows partition.[38] loading; for a Windows and
Linux dual-boot system, it is
often easiest to install
Windows first and then
Linux because Linux
installers such as Ubuntu's
installer will easily and fully
automatically detect and set
up other operating systems
for dual/multiple boot with
Linux.[41]

Linux distributions were said to be difficult for the average user to install.[citation needed]
However, easy-to-use installers were becoming common on the major distributions
already by the beginning of the twenty-first century. The main Linux distributions
include graphical package managers which assist the user in searching for packages and
installing them graphically (e.g., Fedora's PackageKit, and Debian and Ubuntu's Synaptic
Package Manager). When package managers are used the user saves time as there is no
need of surfing to web pages, downloading the appropriate packages, and installing them;
the package manager handles all downloading, installing, resolving of dependencies, and
conflict resolution.[42]

Today, most distributions[citation needed] have simplified the installation and offer a “Live CD”
system allowing users to boot fully functional Linux systems directly from a CD or DVD
with the option of installing them on the hard drive. This enables a user to evaluate a
distribution for either software or hardware compatibility with no permanent modification
to their computer.

The Windows install process and most general-use Linux distributions use a wizard to
guide users through the install process. Windows often comes pre-installed while a Linux
distribution has to be chosen and installed, but one can argue that the installation of Linux
nowadays is no more difficult than configuration of a pre-installed Windows.[citation needed]

[edit] Accessibility and usability

A study released in 2003 by Relevantive AG indicates that “The usability of Linux as a
desktop system was judged to be nearly equal to that of Windows XP”.[43]

Windows Linux

User Focus Mostly consistent. The quality of graphical

Inconsistencies appear design varies between
primarily through backports desktop environments and
—software ported from distributions. The two
newer operating systems to biggest desktop
older ones. For example, environments (GNOME and
software ported from Vista KDE) have clearly defined
to XP must follow the Vista interface guidelines, which
guidelines, those of the tend to be followed
newer system (IE7 and consistently and clearly.[45][46]
Windows Media Player 11 These provide consistency
are examples of this).[citation and a high grade of
needed]
However, Microsoft customizability in order to
continually pushes for adapt to the needs of the
consistency between user. Distributions such as
releases with guidelines for Ubuntu, SuSE, Fedora or
interface design. The latest Mandriva take this one step
 are Windows Vista User further, combining well-
[44]
Experience guidelines. functioning usability and
Their focus is on safety. However,
consistency and usability, inconsistencies may appear,
but with increased concern since GNOME-based
for safety in new versions. programs, following
Third-party applications different guidelines, look
may or may not follow these notably different from KDE
guidelines, may have their programs. There are other
own guidelines, or may not environments/window
follow any rules for managers, usually targeting
interface design. professionals or minimalist
users, featuring some very
powerful programs with
rudimentary, minimalist
graphical front-ends,
focusing much more on
performance, small size and
safety. WindowMaker and
the
Fluxbox/Openbox/Blackbox
environments are such
examples. Some other
environments fit between the
two models, giving both
power, eye candy and
simplicity
(Enlightenment/E17, Xfce).
Some graphical
environments are targeted to
mouse users only (Fluxbox),
others to keyboard users
only (Ratpoison), others to
either. Certain graphical
environments are also
designed to be as resource-
conservative as possible, so
as to run on older machines.

Consistency User interaction with Consistency ranges from

between software is usually high to poor between
versions consistent between versions, distributions, versions,
releases, and editions. window managers/desktop
environments, and programs.
 Software is generally highly
user-customizable, and the
user may keep the
customizations between
versions.

Consistency All Microsoft software Highly consistent within Though

between follows the same guidelines KDE and GNOME. Windows' GDI
applications for GUI, although not all However the vast amount of and most
software developed for additional software that widget toolkits
Windows by third parties comes with a distribution is in Linux allow
follows these GUI sourced from elsewhere; it for
guidelines. As stated above, may not follow the same applications to
backports tend to follow the GUI guidelines or it may be created with
guidelines from the newer cause inconsistencies (e.g. a custom look
operating system. different look and feel and feel, most
between programs built with applications on
different widget toolkits). both platforms
simply use the
default look
and feel.
However, there
are exceptions
like FL Studio
for Windows,
and LMMS for
Linux.

Linux offers dozens of

Customization By default, Windows only different user interfaces to
offers customization of size choose from through
and color of the graphical numerous desktop
elements, and it is typically environments and window
not possible to change how managers. Different
the interface reacts to user environment offers various
input. levels of customizability,
ranging from the basic
A few third-party programs colors and size to extreme
allow some more extensive customizability of user
customization, like input, actions, and display.
WindowBlinds or LiteStep,
but radical changes are It is possible to switch from
usually out of reach. It is not one to another interface at
possible to customize the any time, though graphic
 applications that do not use applications will generally
the default look-and-feel need to be closed.
beyond the options the
specific application offers.
Accessibility Both Windows and Linux offer accessibility options,[47] such as high
contrast displays and larger text/icon size, text to speech and magnifiers.

