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Red Hat Enterprise Linux, also known as REHL, is the officially supported Linux operating system at LSU. Commercial, features the GNOME interface, and uses Yum/ PackageKit as an update method.
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Gentoo Linux
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Non-commercial, source-based, installer provides some binary code packages to get you started; however it is meant for the user to compile all source packages, very time-consuming because everything must be downloaded and then compiled.
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Knoppix
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Live CD, good recovery tool because it can be run from CD without installing it, CD stores software in compressed form and Knoppix decompresses it, uses Debian package management.
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Linspire
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Commercial, follows Debian format, software downloads for a fee in Click-N-Run Web-based interface.
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Mandriva Linux One
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Uses Red Hat Package Manager for software, has Mandriva Flash a 4GB flash drive that will bring operating system up without installing it.
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MEPIS Linux
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Live CD, Debian based, good hardware detection, comes with Java and multimedia software.
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Slackware Linux
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Uses compressed tar files, provides text-based installer, limited automatic hardware detection, all software configuration is done by editing text files.
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SUSE Linux
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Two types: SUSE Linux Open Source Software which is free and SUSE Linux which is based on open source, YaST installation and configuration tool which is a highly favored administration tool, uses RPM packages.
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Ubuntu Linux
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Non-commercial, Debian based, both install CD and Live CD, install basic desktop from CD then use apt-get for installing other packages and staying up to date.
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Xandros Desktop OS
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Debian based, targets first time users, installer repartitions hard drive, versatile Xandros File Manager, has proprietary components that stops redistribution.
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