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Six Linux distributions that made a difference

Nowadays you can find Linux in the strangest places: Robots, refrigerators, cellular, media players, Several servers ... and even computers. Of course, the system has not yet mastered the penguin in the area of desktop (and it is likely that this will not happen anytime soon) but he is gaining more and more users every year, and being recognized as a great alternative to Windows and Mac OS . It was not always so: Linux has a long way to go hundreds of distros to reach its current state.

Many distros have been created in recent years, and there were few who directly or indirectly, have made a real difference. Is bringing a new concept, or a functionality that simplified the user's life, these distros helped popularize the concept of open operating system. And these are some distros that comment below, even as a form of tribute for all the help they rendered to the community.

Of course, I bring the list below is based on my personal experience, And should not be regarded as the definitive list of anything. If you did not like any summons, or think you missed a distribution, the comments are open.

Debian

Until the birth of Debian in 1993, the Linux distros were totally customized by the developers and allow a few modifications, in addition to forcing users to wait for a new release or download and compile new versions of programs if they wanted an update. With Debian, things began to change, users need only install a piece Basic system, and all the customization (including new packages and updates) would come across several repositories on the Internet. With the popularization of the Internet and increased access speed, this model became a standard in many distros. And, as Debian is a lean system, it is very common to get a new distro from it, as is the case next distro.


Ubuntu

Until the creation of Ubuntu It was very common to hear of Linux as a robust system for servers, but rarely for users who do not have at least some experience with computers. Distros like Mandrake, Conectiva and SuSE even tried to sell as alternatives to Windows, but with Ubuntu was that the concept of user-friendly really came to Linux.

Today an Ubuntu user rarely needs to open the terminal or run a command line to install a program or make some configuration in the system. Even 3G phones rarely need to be setup in many cases just stick the USB cable or connect the phone via bluetooth is already recognized as a modem and you can already connect. Some tasks, moreover, are even easier in Ubuntu than in Windows.


Red Hat

The Red Hat (Which today is divided into two distributions, Fedora and RHEL) was the first Linux distribution to draw the attention of companies. With a more sober and customizations aimed at the corporate market, has long been common to hear of Red Hat in the enterprise, both on servers and desktops.


Knoppix

You know when you just poke a stick or put a CD in the drive, restart the computer, and already have a Linux distro ready to use without even needing to install something on your computer? So the concept of Live CD became popular with the Knoppix, A Debian-based system that used KDE and allowed to run a system full of applications from the CD.

Until then, try a Linux distro without removing the Windows partition the HD involved, insert the installation CD, 56 times to review all the settings of partitions, and then reboot discover that the distro was not the driver for your network card/sound/modem/video/mouse/hd/monitor/whatever, making installation a dead weight on the HD. With the concept of Live CD, even the presentation of the system to friends and relatives became simpler: just to boot, asking him to test, and then restart the computer. And Windows still there.


Kurumin

Knoppix was cool but had a horrible defect: beyond the language that should be downloaded from the Debian repositories. It was from the Kurumin, Distro that was originally a one-man, developed and distributed by Carlos Morimoto, who might have a Linux distribution with live CD entitled adapted to our problems.

Not incidentally, he quickly gained popularity and was the basis for many distros.A pity that, for various reasons, has died early.


Android

Toward 2005, quality system for mobile phones only had a name: Symbian. At the same time, a startup called Android turned to how he could develop a mobile operating system that was based on Linux. It was about this time that the Google looked at startup, has signed a check, and bought the company. Some years and many dollars later, I was ready to Android OS, System for mobile phones based on Linux that can also be used in tablets and even netbooks, with a few modifications. Today the Android already at odds with the IOS and to Symbian, as well as being dictating the new directions for Linux on a new battlefront: mobile devices.

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