[edit] Stability

Windows Linux Notes

General Windows operating systems A Linux window manager, a Instability can

stability based on the NT kernel key component of the X be caused by
(including all currently Window-based GUI system, poorly written
supported versions of can be highly stable or quite programs,
desktop Windows) are buggy,[citation needed] but the aside from
technically much more more common ones are intrinsic OS
stable than some older stable. Mechanisms to stability, as
versions (including terminate badly behaving Linux's
Windows 3.1 and 95/98). applications exist at multiple graphics
Installing unsigned or beta levels, such as Ksysguard system is
drivers can lead to decreased and the kill command. decoupled
system stability (see below). Because Linux can use a from the kernel
text based system if the and the system.
graphics system fails,[24][25] Linux's
the graphics system can be graphics
easily restarted following a system can
crash without a whole usually be
system reboot. restarted
without
affecting non-
graphical
programs and
services
running under
other shells,
and without
restart.[48]

Device driver Device drivers are provided Some vendors contribute to Crashes can be
stability by Microsoft or written by free drivers (Intel, HP, etc.) caused by
the hardware manufacturer. or provide proprietary hardware
Microsoft also runs a drivers (Nvidia, ATI, etc.). problems or
certification program, Unlike Windows, however, poorly written
WHQL Testing, through kernel developers and device drivers.
which most drivers are hobbyists write many or Both operating
digitally signed by most device drivers; in these systems,
Microsoft as compatible drivers, any developer is utilizing
with the operating system, potentially able to fix aspects of
especially on 64-bit stability issues and other monolithic
versions. This ensures a bugs. Kernel developers do kernel
maximum level of stability. not support the use of architecture,
drivers that are not open- run drivers in
source, since only the the same
manufacturer can fix address space
stability issues in closed- as the kernel,
source drivers.[49] leading to
crashes or
hangs resulting
from buggy
device drivers.

Downtime Reboots are usually required Linux itself needs to restart

after system and driver only for kernel updates.[51]
updates. Microsoft has its However, a special utility
hotpatching[50] technology, can be used to load the new
designed to reduce kernel and execute it
downtimes. without a hardware reset
(kexec) and hence can stay
up for years without a single
hardware reboot, reducing
downtime. For minor
updates such as security
fixes, Ksplice allows the
linux kernel to be patched
without a reboot. System
libraries, services and
applications can mostly be
upgraded without restarting
running software (old
instances use the "replaced"
versions)
 All processes except for init
Recovery In modern, NT-based and processes in D or Z state
versions of Windows, may be terminated from the
programs that crash may be command line. If the GUI
forcibly ended through the hangs, on most distributions,
task manager by pressing CTRL+ALT+F1 takes the
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC or user to the terminal, where
CTRL+ALT+DEL. the process can be killed,
and the GUI restored.
Should this fail, other third- Applications can also be
party applications can also closed via the GUI. The
be used. However, if a badly optional SysRQ allows low-
behaving application hangs level system manipulation
the entire GUI, it is difficult and crash recovery. The
or impossible to recover entire graphical subsystem
without restarting the entire can be restarted without the
computer, since there is no need for a whole system
text-based management shutdown. Reboots are
console independent of the seldom required.[52][53]
GUI to resort to.
Additionally, Live CDs of
Linux, if equipped with the
correct tools, can work to
repair a broken OS if the
hard drive is mountable.[54]
Unrecoverable If the kernel or a driver The Unix equivalent of the
errors running in kernel mode Windows blue screen is
encounters an error under known as a kernel panic.
circumstances whereby The kernel routines that
Windows cannot continue to handle panics are usually
operate safely, a "bug designed to output an error
check" (colloquially known message to the console,
as a "stop error" or "Blue create a memory dump, and
Screen of Death") is thrown. then either halt the system or
A memory dump is created restart automatically.
and, depending on the
configuration, the computer
may then automatically
restart. Additionally,
automatic restart can be
applied to services.

For an operating system to be subjectively “stable”, numerous components must operate

synchronously. Not all of these components are under the control of OS vendor; while
Linux and Windows kernels may be stable, poorly written applications and drivers can
hamstring both. Much of stability, then, is the extent to which the operating system is
structured to thwart the consequences of bad behavior of third party installations.

Much of the reputation Windows has for instability can be traced to Windows 95, 98, and
ME, which were notorious for displaying the blue screen of death (BSOD) upon crashing.
Three weaknesses with these particular Windows versions increased the likelihood such a
crash would occur:

• Full 16-bit compatibility. When memory management of the DOS subsystem

failed, it would often prompt a BSOD. NT based Windows versions have no true
16-bit support; they contain legacy, 16-bit programs within an emulated sandbox
that denies direct hardware access. The 64-bit versions even lack 16-bit support
entirely.
• Direct hardware access. Unlike Windows NT, Windows 9x had no hardware
abstraction layer. A program or driver that attempted to access protected memory,
or interfaced poorly with the hardware, could cause a BSOD.
• Poor DLL management. DLLs are external libraries of functions that prevent
unnecessary repetition in a program. Windows 9x had no protections on system
DLLs, and poorly written programs would often overwrite them at will with
incorrect versions. Over time, the general stability of the system would decrease.
Windows 2000 and later versions have a routine called Windows File Protection
that prevents the replacement of important system files.

