825 lines
34 KiB
Plaintext
825 lines
34 KiB
Plaintext
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce,comp.os.linux.admin,comp.os.linux.misc
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From: mdw@sunsite.unc.edu (Matt Welsh)
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Subject: Linux Distribution HOWTO
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Keywords: Linux, HOWTO, distributions, mail order
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Organization: Linux. It's not just for breakfast anymore.
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Followup-to: poster
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Approved: linux-announce@tc.cornell.edu (Matt Welsh)
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Archive-name: linux-faq/howto/distribution
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Last-modified: 6 December 1993
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The Linux Distribution HOWTO -*-Outline-*-
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by Matt Welsh <mdw@sunsite.unc.edu>
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v1.1, Last Modified 6 December 1993
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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* 0. Introduction
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There is no single distribution of the Linux software. Instead, there
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are many such distributions, available both via anonymous FTP and mail
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order on floppy, tape, or CD-ROM. This document is an attempt to present
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information on many of the available distributions of Linux. This document
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also contains information on many miscellaneous services and goods available
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for Linux, ranging from consulting and support to T-shirts and virtual beer.
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The purpose of this document is to provide short summaries of the many
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Linux distributions and mail-order services, and to provide pointers for
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the reader to find more information. You shouldn't base your decision of
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which Linux distribution to use based soley on this document.
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This is a PRELIMINARY version of the Distribution HOWTO. It is far from
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complete; there are many more Linux distributions and services than are
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listed here. Unfortunately, I have not received submissions from many of
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the organizations providing these services. Please see Section 5 at the
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end of this document for information on making a submission. It's easy
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and fun and won't take you five minutes.
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** Organization
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The following is an index of each section in this document:
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* 0. Introduction
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** Organization
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** New versions of this document
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** And so on...
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* 1. Linux Software Distributions
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** MCC Interim Linux
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** TAMU Linux Distribution
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** SlackWare Linux v1.1.0
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** Debian Linux Distribution
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** Linux from Nascent CD-ROM
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** Trans-Ameritech Linux CD-ROM
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** Unifix 1.01 CD-ROM
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* 2. Redistributors
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** SLS on Diskettes (Takelap Systems Ltd.)
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** SLS CD-ROM (Takelap Systems Ltd.)
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** Yggdrasil Fall 93 CD-ROM (Takelap Systems Ltd.)
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** SLS or Slackware on disk or tape (Clark Internet Services)
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* 3. Layered Software Products
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* 4. Consulting and Support Services
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* 5. Miscellany
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** Unifix Custom Linux CD-ROM Mastering
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** SLS and Slackware Diskette Labels
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** Preinstalled Linux systems
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* 6. Submissions to this document
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** New comp.os.linux.announce policy
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** How to submit an entry for this HOWTO
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*** Types of submissions
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*** How to submit
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** Acknowledgements
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This document should be compatible with Emacs outline mode, but I
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won't promise anything. :) Each section heading begins with the
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'*' character in the first column.
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** New versions of this document
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New versions of this document will be posted periodically (about
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every month) to the newsgroups comp.os.linux.announce and
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comp.os.linux.misc. (Soon it should be posted to comp.answers
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and news.answers as well.) The document is archived on a number
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of Linux FTP sites, including sunsite.unc.edu in pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO.
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** And so on...
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Please see Section 5 at the end of this document for information on
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comp.os.linux.announce policy and how to make submissions to this
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document.
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Feel free to mail any questions or comments about this HOWTO to
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Matt Welsh, <mdw@sunsite.unc.edu>.
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And now for the good stuff.
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* 1. Linux Software Distributions
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This section describes complete distributions of Linux software,
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available either via anonymous FTP or from mail order.
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Note that SLS is missing from this list. Peter hasn't sent me
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a submission for it. A few others haven't mailed in submissions
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(such as Yggdrasil) and I would really like to include them in this
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HOWTO (in fact, we probably won't accept submissions to c.o.l.a
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unless you are listed in this HOWTO). Please send in those entries!
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In each of the following entries, my own comments are followed by
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the information from the distributors themselves. You may safely
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disregard anything I say. :)
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** MCC Interim Linux
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Last modified 31 Oct 93
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The MCC-Interim Linux distribution is one of the "oldies but goodies".
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it has been around for some time, and my own Linux system was
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originally installed with MCC-Interim back in the 0.95/0.96 days.
