Free using linux software for linux

Linux is an increasingly popular open source Unix-like operating system. These pages arent intended as a general guide (for that, check out our list of resources) but rather information specific to using Linux here at Boston University, and particularly to using our custom distribution, BU Linux.

BU Linux is based on Fedora Core Linux, but specifically tailored for the BU environment. Weve added security updates, made modifications to make software work better with the way things are set up here, and added some applications that we think you might like to have. For details, see the FAQ.

MURIX Linux is a distribution based on LinuxFromScratch for building bootable CD-ROMs.

Since you build it from source, MURIX should function on almost any hardware.

DeLi Linux stands for "Desktop Light" Linux. It is a Linux Distribution for old computers, from 486 to Pentium MMX 166 or so. Its focused on desktop usage.
DeLi Linux project includes email clients, graphical web browser, an office package with word processor and spreadsheet, and so on. A full install, including XFree and development tools, needs not more than 250 MB of harddisk space.
The trick is, that DeLi Linux uses only "lightweight" alternative software. If you are looking for the newest KDE, GNOME or Mozilla, DeLi Linux will not make you happy. The test computer is a 486 laptop with 16 MB RAM, and all apps which comes with DeLi Linux are running smoothly.
"Why the heck make a Linux for such old crap ?" you may ask. There are still many computers around with the configuration mentioned above, it would be a shame to waste them. Many people simply cannot buy a 2 Ghz machine for 1000 $ or more, but they can buy a Pentium I 133 for 50 $ from ebay.
Many people are still happy with the computer they bought five years ago. Especially in the so-called third world, new hardware is not affordable. Well, theres still Windows95 or Windows 3.1, which will run on these machines, too. But these versions are not supported by MS anymore, they are no longer in production, and finally, you will not get any software for this old Windows version.
Enhancements:
- DeLi Linux 0.7.2 is the next and possibly the last release in the 0.7.x branch. DeLi Linux 0.7.2 have the following new features: Linux kernel 2.4.34.4; X.Org 7.2; a new default web browser, Konq-E (Konqueror Embedded) which has Javascript and CSS support; the pdq print system, which replaces lprng; improved and bug-fixed delisetup, deliget and netinstall; other new packages includes nano, Gutenprint, gv and xaw3d, and the new Liberation fonts from Red Hat.