These are not the exclusive causes of instability, but their correction in the Windows NT
codebase has dramatically improved the stability of all subsequent Windows variants:
Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003 and Vista.

[edit] Performance

Windows Linux Notes

Linux kernel 2.6 once

Process NT-based versions of used a scheduling
Scheduling Windows use a CPU algorithm favoring
scheduler based on a interactive processes.
multilevel feedback queue, Here "interactive" is
with 32 priority levels defined as a process that
defined. The kernel may has short bursts of CPU
change the priority level of usage rather than long
a thread depending on its ones. It is said that a
I/O and CPU usage and process without root
whether it is interactive privilege can take
(i.e. accepts and responds advantage of this to
to input from humans), monopolize the CPU,[57]
 when the CPU time
raising the priority of accounting precision is
interactive and I/O low. However,
bounded processes and Completely Fair
lowering that of CPU Scheduler, now the
bound processes, to standard scheduler,
increase the responsiveness addresses this problem.
of interactive applications.
[55]

The scheduler was

modified in Windows Vista
to use the cycle counter
register of modern
processors to keep track of
exactly how many CPU
cycles a thread has
executed, rather than just
using an interval-timer
interrupt routine.[56]
This section of this table is in need of
attention from an expert on the
subject. WikiProject Computing or the
Computing Portal may be able to help
recruit one. (April 2009)
Memory Windows NT family Most hard drive The ideal solution
Management/ (including 2000, XP, Vista, installations of Linux performance-wise
Disk Paging Win7) most commonly utilize a "swap partition", is to have the
employs a dynamically where the disk space pagefile on its own
allocated pagefile for allocated for paging is hard drive, which
memory management. A separate from general eliminates both
pagefile is allocated on data, and is used strictly fragmentation and
disk, for less frequently for paging operations. I/O issues.
accessed objects in This reduces slowdown
memory, leaving more due to disk fragmentation
RAM available to actively from general use. As with
used objects. This scheme Windows, for best
suffers from slow-downs performance the swap
due to disk fragmentation partition should be placed
(if a variable size paging on a hard drive separate
file is specified), which from the primary one.
hampers the speed at which Linux also allows to
the objects can be brought adjust "swappiness" e.g.
back into memory when the amount of data it
they are needed. Windows needs to buffer (this is not
 XP and later can equivalent to adjusting
defragment the pagefile, the virtual memory size).
and on NTFS filesystems, Windows does not
intelligently allocate blocks support such features.
to avoid this problem.
Windows can be
configured to place the
pagefile on a separate disk
or partition.[58] However,
this is not default behavior,
because if the pagefile is
on a separate partition, then
Windows cannot create a
memory dump in the event
of a Stop Error. On the NT
family, executed programs
become part of the paging
system (to improve
performance). Programs
cannot normally access
each others address space.
It is possible to configure
the OS to have no
additional paging file.
[clarification needed]

The Windows
3.1/95/98/ME family does
not have true virtual
memory and uses a simpler
swapping scheme easily
leading to needless swaps
and disc fragmentation.
Programs on this family
can access each other's
address space. [59]

[edit] Support
This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (November 2008)

Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be
found on the talk page. (March 2007)
 Windows Linux Notes

Community Microsoft Developer Most support is provided by There are paid

support Network (MSDN), advanced users and local Windows
Microsoft TechNet: developers over online techs. Fewer
Resources for IT forums, and other free for Linux.
Professionals, and community based venues.
multitudes of user driven Professional support is Most OEM's
support forums are available available, but most offer support
at no charge. Additional commonly only utilized by along with
support is available by 3rd large-scale businesses, and their products,
party services. server dependent which include
organizations. both hardware
and software
technical
support.
Phone support By Microsoft or OEM. Red Hat, Canonical, Novell
Usually for a fee. and other major distributors
have support available as
well for a fee.
Documentation A wealth of information is Most documentation is
available free online, or in available online, either in
books, as well as on FAQ form or Wiki pages on
Microsoft's own support developers websites.
page. Detailed documentation for
specific commands,
programs, functions,
libraries, files, and file
formats are available
through the man pages,
which are accessed through
the command line, or
through graphical viewers.
Large applications often
come with separate
documentation. Some major
distributions have books
written by 3rd party authors,
mainly for server admins, or
application development.
Source code is available for
all free software.
Training Many IT courses are written Linux is taught in many
 computing university
courses in programming and
computer science.[citation needed]
for participants to learn how
Linux diplomas and
to use and manage Windows
certificates are rarely
systems and networks. Most
offered. Courses for
computer assistance experts
certifications are provided
have Windows training and
by Linux Professional
qualifications.
Institute and some
distributions, such as Red
Hat and Ubuntu.
As Windows has the Most non-Linux-specific
majority of the market products give little to no
share, most producers of instructions to install or use
Third Party software and hardware will software on Linux. Indeed,
Documentation give Windows specific some Linux laptops have
instructions for the shipped with superfluous
installation and operation of Windows documentation.
[citation needed]
their programs and drivers.

