ALT Linux
Encyclopedia
ALT Linux is a set of RPM
-based operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel
and Sisyphus packages repository. ALT Linux is developed jointly by ALT Linux Team developers community and ALT Linux Ltd.
teams to improve localization (specifically Cyrillic), producing a Linux-Mandrake Russian Edition (RE).
At some point, Mandrake and Mandrake RE became in fact different distributions and thus the decision was made to create a separate project. The name ALT was coined, which is a recursive acronym meaning "ALT Linux Team".
The split led to the creation of the Sisyphus package repository, which is an unstable branch of the ALT Linux development.
In 2007, the Sisyphus repository won a prestigious CNews award in nomination for Information Security.
Spring 2001 was the second IPLabs Linux team release, released several months later.
First ALT Linux release was ALT Linux Junior 1.0, released in summer of 2001, followed by the updated ALT Linux Junior 1.1 in autumn of 2001.
Junior distributions were 1CD releases.
ALT Linux Junior 2.0 was released in summer of 2002, as an 1CD desktop/workstation-oriented release.
There was also a more conservative «school 4.0 branch» maintained for Russian schools pilot project, and several distributions specifically tailored for schools released using that as a base.
as default desktop. Available in normal and Live CD
versions. Rather superseded by LXDE-based New Lite.
whitelabeling, i.e. creating a specific edition for various hardware vendors to bundle with their hardware.
which is usable on older hardware acting as thin
/diskless
clients (16Mb RAM is enough while stock LTSP5 usually requires 64+Mb RAM). It was also adapted for Russian School Education National Project free software package.
RPM Package Manager
RPM Package Manager is a package management system. The name RPM variously refers to the .rpm file format, files in this format, software packaged in such files, and the package manager itself...
-based operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel
Linux kernel
The Linux kernel is an operating system kernel used by the Linux family of Unix-like operating systems. It is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software....
and Sisyphus packages repository. ALT Linux is developed jointly by ALT Linux Team developers community and ALT Linux Ltd.
History
ALT Linux Team arose from the merger of IPLabs Linux Team and Linux community of the Institute of Logic, Cognitive Science and Development of Personality. The latter cooperated with Mandrake Linux and SUSESUSE Linux distributions
SUSE Linux is a computer operating system. It is built on top of the open source Linux kernel and is distributed with system and application software from other open source projects. SUSE Linux is of German origin and mainly developed in Europe. The first version appeared in early 1994, making...
teams to improve localization (specifically Cyrillic), producing a Linux-Mandrake Russian Edition (RE).
At some point, Mandrake and Mandrake RE became in fact different distributions and thus the decision was made to create a separate project. The name ALT was coined, which is a recursive acronym meaning "ALT Linux Team".
The split led to the creation of the Sisyphus package repository, which is an unstable branch of the ALT Linux development.
In 2007, the Sisyphus repository won a prestigious CNews award in nomination for Information Security.
Linux-Mandrake
Linux-Mandrake 7.0 Russian Edition, released in the beginning of 2000, was the first de facto independent distribution of IPLabs Linux Team. It kept the name Mandrake with permission from Mandrake developers.Spring 2001 was the second IPLabs Linux team release, released several months later.
ALT Linux 1.*
Since the summer of 2001 ALT Linux Team has been formed and ALT Linux name has been established.First ALT Linux release was ALT Linux Junior 1.0, released in summer of 2001, followed by the updated ALT Linux Junior 1.1 in autumn of 2001.
Junior distributions were 1CD releases.
ALT Linux 2.*
ALT Linux Master 2.0, released in May 2002, was the 4CD all-purpose Linux distribution targeted for software developers and system administrators.ALT Linux Junior 2.0 was released in summer of 2002, as an 1CD desktop/workstation-oriented release.