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It is a very complete Linux system, and users rave about it. It has
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an easy installation mechanism and is very solid. New users will
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have very little trouble using MCC-Interim. The one thing that it
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doesn't include is X Windows, however, X is very easy to install
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on top of it. It also doesn't include a lot of other large packages
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like TeX; but again, those things are simple to install. MCC's real
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benefit is that it is a very solid base to start with; you are free
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to install other software on your own as needed.
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The current MCC-Interim release is based on 0.99.pl10, which is quite
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robust. If you are one of those people who demands to be on top of
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the current release, you'll need to upgrade your kernel (easy to do)
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and possibly your version of GCC and libraries. However, I see no
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reason why 0.99.pl10 shouldn't be good enough, at least to get you
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started.
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Distributor: LeBlanc@mcc.ac.uk (Dr. A. V. Le Blanc, Manchester
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Computing Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL,
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England, +44 61 275 6035)
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Description: Base Linux installation. Complete sources and patches
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for all included software are available. Full details vary from
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release to release; see /pub/linux/mcc-interim/*/Acknowledgements at
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ftp.mcc.ac.uk. Roughly: this includes the kernel (with source),
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C, C++, groff, man pages, basic utilities, networking. The binaries
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fit on 6 or 7 floppies. It is also possible to have them on a DOS
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or Linux partition on a hard drive (plus one floppy) or on an NFS-
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mountable partition (plus two floppies). New versions appear at
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2-3 month intervals, depending on various factors.
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Availability: By anonymous ftp from ftp.mcc.ac.uk; mirrored at
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tsx-11.mit.edu, nic.funet.fi, and elsewhere. At ftp.mcc.ac.uk, in
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/pub/linux/mcc-interim.
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Miscellaneous: Suggestions and contributions are welcome.
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** TAMU Linux Distribution
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Last modified 31 Oct 93
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TAMU is a very complete distribution of Linux including more or
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everything, including X. One of its great benefits is that it
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has a simple and complete X installation procedure. Users that I
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have spoken to about TAMU have spoken well.
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Distributor: Dave Safford, Texas A&M University,
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dave.safford@net.tamu.edu
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Description: TAMU.99p12+ is the latest release in the TAMU linux
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series. Unlike previous releases, this one includes both *integrated
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source* and binary sets, with the entire binary set created from a
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single top level source make. This ensures that all programs are
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compiled and linked with the same current tools and libraries, and
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guarantees availability of working source for every program in the
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binary set. In addition, the new boot diskette fully automates the
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installation process, including partitioning, lilo bootstrapping,
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and network configuration. Installation requires no rebooting, and
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requires the user to know only the host's name and IP address. At
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every step of installation, the program provides intelligent defaults,
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making it a snap for novices, while allowing experts full flexibility
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in setting installation parameters. Reliability has been improved
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over past TAMU installation by the use of labels on all disk images,
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so that the program can detect and recover from bad or misordered
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diskettes.
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This release is a full featured package, including XFree86-1.3,
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emacs-19.18, net-2, bootutils, and sources for all installation
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programs (without any use restrictions :-).
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Availability: The latest TAMU release is available by anonymous ftp
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from net.tamu.edu:pub/linux.
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** SlackWare Linux v1.1.0
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Last modified 5 Nov 93
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The SlackWare release of Linux is the *only* release officially
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recommended by J.R. Bob Dobbs.
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Distributor: Patrick Volkerding <volkerdi@mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu>
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Description: Slackware Linux is a full featured distribution of the
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Linux operating system designed for 386/486 computers with a 3.5"
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floppy. Slackware changes rapidly, but here's a current (partial)
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feature list:
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A series (14 disks): Base Linux 0.99pl13 OS and utilities.
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Networking, UUCP, gcc/g++ 2.4.5, libc 4.4.4, and more.
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E series (5 disks): Emacs 19.19.
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F series (1 disk): FAQs, HOWTOs, and other documentation.
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OI series (3 disks): ObjectBuilder 2.0 for X.
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X series (5 disks): Base XFree86 2.0 X windows system with fvwm.
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XAP series (2 disks): X windows applications such as seyon and
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ghostview.
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XD series (3 disks): X windows program/server development.
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XV series (2 disks): XView 3.2 release 5, Open Look Window Manager.
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Y series (1 disk): Games from BSD, such as "hunt".
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Availability: The home site is ftp.cdrom.com, where the latest
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distribution can be found in /pub/linux/slackware. To make it easy
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to download, the disks can also be found pre-zooed in
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/pub/linux/zooed_slackware. (Zoo is just a compression utility for
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MS-DOS).
