Linux Providers

Linux is generally acknowledged as having better quality, with more reliability, flexibility and security than Windows. With so many vendors and versions to choose from, the consumer is the winner.

Who uses Linux? Netcraft.com provides an independent survey of major web sites and their reported operating systems. Linux is used by Google.com, Amazon.com, NASA.gov, WhiteHouse.gov and CNN.com. (Yahoo! uses FreeBSD and Microsoft uses Linux-powered Akamai cache servers.)

There are over one thousand versions of Linux (versions are called distributions, or "distros" for short). The applications are endless, but can be summarized into three broad categories: desktop systems, embedded systems and servers.

A recent Netcraft survey showed Red Hat as the leading choice for web servers with Debian and SuSE as the fastest growing distributions.

	Red Hat Linux -- The Open Source Leader The world's most trusted provider of Linux and open source technology.
	Debian Linux The Debian Project is an association of individuals who have made common cause to create a free operating system. This operating system that we have created is called Debian GNU/Linux, or simply Debian for short.
	SuSE Linux With the largest dedicated Linux research and development team, SUSE delivers enterprise-ready software and services that harness the innovation, speed-to-market and independence of the open source community.
	Mandrake Linux -- a friendly Linux Operating System which specializes in ease-of-use for both servers and the home/office.
	Knoppix Linux -- KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk.
	Need more security? Try the version provided by the National Security Agency of the United States Government: Security-Enhanced Linux. It is designed to enforce the separation of information based on confidentiality and integrity requirements.

BSD, derived from the UNIX operating system, is ideal for web servers. Netcraft's survey of server uptime shows BSD systems lead the pack, running non-stop for over 4.5 years.

• FreeBSD offers advanced networking, performance, security and compatibility features.
• OpenBSD emphasizes portability, standardization, correctness, proactive security and integrated cryptography
• NetBSD is a free, secure, and highly portable, available for desktop systems to handheld and embedded devices. Its clean design and advanced features make it excellent in both production and research environments.