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Linux aka GNU [1]/Linux is an operating system.
It is comprised of a GPL [2] kernel, Linux proper, a wide range of
libraries and utilities from the GNU [3] Project, the XFree86 [4] X
Window System, and various other software.
Typically, Linux is obtained as a distribution: a pre-packaged
combination of kernel, libraries, utilities, desktop apps, etc. This
makes the job of assembling a working system very easy, compared to
building one from the raw hard disc up.
Common distributions include RedHat [5], Debian [6], Slackware [7],
Mandrake [8] and SuSE [9], although there are many others.
Linux is a variety of Unix [10]. The exact definition of what Unix
actually is depends wholely upon the context of the question, but by
example, FreeBSD [11], Solaris [12] and even MacOSX [13] all basically
qualify.
Linux is quite suitable for use to set up nodes for MW, as it runs on
most hardware including old stuff, supports a lot of the networking
hardware out there (though not all, check before you buy), is
reasonably secure when configured properly and maintained, provides a
great deal of useful server functionality, and costs somewhere between
not much (if you buy an official CD) and zero (if you download a
distro from the net). However, there are other operating systems that
can serve the purposes of wireless networking quite well. Melbourne
Wireless is not an OS advocacy group or forum!
For more information, check out Linux Users of Victoria [14].
Links:
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[1] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?GNU
[2] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?GPL
[3] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?GNU
[4] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?XFree86
[5] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?RedHat
[6] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?Debian
[7] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?Slackware
[8] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?Mandrake
[9] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?SuSE
[10] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?Unix
[11] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?FreeBSD
[12] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?Solaris
[13] http://melbournewireless.org.au/?MacOSX
[14] http://www.luv.asn.au/
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