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Ordering: FTP only, although various independent distributors provide
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it on disk, floppy, and CD.
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** Debian Linux Distribution
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Last modified 31 Oct 93
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Debian Linux is an attempt to create the ``Mother of All
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Distributions''. Sure, there are several such attempts out there,
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but no need to be competitive. Debian is currently under
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development, and an ALPHA version is available. For the full
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take on Debian, join the mailing list. See below.
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Debian features a smart installation procedure, easy upgradablity,
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a file system standard base on the FSSTND channel discussions, and
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an obscure name. It might be worth checking out. (I am including
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information on Debian here, even though it is currently in ALPHA,
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because it's important for people to aid the development of
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distributions. The thing that Linux lacks the most right now is
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a working, mature distribution. No distribution of Linux should ship
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with broken binaries. Period.
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Distributor: Ian A. Murdock <imurdock@shell.portal.com>
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Description: For those of you who are not familiar with Debian
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Linux, it is an effort to create a well thought-out, powerful,
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flexible yet complete Linux distribution. The effort has been
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underway since approximately August, and there is an ALPHA version
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of Debian available to developers and testers on the Debian mailing
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list (see below for details). Though still labeled 'ALPHA', Debian
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is quite stable in it's current state. It should move into BETA
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within the next few releases. I am truly hoping for a public release
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by the end of the year.
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Please 'finger imurdock@sage.cc.purdue.edu' for the latest
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announcements.
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It should be pointed out that Debian Linux is still ALPHA; therefore,
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if you have no intention of being actively involved in either
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development or testing, then please wait until it is publically
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released. It shouldn't be much longer now, anyway.
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Availability: Not yet publically available. To obtain Debian Linux you
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must join the Debian mailing list:
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For help, send mail to <debian-linux-request@netcom.com> with 'help'
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in the body of the message.
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To join, send mail to <debian-linux-request@netcom.com> with
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'join debian' in the body of the message.
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The actual mailing list address is <debian-linux@netcom.com>. No
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special keys (i.e., 'X-Mn-Key') are needed.
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Ordering: Not yet available by mail, but it will be eventually
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(specifically, when it is done). More details will be forthcoming
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when appropriate.
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** Linux from Nascent CD-ROM
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Last modified 28 Nov 93
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Yet another Linux Distribution with a bizarre name. Soon we'll be
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seeing CD-ROMs from ``Throatwobbler Mangrove Labs''.
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Note that there are many other CD-ROM distributions of Linux than
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those listed here. I have not received submissions from the maintainers
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of those CD-ROM distributions.
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Distributor: Nascent Technology
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Description: The Linux from Nascent CDROM is a new distribution of
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the Linux operating system which includes over 400 mbytes of source
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code, binaries, and documentation for Linux and applications. It
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features automated root, swap, package, network, and user account
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installation from CDROM. Linux can be can be run directly from the
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CDROM and floppy. The Nascent CDROM features Xwindows, Openlook, TeX,
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GNU compiler and utilities, Magic and Spice electronic design tools,
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and over 100 high resolution images translated from Kodak PhotoCD(TM).
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Each source archive is distributed with an associated notes file to
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allow you to browse and install applications using a consistent
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interface.
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A listing of the contents of the Nascent CDROM as well as a current
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copy of the CDROM announcement and order form may be obtained via
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anonymous ftp at netcom.com:/pub/nascent.
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Ordering: The Linux from Nascent CDROM, Version 1.0, is only $39.95
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plus shipping and handling. Nascent also offers the Linux from
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Nascent Plus package for only $89.95, which includes six months of
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email support and a 30% discount off a future release of the CDROM
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with your CDROM purchase. Nascent accepts Mastercard, VISA, checks,
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and money orders as payment.
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To order your Linux from Nascent CDROM, mail, email
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or fax a completed order form to:
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Nascent Technology
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Linux from Nascent CDROM
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P.O. Box 60669
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Sunnyvale CA 94088-0669 USA
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Tel: (408) 737-9500
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Fax: (408) 241-9390
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Email: nascent@netcom.com
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** Trans-Ameritech CD-ROM
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Last modified: 20 Nov 93
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This is a CD-ROM containing the SLS, Slackware distributions
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of Linux, as well as 386BSD.
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Name: Trans-Ameritech LINUX CD-ROM
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Distributor: Trans-Ameritech, a California based corporation.
