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 This list is far for complete and might be out of date, if you find inaccurate data, want to contribute information or add a distribution not listed here please contact us.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:
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 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.
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.
Read its datasheet for more information.
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 is a 50M live CD based on Knoppix geared towards desktop use on weak hardware.
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 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).
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.
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/.
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 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
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).
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.
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 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 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 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.
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).