ALT Linux 3.0
ALT Linux Compact 3.0 was released during autumn 2005, and consisted of 1CD/1DVD installable versions along with LiveCD (TravelCD 3.0). There were several subsequent OEM updates counting up to 3.0.5.ALT Linux 4.0
These series changed the official naming somewhat to be «ALT Linux 4.0 $flavour».- Server was released in June 2007 (1CD+1DVD per platform; i586 and x86_64);
- Office Server quickly followed (1CD; i586 and x86_64);
- Desktop Personal in August 2007 (1DVD, LiveCD, Rescue CD; i586; KDE3);
- Lite in December 2007 (installation CD, live CD and 2CD with addons; i586; XFCE4);
- Terminal in December 2007 (joint release with Media Magic Ltd, 1DVD; i586; KDE3, low client RAM requirements).
There was also a more conservative «school 4.0 branch» maintained for Russian schools pilot project, and several distributions specifically tailored for schools released using that as a base.
ALT Linux 4.1
- Desktop was released in October 2008 (1CD/1DVD; i586 and x86_64; KDE3);
- Children in December 2008 (LiveCD; i586);
- Skif in December 2008 (1CD; x86_64; HPC);
- School Server in February 2009 (1CD; i586).
ALT Linux 5.x
5.0 branch was canceled mainly due to stormy X.org conditions (and subsequently archived); 5.1 community branch was created along with p5 «conservative» branch later in 2009. Somewhat confusingly, distributions based on p5/branch were numbered as ALT Linux 5.0:- Ark (client+server suite, 1DVD+1CD per platform; i586 and x86_64);
- School Suite — mostly i586, also including docs, video lessons and free software for Windows (3DVD):
- Server (1DVD; i586 and x86_64);
- Terminal (1DVD; KDE3);
- Master (1DVD/flash; KDE4);
- Junior (1DVD/flash; GNOME2);
- Lite (2CD; XFCE4);
- New Lite (1CD/1DVD/flash; LXDE);
- KDesktop (1DVD; i586 and x86_64; KDE4);
- Simply Linux 5.0 (1CD/flash/LiveCD; i586; XFCE4).
Lite
A small single CD distribution for older / low-memory computers, with XfceXfce
Xfce is a free software desktop environment for Unix and other Unix-like platforms, such as Linux, Solaris, and BSD – though recent compatibility issues have arisen with regard to BSD Unix platforms...
as default desktop. Available in normal and Live CD
Live CD
A live CD, live DVD, or live disc is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive...
versions. Rather superseded by LXDE-based New Lite.
Compact
Compact is a series of ALT Linux distributions tailored for beginner users. It's mostly supposed to be used on workstations, home computers and notebooks. It includes additional means for easy configuration, lots of office and multimedia applications, some games. Compact was also popular choice for OEMOEM
OEM means the original manufacturer of a component for a product, which may be resold by another company.OEM may also refer to:-Computing:* OEM font, or OEM-US, the original character set of the IBM PC, circa 1981...
whitelabeling, i.e. creating a specific edition for various hardware vendors to bundle with their hardware.
Server
ALT Linux Server is a hardened server single CD distribution. It is certified by Federal department of technical and expert control of Russia in the following categories:- by the level of monitoring for non-declared features — level 4
- class of protection from unauthorized access to information — class 5
Terminal
ALT Linux Terminal is a terminal server distribution based on ALT Linux Desktop and ALTSP5 — a friendly/merging fork of LTSPLinux Terminal Server Project
Linux Terminal Server Project is a free and open source terminal server for Linux that allows many people to simultaneously use the same computer. Applications run on the server with a terminal known as a thin client handling input and output...
which is usable on older hardware acting as thin
Thin client
A thin client is a computer or a computer program which depends heavily on some other computer to fulfill its traditional computational roles. This stands in contrast to the traditional fat client, a computer designed to take on these roles by itself...
/diskless
Diskless workstation
A diskless node is a workstation or personal computer without disk drives, which employs network booting to load its operating system from a server...
clients (16Mb RAM is enough while stock LTSP5 usually requires 64+Mb RAM). It was also adapted for Russian School Education National Project free software package.
External links
- Community website (in English)
- Sisyphus package repository, on which Alt Linux is based