Distributions and Operating Systems: GNU/Linux, BSD, and More

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Dec 03, 2025

• Distro Watch ☛ DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

  [...] Then, in our Questions and Answers column, we address the topic of whether the choice of distribution really matters. In a world where most Linux distributions can run the same applications, what impact does choosing a distribution have? [...]

• ZDNet ☛ The lightweight Linux distro every media junkie should try - and why

  Most Linux distributions are based on one of three options: Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, or Arch.

  There are, however, some distributions that were built from scratch and have no ties to those listed above.

  Why are those distributions necessary? Well, some developers believe more is always better. At the same time, some developers aren't satisfied with simply rebranding and retooling something that already exists.

  By creating a Linux distribution from scratch, a developer is in complete control over what goes into the OS, how it looks and behaves, and how often it's updated. One such distribution is 4MLinux.

  I've covered 4MLinux here on ZDNET before, but the recent release (version 50.0) adds some important changes to the latest release.

• BSD

  • [Old] Tara ☛ FreeBSD, Workstation and .. Home - Part 1

    This article has been on my mind for months, yet it never seemed to fully take shape, until now. The last time I had a dedicated desktop workstation at home was between 1999 and 2001, in a small one-bedroom apartment in Dublin. I worked at IBM back then, and we were already allowed to bring home computers to work. Yes, it was 1999, and remote work was already happening. I had laptops since I was 15, but they were never my daily driver. That time in Dublin also marked the last period where I truly felt confident enough to call a place “home”.

  • [Old] Tara ☛ FreeBSD, Workstation and .. Home - Part 2

    In March 2023, I started traveling again, but this time between my houses in Milan and London. It dawned on me that I no longer needed to drag my laptop from one place to the other. I could simply have two computers and use sync services to keep everything in sync (I eventually moved to Nextcloud). So, I took the leap. I began experimenting with Linux again, buying a used Dell Latitude and borrowing a Dell XPS from work for my London base, both running Linux Mint. And it felt great. No more hauling computers back and forth. No more suitcases or clothes juggling between locations. No more hotels, except for the rare occasion. Finally, I had real places where I could keep my stuff. It was mind-blowing.

• SUSE/OpenSUSE

  • Open Source For U ☛ AWS Taps SUSE To Supercharge Amazon Linux Open Source Ecosystem [Ed: Proprietary]

    SUSE has announced a major collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to strengthen the cloud native and open source capabilities of Amazon Linux. The agreement introduces the new Supplementary Packages for Amazon Linux (SPAL) service, delivering thousands of additional enterprise-grade open source packages to customers relying on Amazon Linux for mission-critical operations.

• Devices/Embedded

  • IT Wire ☛ Beware the Internet of Dangerous Things

    Browsing various news feeds this morning I discovered an interesting, and rather disturbing, juxtaposition of two articles—one fact, one fiction—about the possibilities of artificial intelligence applied to [Internet] of things technology used to monitor the human body, the sort of thing your Apple Watch of Fitbit does these days.