Chapter 3: The Nature of a Distribution

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Overview

In Chapter 1 you learned what a Linux system is, what the various parts are, and how it all fits together. That should go a long way toward understanding Linux systems in general, right?

Well, it does, but there's more to it than that. For each of the components of a Linux system we've seen, there are several options. The kernel, system libraries, and other parts of the system usually have many different "live" versions; some are stable and well tested but no longer "current", while the cutting-edge versions may be buggy or unstable. Plus, sometimes there are competing options even for the same program, as in the case of desktop software where GNOME and KDE are both excellent choices.

The responsibility of a Linux vendor is to produce a system that works. This means selecting the best possible software products and versions for the task at hand. A particular configuration of such a collection of software is known as a distribution. This chapter will discuss the notion of a distribution and what makes up a distribution, and will describe how distributions are created.

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