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Description: CDROM with 2 versions of SLS distribution - a
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very stable 1.02 and a newer 1.03 and also the SLACKWARE
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distribution! Linux installs directly from the CD-ROM on
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almost any hardware configuration.
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It includes full X-windows environment, TCP/IP networking
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including NFS, several flavours of mail and news, full set of
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GNU tools and much more. Also Multimedia - sound board
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support, image viewers and HUNDREDS of MEGS of IMAGES and SOUNDS.
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In addition to the full SLS distributions we supply a "live"
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image of a configured system. Several versions of the Linux
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kernel precompiled to cover different hardware options
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including drivers for Sony-31A and Sound Blaster CD-ROMs.
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Availability: at Trans-Ameritech we ship the same day as we
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get the order!
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Our address is:
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2342A Walsh Avenue
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Santa Clara, CA 95051
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Ordering: You can order by phone (408) 727-3883 or by FAX
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(408) 727-3882. Or by sending e-mail to: roman@trans-ameritech.com
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Shipping and handeling for overseas (as in UK and Germany) is $8.
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In US is $5. Pay by cheque or credit card. COD in continental
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US is $4.50 extra if you want it.
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The price for a single CD-ROM is $30. California residents,
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pleaseinclude tax. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
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Miscellaneous: we answer technical questions about our
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distribution by e-mail sent to: roman@trans-ameritech.com
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within 24 hours! Trans-Ameritech is a well established company
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with efficient organization to guarantee on-time printing and
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shipping of this product. If you have a 3.5 inch boot floppy and have
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ftp access, please look on sunsite.unc.edu in
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/pub/Linux/distributions/TransAmer
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for a new boot floppy image with support for many CDROM drives.
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** Unifix 1.01 CD-ROM
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Last modified: 6 Dec 93
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Name: Unifix 1.01
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Distributor: Unifix Software GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
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Description: This is a Linux CD-ROM distribution with emphasis on
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easy and fast installation. Though it is possible to install
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everything on the harddisk, we do not recommend so, because it runs
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fast enough from CD. For example starting emacs the first time
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(in text mode) takes:
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From single speed Mitsumi: 24 s
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From double speed Mitsumi: 11 s
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From Toshiba 3401: 7 s
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The dynamic buffer cache of Linux takes care of the second
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and subsequent times a program is started, which needs less
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than one second.
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Our system requires about 5 MB on the hard disk for configuration
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files and system management tools. Additionally we recommend
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a 16 MB swap partition. The CD contains most of the standard
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programs in current versions, e.g. Linux 0.99.13r, XFree 2.0,
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emacs 19.21 and gcc 2.5.4. Full preconfigured source for
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everything is included.
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Because Unifix is a european distribution it provides full
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support for iso8859-1 character sets. From the shells and
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emacs through ls, TeX and the print system everything supports
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8-bit characters.
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Printing is supported through System V compatible printer
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drivers which can be controlled through lp's -o options.
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Printer drivers are included for dumb text mode printers,
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for postscript- or ghostscript- compatible printers and
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for networked printing. These drivers know how to guess
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the type of the files so e.g. compressed man pages or DVI
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files can be printed directly.
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Ordering: Unifix is available only on CD. It comes in a
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Unifix/Linux binder with two boot floppies and about 60 pages of
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installation instructions in german. An english version
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will be available Dec 15. The price is 159 DM (about $100)
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and includes taxes and shipping; Eurocard/Mastercard/Visa
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are accepted.
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Telephone +49 (0)531 515161
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Fax +49 (0)531 515162
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Mail Unifix Software GmbH
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Postfach 4918
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D-38039 Braunschweig
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Germany
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* 2. Redistributors
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This section lists re-sellers or re-distributors of the Linux
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distributions listed above. In other words, the people selling
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the below software more than likely do NOT maintain or support
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the software itself.
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** SLS on Diskettes (Takelap Systems Ltd.)
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Last modified 31 Oct 93
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SLS is one of the most popular distributions of Linux. In recent
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months it has grown to be the canonical Linux distribution, but that
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could change. Check out sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/distributions/SLS
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for more info on SLS.
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This is a mail-order distribution of the SLS release on diskettes
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from Takelap Systems. Note that they do not maintain the SLS release;
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they only distribute it.
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Distributor: Takelap Systems Ltd., info@ddrive.demon.co.uk
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Description: The SLS 1.04 distribution on diskettes.