[edit] Programs
This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (December 2007)

Windows Linux Notes

Binary There are many Cedega, CrossOver, and With binary

Emulation, programs that will Wine can be used to run emulation (or
Alternative setup a Unix-like many Windows programs on alternative API
API environments that run Linux with varying degrees implementation)
in Windows. Microsoft of reliability. While these user is able to run
supports SUA. SUA programs technically do not software designed to
may be used to emulate Windows, and run on different
compile raw Linux instead provide an alternate operating system or
source code, which Windows API, the practical hardware platform.
will run in a console. effect is the same. Some
In order to run through windows software may not
Program run correctly since API
Manager/Explorer, implementation provided by
installation of other these software packages is
libraries and a suitable not complete. Wine and
 X server program are similar approaches often
required. Microsoft require less cpu power than
does not support Hardware emulation or
LINA, Cygwin, and Virtualization where a whole
MinGW, but these Microsoft Windows
open source programs operating system must be
will run on Windows run.
to set up a Unix-like
environment. Windows
is capable of running
any enterprise
application.

Hardware VMware, VirtualBox, VMware, VirtualBox, Xen, With virtualization

emulation Virtual PC, Virtual Parallels, Linux-VServer, you may run an
and Server, Hyper-V (only OpenVZ, Win4Lin, KVM. operating system
Virtualization available on 64-bit VirtualBox and QEMU can within another
versions of Vista SP2, be used to run Microsoft operating system.
Windows 7, and Windows as guest operating
Windows Server system.
2008), Parallels,
QEMU on new
hardware.

Operating Several linux User-mode Linux allows Andlinux and

systems run distributions can be run users to run Linux kernel as TopologiLinux are
as application inside windows as userland application. the simplest ways of
userland application running linux
using Cooperative software on
Linux as kernel and windows.
Xming as X server.
There exist user-
friendly easy to install
software packages
based on this approach
(Andlinux ,
TopologiLinux,
Portable Ubuntu). A
Linux distribution
installed in this way
has binary
compatibility with
other x86 linux
 distributions, the only
difference is a special
kernel modification –
allowing it to run on
top of windows.

Linux programs are PM simplifies the

Package Windows programs are sometimes dependent on process of installing
management not tied to specific exact kernel and library new software,
system library or kernel version (or ranges of updating it, and
versions and the versions). Such programs managing
original developer of a will only function properly dependencies (See
program can therefore on a specific (or very Dependency hell).
distribute a single similar) version of the In Linux
package that can work distribution they were built distributions the
on multiple versions of for. In order to manage the type of package
Windows. This complicated dependencies manager is pre-
obviates any problem that arise, most distributions determined by what
comparable to what have a package manager, the distribution was
exists in the Linux often based upon RPM, originally derived
ecosystem where it's APT, or Gentoo Ebuild from though more
necessary to maintain metapackages (source). modern distributions
large repositories of Sometimes an installation can import other
packages compiled for can have a second package package formats.
exact versions of the management system which is
operating system, and incompatible with the
to manage complicated primary system. Numerous
dependencies between distribution-specific front-
different package ends exist on top of the core
versions and repository formats allowing for GUI or
sources, however in command-line package
some cases it raises the installation e.g. aptitude,
need to update large Synaptic, Portage, YaST and
numbers of programs YUM. Though rare, some
in case of a security or distributions create their own
otherwise important formats e.g. Pardus PiSi or
update. Pacman.

