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Cool article ----------------

Libranet GNU/Linux, a commercial Linux distribution based on Debian, has been given increasingly positive coverage in Linux media. Its recipe for success is simple - it attempts to remedy some of the often cited shortcomings of Debian proper, by providing a simple installer, user-friendly system configuration tools and up-to-date selection of software packages. Combine that with a friendly user community and you have a winner. Let us investigate what Libranet is about and why you should give it a serious thought when choosing your Linux distribution.

The Great Divide - APT vs. RPM One of the greatest strengths - and also one of the greatest weaknesses - of GNU/Linux is the way that numerous developers have taken the OS and molded it the way they like it. Occasionally this produces a "fork" - two (or more) camps of devout users, both vehemently insisting that their way of doing things is best. The most prominent example of this is probably the great GUI debate (Is KDE or Gnome better?). Another equally important divide exists over the seemingly mundane issue of package management. The two biggest contenders are the Red Hat package manager (RPM, as it is popularly known) and Debian's Advanced Package Tool (APT, or apt-get) system.

Until late 2002, it seemed as if the debate was all but over - RPM was winning by a landslide. All the major Linux distros - including but not limited to Red Hat, Mandrake, SuSE, Caldera, and Conectiva - were RPM based. Furthermore, the LSB (Linux Standard Base) project endorsed RPM. To add insult to injury, the big-three Debian-based commercial distros failed in the marketplace - Stormix, Corel and Progeny.

Debian users had their loyalty tested when Linux kernel 2.4 was released in January, 2000. Within four months of the release, all the major RPM-based distros produced sets of nicely packaged CDs based on the new kernel. But for Debian users, the process of migrating to the new kernel took more than two years. During this interval, Debian was falling seriously behind the other well-known distros in terms of features.

Of course, one could argue that by constantly downloading the "testing" and "unstable" packages, Debian users could in fact enjoy the latest and greatest that the RPM-based competition had to offer. But "testing" and "unstable" are just what the names imply. Whether they wished to admit it or not, Debian's loyal fans were pining for the day when the new stable release would hit the ftp servers.

Debian 3.0 (code-named "Woody") was released on July 19, 2002. It was an occasion for much rejoicing - at last, Debian users had an up-to-date stable distro. Or did they? Stable, yes, but up-to-date was debatable. Linux development moves at nearly the speed of light, and by the time Woody was released, RPM-based distros were offering new features that Debian still relegated to the testing branch (now code-named "Sarge"), or the unstable branch (known as "Sid"). Furthermore, Debian continues to suffer from a relatively difficult-to-use installer, mediocre hardware detection, and somewhat complicated system administration.

None of the above should be taken as a fatal flaw of Debian - indeed, Debian's slowness to market might even be considered a "feature". The Debian philosophy has always been "release when ready". As a result, Debian has bragging rights as one of the most stable distros around. Furthermore, Debian also can boast about being the largest Linux distro in existence - Woody includes 8710 packages. Creating and testing thousands of packages is no mean feat, and made more difficult by the fact that Debian is a non-commercial product, created by volunteers who also need to work day jobs to pay the bills. This is in sharp contrast to commercial distros such as Red Hat, where full-time programmers are employed.

Obviously, Debian's fortunes would be improved if commercial developers decided to produce their own Debian-based distros with cutting-edge features. And rather suddenly, this has happened. Following fast on the heels of Woody, there were milestone releases of new Debian-based distros - Lindows 3.0, Xandros 1.0, Knoppix 3.1, and Libranet 2.7. Lindows and Xandros are both commercial distros, notable for their ease-of-use that will help Windows users make an almost painless transition to Linux. Knoppix is a different animal - a unique non-commercial distro that runs entirely off a CD-ROM. And then there is Libranet.

Libranet is Debian made easy. The product of Jon and Tal Danzig - two programmers based in Vancouver, Canada - Libranet is a commercial Debian-based distro "that just works". Almost overnight, Libranet seems to have leaped out of obscurity and is now getting serious attention as a potential major contender in the distro wars. -----------

regards tarun gaur

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