Product SiteDocumentation Site

1.5. Peran dari Distribusi

Sebuah distribusi GNU/Linux memiliki dua tujuan utama yaitu: install sebuah sistem operasi bebas dalam komputer (baik apakah sudah sebelumnya sudah terinstall sistem operasi atau belum), dan menyediakan beragam perangkat lunak yang memenuhi kebutuhan pengguna.

1.5.1. Peng-install: debian-installer

The debian-installer, designed to be extremely modular in order to be as generic as possible, targets the first objective. It covers a broad range of installation situations and in general, greatly facilitates the creation of a derivative installer corresponding to a particular case.
This modularity, which also makes it very complex, may be daunting for the developers discovering this tool; but whether used in graphical or text mode, the user's experience is still similar. Great efforts have been made to reduce the number of questions asked at installation time, in particular thanks to the inclusion of automatic hardware detection software.
It is interesting to note that distributions derived from Debian differ greatly on this aspect, and provide a more limited installer (often confined to the i386 or amd64 architectures), but more user-friendly for the uninitiated. On the other hand, they usually refrain from straying too far from package contents in order to benefit as much as possible from the vast range of software offered without causing compatibility problems.

1.5.2. Pustaka Perangkat Lunak

Quantitatively, Debian is undeniably the leader in this respect, with over 17,300 source packages. Qualitatively, Debian’s policy and long testing period prior to releasing a new stable version justify its reputation for stability and consistency. As far as availability, everything is available on-line through many mirrors worldwide, with updates pushed out every six hours.
Banyak pengecer menjual CD-ROM di Internet dengan harga yang sangat murah (seringkali juga dengan biaya), “images” tersedia secara bebas untuk diunduh. Terdapat satu kemunduran: rendahnya frekuensi rilis dari versi stabil baru (pengembangan seringkali memakan waktu lebih dari dua tahun), yang menjadikan penundaan pemuatan perangkat lunak baru.
Kebanyakan dari program perangkat lunak bebas baru dengan cepat memasuki versi pengembangan yang memungkinkan mereka dapat diinstall. Jika hal ini membutuhkan terlalu banyak pemutakhiran akibat dependensi, program dapat di-compile ulang agar berjalan di Debian stable (lihat Bab 15, Membuat paket Debian untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai topik ini).