Linux Distros for Everyone: Community, Desktop, Hardcore Geek...

July 10, 2007
By

Bruce Byfield

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Browse the full list of Linux distributions, or jump to the category based on the following list: Commercial, Community, Compact, Desktop, Graphics and Music, Hardcore Geek, Hardware Oriented, Live, Education, Philosophically Free, Security, Miscellaneous.

Hardware Oriented

GNU/Linux is far more popular as an operating system for servers than for desktops. It is natural, then, that many distributions specialize in connectivity and networking.

DeLi-Linux: Short for "desktop Linux," DeLi is intended for computers ranging from 486s to Pentium IIs. A full install takes only 350 megabytes of hard drive space to install, and 16 megabytes of RAM to run.

DiscoverStation: Advertised as designed for public computing, DiscoverStation is a modern version of a dumb terminal, with separate keyboards and monitors running off a single computer with multiple video cards and USB slots.

Linux LiveCD Router: A live CD distribution designed to turn a computer into a dedicated router, Linux Live CD includes a firewall and masquerading, and supports a broad variety of Internet connections, including ADSL, cable, and dial-up.

OpenWrt: Designed as a router for embedded devices, OpenWrt is mainly a command line distribution, but also includes a web-based GUI. Because of its flexibility, it has proven unusually popular for such a specialized distribution, and several other distributions are derived from it, such as Midge, Obelisco, and Packet Protector.

ThinStation: A distribution designed for thin clients, with support for a wide variety of protocols.