Software distributions based on Debian

There are a number of distributions based on Debian. Some users might want to take a look at these distributions in addition to the official Debian releases. This is done for a number of reasons (better localization support, specific hardware support, simplified installation, etc.).

Debian welcomes and encourages organisations that want to develop new distributions based on Debian. However, in the spirit of Debian's social contract, we ask them to contribute their work to the main distribution so that ultimately, all users can benefit from improvements.

The following distributions are based on Debian (in alphabetical order, not chronological). This list is far from complete and might be out of date, if you find inaccurate data, want to contribute information or add a distribution not listed here please contact us.

Note: for more detailed information of these distributions including release dates, contents and reviews, please visit http://www.distrowatch.com/.

The following distributions were based on Debian but are not active any more or are no longer available:

64studio

64 Studio is a GNU/Linux distribution tailor-made for digital content creation, including audio, video, graphics and publishing tools.

Adamantix

The Adamantix project aims to create a highly secure but usable Linux platform. To accomplish this, the project will use currently available security solutions for Linux (like kernel patches, compiler patches, security related programs and techniques) and knit these together to a highly secure Linux platform.

APLINUX

APLINUX was a distribution based on Debian GNU/Linux focused on web servers, DNS servers and mail servers. Its main goal was to automatize the tasks of installation and configuration of the system, with the purpose to achieve the maximum in trustworthiness, stability and security.

Astra-Linux

Astra-Linux is the first official security Debian derivative in Russia. It runs on the x86-64 hardware platform (amd64). Its structure includes many free software components and additionally also software decisions of the Astra Linux developers.

Canaima

Canaima is a Venezuelan desktop distribution based on Debian GNU/Linux. It is used by a large community in Venezuela and various latin-american countries. It also continues to be the official operating system in the NPA and powers national projects as Canaima Educativo (Educational Canaima) for children.

More info...

Collax

Collax (formerly BenHur) is a server appliance based on Debian. It provides a firewall, e-mail server with virus protection, fax server, VPN gateway, SMS server, web proxy and remote access (RADIUS) functionalities.

Corel Linux

Corel developed a distribution based on Debian bundled with its WordPerfect and other Corel software. Corel chose Debian because ...it offers an excellent fit with the company's existing customer base and Linux mission. Debian has a solid charter, a strong worldwide developer base and a thorough testing period as described in its FAQ (no longer available). It was released in November 1999, after a few public betas. This opened some discussion due to the fact that Corel had elected KDE for its GUI, and KDE license issues were not yet solved within Debian. Three different editions were published from 1999 to the end of the year 2000. However, in the year 2001 it announced its intention to spin off the Linux distribution.

Corel Linux was available from http://linux.corel.com/. Users wishing to upgrade to newer Debian releases can use, as a guideline, the Corel to Debian micro-howto published in Debian support mailing lists.

However, afterwards it was licensed to a new company called Xandros Corporation http://www.xandros.net/ (see the press release), a company which includes some of the developers and architects of the original Corel Linux. Read more about Xandros.

Damn Small Linux

Damn Small Linux is a 50M live CD based on Knoppix geared towards desktop use on weak hardware.

Debian JP

Debian JP is a volunteer-driven effort intended to provide a Debian-based distribution oriented towards Japanese end-users. Improvements include internationalization of the Debian distribution, with all changes being later contributed to the main project. The project started distributing a set of packages for the Hamm distribution and now provides CDs based on the official releases.

It can be retrieved from the Debian JP pages (mostly in Japanese).

Demolinux

Demolinux is a distribution that allows a user to run Linux without installation, disk partitioning or any related issues, since it works from a bootable CD-ROM. Demolinux includes the GNOME and KDE environments, Enlightenment, StarOffice, lots of games, development tools, and a full load of utilities. It is probably the best distribution to use if you want to just give Linux a try and see how it works and what can it offer you.

Since version 2.0 it is Debian-based (version 3.0 is also based on Debian).

DemoLinux is available from http://www.demolinux.org/. CD images can be obtained from http://www.demolinux.org/DOWNLOAD/ (but first, please try some of the mirrors).

DoudouLinux

DoudouLinux is specially designed for children to make computer use as easy and pleasant as possible for them. DoudouLinux provides tens of applications that suit children from 2 to 12 years old and gives them an environment as easy to use as a gaming console. Kids can learn, discover and have fun without Dad and Mum always watching!

DoudouLinux is available from http://www.doudoulinux.org/.

ESware Linux

ESware Linux 365 was a Spanish commercial distribution that surfaced in 2001 (previous versions where derived from other GNU/Linux distributions, not Debian) it included 7 CDs (including StarOffice and some other non-free tools) and 1 source CD as well as four Spanish manuals. The installation (it had a graphic installation, a text-only installation and a remote web-based one) was in Spanish and provided automatic hardware detection.

Finnix

Finnix is a bootable CD (Live-CD), aimed for system administrators, focussing on mounting and manipulating hard drives and partitions, monitoring networks, rebuilding boot records, installing other operating systems, and much more. And above all, Finnix is small; currently the entire distribution is over 300MiB.

More info...