Modern versions of Most package managers

Windows rely on the have a form of package
Windows Installer to signing usually based on
install and manage PGP e.g. OpenPGP for
software. This registers Debian packages. It is also
what components are possible to create a GUI
installed where on the installation package not
 user's system. depending on the
Microsoft's guidelines distributions by using
strongly suggest that Autopackage. Software can
software vendors use also be compiled from
the Windows Installer. source code, which does not
However, many require any kind of package-
applications are still management system.
deployed with However, compiling
alternative installers. software from its source
One example is NSIS. code can be time-consuming
Applications are and difficult. Source code is
typically installed into also typically tied to specific
the Program Files library versions, and in many
directory by an cases, source code can not be
executable file. compiled without updating
system libraries, which can
disable existing installed
software that is dependent on
exact builds of those
libraries. In some cases,
conflicts arise where the
latest version of one program
depends on having an older
version of a specific library,
and another program will
depend on having a newer
version of the same library.
Adding New Thousands of programs In addition to website
Programs are available for downloads, thousands of
download from many programs are available from
websites and for repositories maintained by
purchase on CD/DVD each distribution and are
in retail shops. generally considered
"trusted" and require review
Programs must be before new additions will be
downloaded (or accepted. Access to the
purchased on repositories is usually
CD/DVD) and without cost. Installing new
installed individually. software typically needs only
The user has to search its name, and sophisticated
for the package they tools help the user finding
need, and track the name of the software
dependencies (if any) they need.
by hand.
The package manager
 automatically handles
download and installation of
selected packages, and
automatically upgrades or
patches software when a
newer version appears in the
repository. For some
distributions, however, it's
normal not to update the
applications released
together with the distribution
to new versions. In these
cases, only security updates
are provided.[60] Third-party
software rarely (if ever)
contains
adware/spyware/viruses, and
does not require as much
discretion in that regard.
Driver Windows provides Few working specifications
development extensive, well- exist for Linux driver
documented programming interfaces, and
programming no model for consistent
interfaces that enable binary driver support exists.
third parties to develop In fact, a compiled Linux
kernel software that driver is tied to builds
extends and modifies similar to the kernel running
system behavior. on the machine where the
Microsoft provides its driver was compiled. This
Windows Driver Kit at process is facilitated by the
no cost, which includes fact that the kernel source
thorough code is available. However,
documentation, historically, kernel internals
samples, and tools for typically change over time,
building, testing, and and source code for many
deploying drivers. modules must be
Windows driver periodically updated in order
programming for it to continue to function.
interfaces are based on This also means that
standards and modifications that work on
specifications, often one machine will sometimes
the product of a fail to work on another
process involving machine if their kernel
leading players in the versions are different.
applicable industry. However, these difficulties
 are for the most part
While Windows restricted to graphics drivers.
drivers are compiled
based on In cases where the drivers
specifications, and are are Free Software, the driver
not tied to a specific is actually considered part of
version of Windows, the kernel itself. The source
source code for a code to most such drivers are
specific version of included along with the
Windows may, in source code of the Linux
theory, be purchased kernel, and developers of
for modification in these drivers are considered
some circumstances to be part of the community
(restrictive), or third- of kernel developers.
party tools may create
modifications. In
practice, the
availability of
Windows source code
is generally heavily
restricted or extremely
expensive, if available
at all. However, even
where source is
available, modification
to the operating system
can break the EULA,
and in turn be
prohibited or even
illegal.
Updates • Windows • The Package Gentoo goes further
Update handles manager handles and allows different
only updates to updates for software versions of software
Microsoft that was installed via and libraries to be
software and the package manager. installed in separate
can deploy “SLOTS” so a
driver updates • Updates generally do system can have
if present on not require a system different versions of
Windows restart, with the the same software
update site. exception of kernel installed.
• Some third updates. There are GoboLinux uses a
party software multiple (but seldom radically different
has its own used) ways around approach where "the
separate update the need of a hard filesystem is the
manager. reboot even after a package manager"
• Windows kernel upgrade; it is which allows even
 Installer (See possible to load the different versions of
Package kernel into memory, a program to be run
management update it, and commit concurrently.[61]
system above) to memory Ksplice.
does not Updates to
manage applications or
updates. libraries require
restarting the
• Windows applications to take
security updates effect, but there is
typically usually no need to
require a restart immediately
restart. (new instances of the
program use the new
version). In the case
of X loging out and
back in usually
restarts also the
server. Different
versions of an
application can
usually coexist at
least by installing
other versions
without the package
manager (in separate
directories, with
some care). Where
there is a common
need for several
versions, these are
usually handled by
the package manager
as different
programs.
Cross- • Many programs • Linux is a UNIX-like Some companies,
platform are written for operating system, and such as Id software,
(software) the Windows can run programs make versions of
API, and written for UNIX their products to
depend on an programming work on both
implementation standards. However, Windows and
of that API. few programs are Linux. These
written for the programs are
• Source various frameworks generally not
compatibility that are specific to dependent on either
with some Linux, and those that framework. Instead,
 UNIX are usually have a the installation is
programs is Windows port. such that there is an
done via • Compatibility "interpreter" layer
POSIX between Unix-like and the actual
subsystem operating systems program binary
(Windows NT (such as BSD Unix, files. The interpreter
and 2000), or Solaris, and Mac OS layer runs on-the-fly
Subsystem for X) through various to deliver the
UNIX standards, such as the appropriate program
applications POSIX thread experience to
(formerly standard. whichever platform
Interix) (2000, is running. Using
XP, 2003, • Wine allows some this method,
Vista). Windows programs software can be
to run on Linux, created independent
although sometimes of the platform, and
with some glitches. only the interpreter
layer needs to be
configured for the
OS. OpenGL is
cross-platform.
Cross- • Many • The GNU toolchain Software that is
platform Microsoft has been ported on written in cross-
(development) libraries have Windows, as well as platform languages
not been ported GTK, Qt and many and frameworks are
to other other libraries. usually easily
operating ported.
systems • Many projects
already have
• Many of Windows builds
Microsoft's
frameworks can
be replaced by
counterparts in
other operating
systems
Cross- Windows client and i386, x86-64, PowerPC • Historically,
platform server OS come in x86 32/64, SPARC, DEC Alpha, GNU began
(hardware) and x64 editions. The ARM, MIPS, PA-RISC, working on
target platforms for S390, IA-64, SuperH and 68000 but
Windows CE / m68k, and many PDAs and always had a
Windows XP embedded systems. strong
Embedded are ARM, multiplatfor
MIPS, x86-64, SuperH. m vocation.
The target platforms
 [62]
for Windows Mobile
are PDAs.
• The first
version of
Linux was
developed
for the i386.
Software Windows programs are Extensive compatibility
Compatibility compiled against issues exist in Linux
generalized, software that tie specific
specification-based versions of source code and
header files and are not binary packages to specific
tied to the local distributions, library
machine where they versions, and kernel
are compiled. That fact versions. For example,
combined with a well- binary drivers are almost
documented effort by always tied to an exact
Microsoft to maintain kernel build, and binary
binary compatibility driver distribution is
has resulted in therefore quite rare.
Windows programs Common practice in Linux
typically being usable and open source in general is
on a variety of to configure compiler and
Windows versions. library packages so that
compiled binaries will be
tied to a specific version of
the package. For example,
the same source code may
successfully compile with
two different versions of
glibc, but each resulting
binary will be tied to the
respective version of glibc.
Therefore, a binary compiled
on a given Linux machine
will typically only be
compatible with the specific
version of the specific
distribution that is running
on that machine. As a result,
distributions and third parties
maintain extensive
repositories with many
compilations of the same
source code in order to
provide users of different
 distributions with access to
binaries that will work on
their machines.
Backwards Programs that use Linux This refers to the
Compatibility Has historically been a Standard Base functions will backwards
between very high priority.[63] work for at least six years on compatibility of the
releases However, exceptions any LSB-compliant operating system
do exist, even within distribution.[65] Non-LSB between releases.
Microsoft's own frameworks and libraries
applications have other compatibility
(particularly with policies
respect to Windows
Vista).[64]
IDEs & Several commercial Several commercial IDEs
Compilers IDEs for sale, such as and compilers for sale such
Microsoft's Visual as PGI, Intel, and Absoft's
Studio. Multiple free or Fortran compilers.[66][67]
gratis IDEs and Multiple free IDEs and
compilers, including compilers, the most common
the GNU Compiler of which are often included
Collection, Eclipse, in distributions;[68] including
NetBeans, Pelles C, the GNU Compiler
lcc32, Borland C++, Collection, Eclipse,
Visual Studio Express NetBeans, Mono,
(Visual C++, C#, and MonoDevelop, Geany,
VB.NET Anjuta, KDevelop, Free
compilers), .NET Pascal, OpenLDev,
compilers freely Codeblocks
included in .NET
Framework,
Sharpdevelop, Free
Pascal

