Читать книгу Linux For Dummies - Richard Blum - Страница 21

Over the years a new subgroup of Linux distributions had appeared, designed specifically for new Linux users. These are typically based on one of the core distributions, but contain only a subset of applications that would make sense for a specific area of use.

Besides providing specialized software (such as only office products for business users, or games for gamers), customized Linux distributions also attempt to help beginning Linux users by auto-detecting and auto-configuring common hardware devices. This makes installing Linux a much more enjoyable process.

Table 1-2 shows some of the more popular specialized Linux distributions available and what they specialize in.

TABLE 1-2 Specialized Linux Distributions

Distribution	Description
Mint	A desktop distribution configured to replace a standard Windows workstation
Ubuntu	Provides desktop and server distributions designed for school and home use
MX Linux	A desktop distribution for home users with older hardware
openSUSE	An open source version of the commercial SUSE distribution
PCLinuxOS	A distribution focusing on support for advanced graphics and sound cards
Puppy	Another small distribution that runs well on older PCs

That's just a small sampling of specialized Linux distributions. There are literally hundreds of specialized Linux distributions, and more are popping up all the time on the Internet. No matter what your specialty, you'll probably find a Linux distribution made for you.

You may notice that often a single Linux distribution will release different versions of the distribution to cover more ground. For example, Ubuntu releases separate distribution that each use a different desktop environment.