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a project that tries to produce a router and firewall package directly bootable from CD-ROM (it can be installed on hardisk too, however). There is both a commercial version (with a proprietary web interface) and a free version. More information available at http://www.gibraltar.at/.

grml

grml is a bootable CD (Live-CD) originally based on Knoppix and nowadays based on Debian. grml includes a collection of GNU/Linux software especially for system administrators and users of texttools. grml provides automatic hardware detection. You can use grml (for example) as a rescue system, for analyzing systems/networks or as a working environment. It is not necessary to install anything to a harddisk; you don't even need a harddisk to run it. Due to on-the-fly decompression grml includes about 2.1GB of software and documentation on the CD. You don't have to pay anything to use grml because it is free software!

More info...

Impi Linux

Impi Linux was a South African Linux distribution based on Debian (and Knoppix). It was created from the best software available in the open source world, to give South African users a stable, virus free and very cost effective business operating system. It focused on providing an office desktop system. More information available at http://www.impi.org.za/

Linex

Linex is a Debian-based distribution being developed by the regional government of Extremadura (Spain). The main goal is to migrate all the computer systems, from government offices, to businesses to schools into Linux. Read the official press release (also available in English).

Linex has drawn a lot of attention not just from non-Spanish newspapers like the Washington Post, but even from the European Parliament, where it was presented in several occasions, the latest one in the annual meeting of the European Regions Committee (news posted in February 2003 here or here, in Spanish only).

More information on Linex available at http://www.linex.org (Spanish only). It can also be downloaded from http://www.linex.org/sources/linex/debian/pool/ or using apt adding the following to your sources.list:

deb http://www.linex.org/sources/linex/debian woody linex gnome2

More info...

Linuxin

Linuxin is a distribution based on Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 (woody) and is oriented towards the Spanish end-user (desktop) with a simplified installation that includes hardware autodetection and a small package selection directed towards users with little experience. All changes are distributed under the GPL and some of the improvements will probably be merged with the main Debian project.

The CD images provide also a live filesystem so it can be used as a demonstration CD (like Demolinux). Some programs might not work, however, due to RAMdisk limitations.

CD images can be downloaded from the main website (all content is in Spanish) at http://linuxin.paislinux.net/ or at http://jucar.aig.uc3m.es/linuxin/ (probably higher bandwidth).

LMDE

Linux Mint is a GNU/Linux distribution. Its Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) is based on Debian Testing. It is available in both 32 and 64-bit as a live DVD and features a Gnome and an Xfce edition.

More info...

Morphix

Morphix is designed as a modular framework to easily create and customize livecd's, with a range of modules for different purposes. Based on Debian and KNOPPIX, it emphasises ease-of-use, ease-of-install and, thanks to Debian and apt, ease-of-updating. In such, it is a hybrid: the usefulness of a regular livecd, and a dependable way to get a Debian install on your harddisk. It does contain certain non-free drivers (nvidia driver), which can be chosen at boottime, but these can be disabled for full Debian compliance.

Besides the custom-made opensource installer, the people behind Morphix are active on creating a number of extra tools and applications to increase the usefulness of Morphix for newer users. These tools are also licensed under the GPL.

Ordissimo

Ordissimo is aimed at being easy to use (especially for the elderly) and is distributed preinstalled on laptop and tablet devices.

More info...

Parsix GNU/Linux

Parsix is a live and installation DVD based on Debian. Its goal is to provide a ready to use, easy to install, desktop and laptop optimized operating system based on Debian's testing branch and the latest stable release of GNOME desktop environment.

More info...

RAYS LX

RAYS LX is a desktop distribution based on Debian sarge and sid and aimed for the mainland Chinese market. RAYS LX featured a GUI installer (based on the new debian-installer), GUI configuration tools, a simplified selection of best-of-breed desktop applications, and popular Chinese input methods, all designed to enhance the desktop experience. The distribution has now adopted an open development model, which carries out its development at the OpenRAYS community site.

Stonegate

Stonegate is a high-availability firewall with virtual private network, and load balancing capabilities. These capabilities are closed-source (proprietary) but the base operating system (even if it's not widely publicized) is Debian GNU/Linux.

Storm Linux

Storm was a distribution based on Debian GNU/Linux which appeared in 1999 (the first alpha was released in July). However, the manufacturer, Stormix Technologies, filed for bankruptcy in the year 2001 (some more information about this on Newsforge). Storm Linux received some good reviews but the distribution is no longer available.

Storm was available at Stormix Technologies' Storm Linux website, http://www.stormix.com/ (no longer available)

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution that starts with the breadth of Debian and adds regular releases (every six months), a clear focus on the user and usability (it should Just Work, TM) and a commitment to security updates with 18 months of support for every release. Ubuntu ships with the latest GNOME and KDE releases as well as a selection of server and desktop software that makes for a comfortable desktop experience off a single installation CD.

Ubuntu is sponsored by Canonical Ltd.

More info...

Univention Corporate Server

UCS is a standardized and easy to operate Linux-Solution that includes an extensive management system besides the actual operating system which is based on Debian. With this identity- and infrastructure-management-system UCS provides, besides its standard services, every important function to manage smaller and larger IT-environments. It fits perfectly into existing systems and is extendable with a great number of certified applications (groupware, backup, fax, network-monitoring, virtualization etc.) by different producers.

If you like, you can get a test version at our homepage.

More info...

Xandros

Xandros Desktop is another Debian-based distribution for the desktop market, which appeared after Corel Linux.

You can read a review on Xandros 1.0 at ExtremeTech, DistroWatch, and OSnews (beta preview).