Linux distributions come with a great deal of software which can be installed for free,
with an especially large collection of computer programming software.[69] Debian comes
with more than 18,000 software packages.[68]

Microsoft has had a longstanding emphasis on backwards compatibility.[63] In general, the

Windows API is consistent over time, with new features added;[citation needed] programs
designed for earlier versions of Windows often run without issues on later versions.[citation
needed]
For the sake of progress, however, Microsoft sometimes draws a line precluding
support of very old programs. That first happened with Windows 95, where some purely
16 bit Windows 3.1 applications would not work, and again with Windows XP, where
certain mixed-bit applications would not work. 64-bit versions of Windows (XP-64 and
Vista-64) drop 16-bit support completely. However, 16 bit emulation and the enormous
array of application-specific tweaks (“shims”) within new Windows versions[70] ensure
that compatibility with old applications remains very high.[71]

In the Linux world, the landscape differs. As most (if not all) parts of the operating
system is open source and many Linux programs are open source, when a Linux
distribution breaks backward compatibility, anyone willing might write a patch to the
operating system or the program itself that would allow the older software to work. In
reality though, since many popular Linux distributions uses software repository and all of
the most popular programs exists in the repository, the programs provided in the
repository is guaranteed to be compatible with (depends on the distros) the most recent
version of the operating system.

[edit] Gaming

A major attraction of Windows is the large library of video games available for purchase.
The majority of current major games natively support Windows and are released first
(and often only) for the Windows platform. Some of these games can be run on Linux
with a compatibility layer like Wine or Cedega. Those that rely on copy protection or
undocumented features require much more effort in order to work properly. Since Wine
is not an emulator it can, and does, obtain native speed, sometimes surpassing that of
Windows.[72]

There are notable exceptions, such as id Software's Doom and Quake series. When a
developer chooses to write graphics code in OpenGL instead of DirectX, Linux ports
become much easier. In addition, games such as the Unreal Tournament series are written
in 3 parts: The core 'engine' of the game, the graphical display system, and the actual
game data itself. The first two, typically being compiled programs, require porting,
however only the graphical display system will often require much work (Windows to X
Window, DirectX to OpenGL, etc). The third part, the game data itself, is typically
written in system-independent file formats and scripting languages. This allows the game
developer to separate the actual game experience from platform compatibility. This also
serves to reduce the cost of development in 2 ways.

• There is no need to port the game data to another platform, which eliminates the
need to compile and bug-fix the game data for each platform.
• Future releases of the software can use the same "engine" and graphical display
system. This allows game developers to focus more on the game experience, and
less on compatibility issues.