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25 3.5" or 30 5.25" diskettes including 0.99.13 kernel, X11R5, TeX,
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doc (WYSIWYG), GNU s/w development tools and more.
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Availability: Takelap Systems Ltd., The Reddings, Court Robin Lane,
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Llangwm, Usk, Gwent, United Kingdom NP5 1ET.
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tel: +44 (0)291 650357 fax: +44 (0)291 650500
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email: info@ddrive.demon.co.uk
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Ordering: price ukp42.00 +ukp1.50 p&p + VAT. Visa and Mastercard
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accepted.
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Miscellaneous: Free catalogue of CDROMs and books (mostly UNIX
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related) on request.
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** SLS CD-ROM (Takelap Systems Ltd.)
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Last modified 31 Oct 93
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This is a redistribution of the SLS 1.04 CD-ROM from Takelap Systems.
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Distributor: Takelap Systems Ltd., info@ddrive.demon.co.uk
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Description: The SLS 1.04 Linux Distribution on CDROM.
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0.99.13 kernel, X11R5, TeX, Andrew, GNU s/w development tools.
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May be installed and optionally run from CDROM mounted remotely.
|
|
Many installation and operational options.
|
|
|
|
Availability: Takelap Systems Ltd., The Reddings, Court Robin Lane,
|
|
Llangwm, Usk, Gwent, United Kingdom NP5 1ET.
|
|
tel: +44 (0)291 650357 fax: +44 (0)291 650500
|
|
email: info@ddrive.demon.co.uk
|
|
|
|
Ordering: price ukp66.00 +ukp1.50 p&p + VAT. Visa and Mastercard
|
|
accepted.
|
|
|
|
** Yggdrasil Fall 93 CD-ROM (Takelap Systems Ltd.)
|
|
Last modified 31 Oct 93
|
|
|
|
The Yggdrasil Linux/GNU/X is a CD-ROM distribution of Linux which
|
|
is just about as complete as you can get. I have a copy of it and
|
|
it's very good. Again, Yggdrasil Computing hasn't sent me an entry
|
|
for this HOWTO, but this is a redistribution of the Yggdrasil CD-ROM
|
|
from Takelap Systems in the UK.
|
|
|
|
Check out /pub/yggdrasil on netcom.com for information on the
|
|
LGX CD-ROM.
|
|
|
|
Distributor: Takelap Systems Ltd., info@ddrive.demon.co.uk
|
|
|
|
Description: The Yggdrasil LGX Fall 93 Linux distribution on CDROM.
|
|
0.99.13 kernel, X11R5, TeX, Andrew 5.1, Postgres 4.1,
|
|
GNU s/w development tools.
|
|
|
|
Availability: Takelap Systems Ltd., The Reddings, Court Robin Lane,
|
|
Llangwm, Usk, Gwent, United Kingdom NP5 1ET.
|
|
tel: +44 (0)291 650357 fax: +44 (0)291 650500
|
|
email: info@ddrive.demon.co.uk
|
|
|
|
Ordering: price ukp40.00 +ukp1.50 p&p + VAT. Visa and Mastercard
|
|
accepted.
|
|
|
|
** SLS or Slackware on disk or tape (Clark Internet Services)
|
|
Last modified 31 Oct 93
|
|
|
|
This is a distribution of SLS and the SLS variant ``Slackware''
|
|
Linux distribution on diskette or tape. This is a very affordable
|
|
distribution. They also sell printed copies of my book on
|
|
installing Linux.
|
|
|
|
Distributor: Clark Internet Services, C/O Stephen Balbach
|
|
|
|
Description: The latest version of Linux on disk and tape direct from
|
|
the net at affordable prices. 120MB installed on 3.5" disks. 90MB
|
|
installed on 5.25" disks.
|
|
|
|
Ordering: Slackware 32 3.5" disks $50 (USPS 2nd day)
|
|
SLS 32 5.25" disks $40 (USPS 2nd day)
|
|
|
|
"Installation and Getting Started" (c) Copyright Matt Welsh
|
|
150+page laser printed, professional bound manual.
|
|
Everything to get installed and running in one easy book.
|
|
$15 if ordering set (at cost price!). $20 seperate.
|
|
|
|
Availability: For more complete information, including a multipage
|
|
description of Linux, a hardware compatibility sheet, and more detailed
|
|
package descriptions send mail to linux-all@clark.net for auto-reply
|
|
info (~30k of text).
