LINUX DISTRIBUTIONS COMPARED

July 1997

Caldera OpenLinux Base 1.2   Caldera OpenLinux Standard   Debian   LINUXWARE 2.5   Red Hat 5.1   S.u.S.E. 5.2   Slackware 3.4   Stampede Linux 1.0 (projected)   TurboLinux 1.0  
Price $59.00  $199.00  $0.00  $9.95  $49.95  $49.95  $39.95  $19.95  $29.95 
Target Consumers CDEHOV   CDEOV   CDEHOV   DEH   CDEHOV   CDEHOV   CDEHO   DEHOC   CDEHOV  
Kernel 2.0.33   2.0.33   2.1.0   2.0.32   2.0.34   2.0.33   2.0.33   2.0.33   0.0.0  
Binary Format
Primary/Other ELF   ELF   i386,68k,Alpha,Sparc   X   ELF   ELF   ELF/a.out   x86   i386/ppc  
Hardware Required
Minimum Install 386,8,40   386,8,40   386,4,40   586,64,4   8   386,4 (8),50   386,8,40   386,6,60   386, 8, 250  
Minimum Use 386,8,40   386,8,40   disk20   486,8,100   8   486,8(16),100   386,8,40   386,4,80   386, 8, 300  
Recommended Use 486,16,300   486,16,300   486,8,850   586,16,1GB   16   Pentium,16(32),300   486,16,200   Pentium,16,250   Pentuim, 16+, 600+  
Packaging
Upgrade from Previous yes   yes   yes   yes   yes   yes   no   yes   yes  
Interdependencies no   no   yes   no   yes   yes   no   yes   yes  
Package Format RPM   RPM   deb,RPM,.tgz   RPM and .tgz   RPM   RPM,.tgz   .tgz   SLP (Stampede Linux Packages)   RPM plus auto-upgrade  
Source Code Packages yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes 
Management Interface X Windows or command line   X Windows or command line   character terminal   yes   tty, web, X   YaST utility   curses menus and command line   Console adn X (gtk+)   custom-made X interfaces--mgmt 
Group/Subgroup Packages no   no   yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes 
Boot Media
Boot Floppy included yes   yes   no   no   yes   yes   no, but CD-ROM is bootable   no   no  
Boot images to select from module-based no limit   module-based, no limit   6   5   1   1 with module support   51   5   One (modular)  
Floppies required none   none   0   0   1   1 boot floppy   2   2   0,1,2 depends on inst type  
Run from
CD-ROM only no   no   no   no   no   yes  yes  yes  no  
CD-ROM mostly yes  yes  no   yes  no   yes  yes  yes  no  
Configuration
Custom X yes   yes   no   yes   yes   yes   yes   yes   yes  
Network yes   yes   TCP/IP,SMB,NFS,Appletalk,AX.25  yes   X Windows, tty, web   YaST   text   yes   yes, X-based  
SLIP/PPP yes   yes   yes   yes   X Windows, tty, web   YaST   text   yes   Yes, X or console-based  
User/Group yes   yes   group-per-user   yes   X Windows, tty, web   YaST   command line   yes   Yes, X-based  
Filesystem yes   yes   e2fs standard   yes   X Windows, tty, web   YaST   text   yes   Yes, X-based  
Printer yes   yes   yes   yes   X Windows, tty, web   YaST   text (apsfilter)   no   Yes, X-based or Console-based  
Runlevel/init yes   yes   sysVinit   yes   X Windows, tty, web   Yast, editing 1 conf file   no   yes   Yes, X-based  
Install
PCMCIA Ethernet yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes 
PCMCIA CD-ROM yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes 
from CD-ROM yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes 
from Floppy no   no   yes  yes  no   no   yes  no   no  
from FTP yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  no   no   yes  yes 
from local filesystem yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes 
from NFS yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes  yes 
from Tape yes  no   no   no   no   no   yes  no   no  
UMSDOS from Linux no   no   no   yes  no   yes  yes  no   no  
UMSDOS from DOS no   no   no   yes  no   yes  yes  no   no  
Media available yes   CD-ROM   yes   CD-ROM   yes   yes   Available via FTP, CD-ROM   yes   yes  
Documentation
Custom manual included yes   yes   yes (on CD)   yes   yes   yes   36 page install guide   yes   yes  
3rd party books/manuals no   yes   yes http://www.linuxpress.com   yes   yes   no   yes   no   yes  
Extras
Non-GPLed extras included BRU Backup, StarOffice, Netscape Communicator, Novell Netware client, LISA   BRU Backup, StarOffice 4.0, Communicator, NetWare client, FastTrack Server, AG Adabas   none   FreeBSD, NetBSD   Real Audio, Bru-PE, full bonusCD of demo/lite Linux apps   acroread.adabas, bartels, ixware, leda, mapledmo, mars_e, Netscape, sniff, vse   Netscape, QT   Netscape Communicator   Corel WordPerfect 7 demmo Japanese version: commercial fonts, commercial word proc.  
Support
Included 5 incident e-mail support   5 incident phone and email   lifetime free e-mail support     90 days installation support   60 days e-mail, phone,fax   E-mail and telephone   E-mail   free e-mail tech support  
Optional support contracts   Support contracts available   paid commercial support   yes   commercial support   consluting and professional     Phone    
Special certifications forthcoming Caldera training   Forthcoming Caldera training   POSIX-compliant   no   Red Hat Certified Engineer          
Sales method used DFX   DFX   DF   X   DFX   DFX   DFX   DFX   D F X  

LEGEND
Target Consumers:

C         Commercial user
D         Developer/Engineer
E         Desktop/End user
H         Hobbyist/Enthusiast
O         OEM
V         Value Added Reseller
Sales Method Used:

D         Distributor
F         Free via FTP
X         Direct

Hardware Required:


Values are CPU, RAM (RAM for X), Disk
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