There are Open Source games designed first for Linux.[73] While most of these are small
casual games like Kolf or Pingus, there are also larger "hardcore" games, such as Nexuiz,
Freeciv, and The Battle for Wesnoth. Many have been ported to work on Windows as
well.
Some gamers opt to dual boot Windows and Linux, using the Windows partition for
gaming and other applications, while using the Linux partition for the needs it addresses
better.

[edit] Security

Windows Linux Notes

Malware According to Kaspersky As of 2006, more than A true comparison

Lab, more than 11,000 800 pieces of Linux between Windows and
malware programs for malware have been Linux on the values of the
[74]
Windows were discovered. Some inherent security of each
discovered just in the malware has propagated operating system is hard
second half of 2005.[74] through the Internet.[76] to obtain. Windows runs
However, it is common However, in practice, nearly 90% of desktop
for anti-malware software reports of bonafide computers in the
to have more than 1,000 malware presence on consumer market, and is
signatures against which Linux-based systems are the main operating system
potentially malicious extremely rare.[citation needed] of the vast majority of
components can be Nonetheless, anti- commercial and
compared. Botnets – malware tools such as institutional users.[78] This
networks of infected ClamAV and Panda makes Windows-
computers controlled by Security's DesktopSecure equipped machines a
malicious persons – with for Linux do exist. These larger target for malware,
more than one million programs are mainly which is written by coders
computers have been intended to filter who desire to cause as
[75]
witnessed. Once Windows malware from much damage as possible.
malicious software is emails and network traffic Furthermore, the ubiquity
present on a Windows- traveling through Linux- of Windows means that
based system, it can based servers. The more sensitive
sometimes be incredibly extreme rarity of this type information- credit card
difficult to locate and of occurrence is such that numbers, medical records,
remove. As such, users it is not usually necessary financial data- is likely to
are advised to install and to use anti-malware be found on a Windows
run anti-malware programs. The exception network. Simply put, the
programs. to this would be if the number of malicious
Linux-based system is programs available for
connected to Windows- Windows is not always
based systems, and only due to flaws in the
to mitigate the spread of security of the operating
Windows malware.[77] system, but can instead be
attributed to the
widespread use of
 Windows.

Claims its platform is Microsoft claims that

Open vs. Claims its platform is more secure because all Windows Vista is more
Closed more secure because of a of its code is reviewed by secure than other
comprehensive approach so many people that bugs operating systems.[81]
to security using the are detected (referred to However, security
Security Development as Linus's law). vulnerabilities have been
Lifecycle.[79][80] found in Windows Vista.
[82]
Anyone with
However, because programming experience
Windows is closed- is free to fix bugs and Security issues are also
source, only Microsoft- submit them for inclusion reported for Linux [83]
employed programmers in future releases and
(or licensed third-parties) updates.
can fix bugs. Because the
software is closed-source,
consumers have to trust
that Microsoft is not
doing anything against
them. (See security
through obscurity.)
Response Claims closed source Bugs can be fixed and
speed offers a faster and more rolled out within a day of
effective response to being reported (often
security issues,[84] though within hours), though
critical bug fixes are only usually it takes a few
released once a month weeks before the patch is
after extensive available on all
programming and distributions.
testing[85][86] and certain
bugs have been known to
go unpatched for months
or even years.
User In Windows Vista, all Users typically run as A malicious program
Accounts logged-in sessions (even limited accounts, having executed under a limited
for those of created both administrator account in both Linux and
"administrator" users) run (commonly called Windows is limited to
with standard user "superuser" and named that user's data. The use
permissions, preventing "root", has UID 0) and at of sudo on some Linux
malicious programs (and least one user account configurations asks for
inexperienced users) from during install, preventing the user's password only
gaining total control of malicious programs from once for a set amount of
the system. Processes that gaining total control of time (in Ubuntu, 10
require administrator the system. Note that the minutes). During this
privileges can be run user "root" is not the time, the user is able to do
using the User Account same thing as the root anything root could do
Control framework. For level of the filesystem, without entering a
standard users, this indicated by "/" alone. In password and actually
presents a credentials most Linux distributions, becoming root (assuming
dialogue (example) that there are commands (su, sudo is configured this
requires the password of a sudo) that will way; the stated intent of
member of the temporarily grant sudo is to allow users to
administrators group root/administrator run select commands as
(who are listed). For users privileges to processes root). The su command
who are already logged in that need it. In practice, requires the root password
an administrator, only the sudo command is every time, and is
confirmation is necessary. generally far less of an therefore more secure;
The first user account annoyance, leading to its malware(which can enter
created during the setup use over su in a system in a variety of
process is automatically a distributions like Ubuntu, ways, such as browser
member of the in spite of the additional exploits) cannot exploit a
administrators group. The security risk. In addition, passwordless period to
majority of users did not a user can log into the PC hijack the system. User
change to an account type as the "root" or Access Controls in
with fewer rights, temporarily become root Windows only grants
meaning that, in with su (normal console administrator privileges to
Windows versions prior logout returns the user to the user for each process
to the introduction of normal permissions). No as a one-time-shot. Each
UAC, malicious programs elevated permissions are process that needs
would have full control needed for anything when elevated privileges
over the system. logged in as root. In spawns a new prompt to
practice, this can be very the user (often more than
dangerous, as a simple one) for the user to
typo error at the accept.
command line can wipe a
hard drive clean or clear
the contents of system
RAM. Unlike Vista's
UAC, a privileged
process has complete,
unrestricted access to the
system. For graphical
programs containing
thousands of lines of
code, this creates a larger
opportunity for something
to go wrong. New
frameworks such as
PolicyKit seek to rectify
 this problem by splitting
the privileged program
into two parts: A light
daemon program with the
privileges necessary to
carry out the task and the
GUI front-end that uses
PolicyKit to communicate
with the daemon.
However, as of Feb.
2009, PolicyKit is not in
widespread use. Other
frameworks such as
AppArmor and SELinux
ensure that a program can
only carry out specific
tasks (for example, a web
server is not allowed to
change critical system
files).