|
|
|
|
Ordering: Check, money-order
|
|
Stephen Balbach
|
|
5437 Enberend Terrace
|
|
Columbia, MD 21045
|
|
|
|
Credit Card orders call 410-740-1157 (Visa, MasterCard, AmXpres)
|
|
|
|
|
|
* 3. Layered Software Products
|
|
This section contains information on layered commercial software
|
|
packages that are available via mail order only. Linux of course
|
|
has much, much software available for free via anonymous FTP; this
|
|
section only lists those few commercial software products that you
|
|
can't get via anonymous FTP.
|
|
|
|
* 4. Consulting and Support Services
|
|
A number of organizations and companies provide commercial support
|
|
for Linux. Unfortunately, this version of the HOWTO doesn't contain
|
|
any of this information; hopefully a future release will contain
|
|
this information.
|
|
|
|
* 5. Miscellany
|
|
This section is for all of those services and products which don't
|
|
fall into any of the above categories. This includes things like
|
|
T-shirts, Linux-specific documentation sales, and so on. If you
|
|
provide any kind of Linux-specific mail order service, please see
|
|
Section 5 below for more information. Thanks.
|
|
|
|
** Unifix Custom Linux CD-ROM Mastering
|
|
Last modified: 6 Dec 93
|
|
|
|
Name: Unifix custom CDs
|
|
|
|
Distributor: Unifix Software GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
|
|
|
|
Description: We use our own (Linux based) premastering system to
|
|
make custom CDs which include the customer's programs in addition
|
|
to our Linux distribution. (See Section 2 for a description of the
|
|
Unifix CD-ROM distribution). This enables our customers to sell
|
|
their Unix based applications together with operating system tested
|
|
and ready to run. Our CD recorder makes it possible to create
|
|
prototypes and very small series at interesting prices.
|
|
|
|
Availablility: Ask us for more information or prices:
|
|
|
|
Telephone +49 (0)531 515161
|
|
Fax +49 (0)531 515162
|
|
Mail Unifix Software GmbH
|
|
Postfach 4918
|
|
D-38039 Braunschweig
|
|
Germany
|
|
|
|
|
|
** SLS and Slackware Diskette Labels
|
|
Last Modified 11 Nov 1993
|
|
|
|
These are printed disk labels for your SLS or Slackware diskettes.
|
|
|
|
Name: Laser Printed Linux Disk Labels
|
|
|
|
Distributor: UPython Computer and Network Services
|
|
|
|
Description: Labels for Softlanding and slackware disks
|
|
|
|
Availability: The labels that we print for you are available in
|
|
several formats at sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/linux/distributions/SLSlabels
|
|
|
|
Ordering: For order information, send mail to DGray@uh.edu
|
|
Cost is $6.50 per set and domestic shipping in included.
|
|
Overseas orders must send payment in US funds and add $1
|
|
for shipping. Texas residents add sales tax (6%).
|
|
|
|
|
|
** Pre-installed Linux systems
|
|
Last modified: 20 Nov 93
|
|
|
|
These folks sell complete desktop and notebook systems pre-installed
|
|
and configured with Linux.
|
|
|
|
Name: Pre-installed Linux systems (desktops and notebooks)
|
|
|
|
Distributor: Fintronic Linux Systems
|
|
|
|
Description: Linux is a wonderful OS. But installing it can be
|
|
trying to even experienced UNIX hands. Shopping for compatible
|
|
hardware takes time as well. Configuring all of the parts to work
|
|
together at optimal performance is just plain hard. It can easily
|
|
take weeks. We save you from all of that. We sell fully installed,
|
|
custom configured Linux systems for about the price which you'd pay
|
|
for the hardware alone. We offer desktop and notebook machines. We
|
|
ship worldwide and accept payment by check and credit cards. If you
|
|
have any questions or would like to be added to our mailing list
|
|
send mail to linux-sales@fintronic.com
|
|
|
|
Our installation of Linux includes is built from the lastest stable
|
|
releases of standard Linux distributions (like Slackware) available
|
|
at the time your machine ships. We test the software to ensure
|
|
that the appropriate libraries are there. We add software that the
|
|
distribution may leave out. But most importantly we configure
|
|
things so they work. Your monitor and video card will be configured
|
|
for opt imal performance. Your hard drive can be partitioned to
|
|
allow dual boot (DOS/Linux). If you buy a modem from us it will be
|
|
configured to allow dialin and dialout. In short, you will have a
|
|
fully working Linux system with none of the pain of configuring it
|
|
yourself.
