Each of the other chapters in this part of the book is dedicated to understanding and
installing a particular Linux distribution.
After you??™ve installed Linux, you??™ll want to understand how to get and manage software for your
Linux system. These are important topics that are covered throughout the book, but this chapter
describes the major packaging formats and tools to get you going.
Choosing a Linux Distribution
Dozens of popular Linux distributions are available today. Some are generalized distributions that
you can use as a desktop, server, or workstation system; others are specialized for business or
computer enthusiasts. One intention of this book is to help you choose which one (or ones) will
suit you best.
Using the DVD that comes with this book, you can boot directly to KNOPPIX (or several other live
CDs to try out Linux) or run an installer (to install Fedora, Ubuntu, Gentoo, or Slackware on your
computer??™s hard disk). Because the Fedora distribution included with the book is the complete distribution,
you can install a full range of desktop interfaces and applications, programming tools,
and server features. So after you??™ve tried out KNOPPIX and are ready to install Linux on your hard
disk, I recommend you try Fedora.
Using the CD that comes with this book, you can boot directly to Damn Small Linux (or several
other smaller bootable Linux distros), Debian, or Gentoo (to do a network install of those distributions
to your hard disk).
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