[edit] Filesystem permissions

Both Windows NT-based systems and Linux-based systems support permissions on their
default filesystems. DOS/Win3.x/Win9x original FAT filesystem, however, does not
support permissions. This filesystem is available for use in both operating systems,
although Microsoft has sued companies that try to use the FAT filesystem on a Linux-
based appliance.[87] The DOS based Windows ME, Windows 98, Windows 95, and
previous versions of non-NT Windows only operated on the FAT filesystem, and
therefore do not support permissions natively. NT since inception supported token based
permissions and streams on NTFS and up until NT4.0 supported creation of the OS/2
HPFS at install time. The token based system on NTFS is more similar to VMS security
and can be very much more powerful, flexible and complex than the default three level
flag system on UNIX/Linux. However, few organisations have taken advantage of the
richness of the Token based system of NTFS which can be applied to almost all NT OS
objects[citation needed].

[edit] Linux and Unix-like systems

File system permissions on a Linux system running GNOME.

Linux—and Unix-like systems in general—have a “user, group, other” approach to

filesystem permissions at a minimum.[88] Access Control Lists are available on some
filesystems, which extends the traditional Unix-like permissions system. Security patches
like SELinux and PaX add Role-Based Access Controls, which add even finer-grained
controls over which users and programs can access certain resources or perform certain
operations. Some distributions, such as Fedora, CentOS, and Red Hat use SELinux out of
the box, although most do not.[89]

Most Linux distributions provide different user accounts for the various daemons.[90] In
common practice, user applications are run on unprivileged accounts, to provide least
user access. In some distributions, administrative tasks can only be performed through
explicit switching from the user account to the root account, using tools such as su and
sudo.

[edit] Windows

File system permissions on a Windows Vista system.

Windows NT and subsequent NT-based versions of Windows use NTFS-based Access

Control Lists to administer permissions, using tokens.[91] On Windows XP and prior
versions, most home users still ran all of their software with Administrator accounts, as
this is the default setup upon installation. The existence of software that would not run
under limited accounts and the cumbersome "Run As..." mechanism forced many users to
use administrative accounts. This gives users full read and write access to all files on the
filesystem.

Windows Vista changes this[92] by introducing a privilege elevation system called User
Account Control that works on the principle of Least user access. When logging in as a
standard user, a logon session is created and a token containing only the most basic
privileges is assigned. In this way, the new logon session is incapable of making changes
that would affect the entire system. When logging in as a user in the Administrators
group, two separate tokens are assigned. The first token contains all privileges typically
awarded to an administrator, and the second is a restricted token similar to what a
standard user would receive. User applications, including the Windows Shell, are then
started with the restricted token, resulting in a reduced privilege environment even under
an Administrator account. When an application requests higher privileges or "Run as
administrator" is clicked, UAC will prompt for confirmation and, if consent is given,
starts the process using the unrestricted token.[93]

For more information on the differences between the Linux su/sudo approach and Vista's
User Account Control, see Comparison of privilege authorization features.

[edit] VLSI industry

This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may
be challenged and removed. (November 2009)

The VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration, IC design & manufacturing technology)
industry uses Linux. These companies usually have servers and Solaris/Linux installed.
Most of the VLSI tools are designed for Linux and there are no ports available for
Windows making Linux dominant in VLSI industry.

[edit] Localization
This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may
be challenged and removed. (November 2009)

It is easy to have multiple languages installed in both operating systems and to switch
between them while the user is logging in. In MS Windows, localization can be provided
by a separate installation of the operating system, the Multilingual User Interface (MUI)
can be used to provide multiple languages on one installation, in certain more expensive
versions of Windows (such as Ultimate) it is possible to switch languages from the
control panel.
In Linux the language can be chosen separately for any subsession and any instance of a
program (by setting environment variables), separately for different aspects of the locale
(date format, collation, message language etc.). Not all programs honour this traditional
approach.

[edit] See also

Free software portal

Microsoft portal
• Comparison of operating systems
• Comparison of open source and closed source