|
|
|
|
[Boy, that takes all of the fun out of it! :) -mdw]
|
|
|
|
Availability: For our latest pricelist, finger
|
|
linux-sales@fintronic.com
|
|
Prices change frequently as we are constantly looking for the best
|
|
deals for our customers.
|
|
|
|
Ordering:
|
|
email: linux-sales@fintronic.com
|
|
fax: +1.415.325-4908
|
|
Mail: Fintronic USA, Inc.
|
|
1360 Willow Rd., Suite 205
|
|
Menlo Park, CA 94025
|
|
USA
|
|
|
|
* 6. Submissions to this document
|
|
Here's information on how to make submissions to this docuement, and
|
|
on the policy that we are using for postings to comp.os.linux.announce
|
|
regarding commercial and mail-order announcements.
|
|
|
|
** New comp.os.linux.announce policy
|
|
One of the purposes of this document is to present short summaries
|
|
of the many Linux distributions in a compact form for new users to
|
|
browse over. This document is not merely a concatenation of the
|
|
various announcements of Linux distributions and the like.
|
|
|
|
Another purpose of this document is to remove some of the
|
|
`advertisement' traffic from the newsgroup comp.os.linux.announce.
|
|
The moderators of c.o.l.a (as well as many of the readers) feel
|
|
that those people who are re-distributors of Linux distributions
|
|
which they do not maintain should not be allowed to post periodic
|
|
advertisements in c.o.l.a... after all, c.o.l.a is for announcements
|
|
important to the Linux community; it is not a moderated sales board.
|
|
|
|
Therefore, if you are distributing Linux software which you do not
|
|
maintain, the only way that you will be allowed to post information
|
|
to c.o.l.a is through this HOWTO. Information on submitting entries
|
|
to this HOWTO is given below. (To submit a posting for c.o.l.a, mail
|
|
it to linux-announce@tc.cornell.edu. Please include a `Keywords' line
|
|
in your header.) Exceptions are given below.
|
|
|
|
Here's an example. If you are, for example, reselling the SLS
|
|
distribution of Linux on floppies via mail order, the first
|
|
time that your mail-order service is available, you may post
|
|
an announcement to c.o.l.a. Thereafter, you must submit an
|
|
entry in this HOWTO, which will be periodically posted to the
|
|
newsgroup. Only in the event that you do something dramtically new
|
|
with your service will you be allowed to post to c.o.l.a about it.
|
|
(`Dramatically new' does not include changing your prices or the
|
|
versions of the software that you distribute. The moderators have
|
|
the final say on just what consititutes `dramatically new'. :) )
|
|
The purpose of this is to reduce the number of periodic postings
|
|
from people who are using c.o.l.a as an electronic billboard.
|
|
|
|
However, if you maintain and organize your own distribution of
|
|
Linux (whether it be available for anonymous FTP, mail order, or
|
|
both), then you will be allowed to post to c.o.l.a whenever you
|
|
release a new version. You will not be allowed to make periodic
|
|
postings about your distribution, in order to `advertise' it
|
|
every month; only when a new version is released will you be allowed
|
|
to post to c.o.l.a about it. Of course, you should include information
|
|
on your distribution in this HOWTO.
|
|
|
|
I hope that this policy is not too confusing; the one basic rule
|
|
is that we won't permit postings to c.o.l.a which are merely
|
|
advertisements for your distribution or mail order service. The
|
|
posting must include new information which is of interest to the
|
|
Linux community at large. Remember that c.o.l.a postings are
|
|
archives on sunsite.unc.edu; once your posting is out of the
|
|
news spool it is not gone forever.
|
|
|
|
** How to submit an entry for this HOWTO
|
|
I encourage anyone and everyone who maintains a Linux distribution
|
|
or mail order service (or consulting service, and the like), to
|
|
submit information on their service to this HOWTO. It's easy and
|
|
fun, and it's free advertising. This document is posted to many
|
|
places and is archived (see the next section).
|
|
|
|
*** Types of submissions
|
|
We are interested in submissions for:
|
|
* Complete distributions of Linux software, available either
|
|
via anonymous FTP, UUCP, or mail order. By `complete distribution'
|
|
we mean any set of software which can be used to build a complete
|
|
Linux system from scratch.
|
|
|
|
* Layered products or individual software packages available only
|
|
via mail order. If your software package is available via
|
|
anonymous FTP, chances are people can find it. Software products
|
|
only available via mail-order include commercial things such as
|
|
Motif, and any other commercial software ported to Linux.
|
|
|
|
* Any other LINUX-SPECIFIC goods available via mail order, such as
|
|
Linux-specific books and documentation, T-shirts, and assorted
|
|
paraphrenalia.
|
|
|
|
* LINUX-SPECIFIC services such as telephone or e-mail consulting
|
|
and technical support. This category also includes miscellany
|
|
such as development contracts.
|
|
|
|
If the number of submissions for services and layered products
|
|
is large, I'll create a separate HOWTO for these items.
|
|
|
|
*** How to submit
|
|
To submit an entry to this HOWTO, please send mail to
|
|
mdw@sunsite.unc.edu with the following information. This `format'
|
|
is not machine-parsable; any of the fields may be any length that
|
|
you wish, but I'd like to keep each entry down to, say, 50 lines.
|
|
|
|
Name: <Name of service or distribution>
|
|
|
|
Distributor: <Name of company, person, etc. who distributes/maintains
|
|
the service or distribution>
|
|
|
|
Description: <Description of the distribution or service that you
|
|
provide. If this is a software distribution, please include
|
|
information such as what software is included, versions, general
|
|
overview of installation, requirements, and so on.>
|
|
|
|
Availability: <Where your service or distribution is available. This
|
|
can be an FTP site (including directory pathname, please), a
|
|
mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, etc.>
|
|
|
|
Ordering: <How to order your distribution or service, if
|
|
applicable. Include prices, shipping information, methods of
|
|
payment, etc.>
|
|
|
|
Miscellaneous: <Anything else that you find relevant.>
|
|
|
|
Please keep your entry as short as possible. If you need to include
|
|
extensive information, please make a reference to where one can FTP
|
|
or mail to get more information on your distribution; these entries
|
|
are only meant to be POINTERS to where one can find information on
|
|
your service or distribution.
|
|
|
|
Please mail entries to mdw@sunsite.unc.edu. If you provide more than
|
|
one service or distribution, please use SEPARATE ENTRIES for each.
|
|
|
|
Some things (such as books, t-shirts, etc.) won't fit exactly into
|
|
this entry; just be sure to include all relevant information. In
|
|
other words, this "entry form" is simply the bare minimum that you
|
|
must include in your submission to the Distribution-HOWTO; feel free
|
|
to change, add, or leave out "fields" as you see fit.
|
|
|
|
Here is an example entry:
|
|
|
|
Name: ShoopWare Distribution v1.0
|
|
Distributor: Virtual Pizza, Inc., goober@shoop.vpizza.com
|
|
Description: The ShoopWare distribution is an all-new distribution
|
|
of the Linux operating system together with the "vpizza" software
|
|
development platform. This software allows you to develop
|
|
applications for pizza delivery services on the Internet. The
|
|
distribution itself is based on MCC-Interim 0.99.pl10 and uses
|
|
Linux kernel version 0.99.pl13. Other software included in the
|
|
release includes XFree86 1.3, Emacs, TeX, TCP/IP networking, and
|
|
more.
|
|
|
|
The release is distributed on 42 floppies (for the full system),
|
|
each floppy may be installed optionally.
|
|
|
|
Availability: ShoopWare v1.0 is available via anonymous FTP from
|
|
shoop.vpizza.com in the directory /pub/ShoopWare.
|
|
|
|
Ordering: n/a (this is only an FTP distribution)
|
|
Miscellaneous: Mail goober@shoop.vpizza.com if you have questions or
|
|
comments about this release.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I will more than likely edit your entries to some degree if I find
|
|
any irrelevant information, or if the entry is overly verbose.
|
|
Otherwise the content should remain the same.
|
|
|
|
When making submissions to the Distribution-HOWTO, you grant implicit
|
|
permission for me to use the entries in other materials, such as books
|
|
from the LDP, and other online documents. For example, information
|
|
from the Distribution-HOWTO may be included in a published Linux book.
|
|
If you do not want me to include your entry in materials other than
|
|
the Distribution-HOWTO, please say so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
** Acknowledgements
|
|
Thanks to Bill Riemers, who produced the first version of the
|
|
Distribution HOWTO and provided helpful advice. Also, thanks to
|
|
all of the people who have contributed to this document. I hope
|
|
that future releases of this HOWTO will be useful to the Linux
|
|
community; unfortunately, gathering information on the many services
|
|
out there is a difficult task. Your contributions make this task
|
|
much easier.
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
Matt Welsh, mdw@sunsite.unc.edu
|