Vendors/Distributors:
Knoppix: For those who want to test out the programs of an open source operating system without permanently installing it on their computer, Knoppix offers a free downloadable CD that is “bootable.?So, a user runs Knoppix straight from the CD-ROM drive—an easy way to explore open source. Some modest technical know-how is needed to create a bootable CD from the downloaded files. Otherwise, the Knoppix site has a list of companies that will send a CD via the postal service, usually for under $5. More information here.
Linux Online: Provides a huge array of programs, from science tools to e-mail programs to system administrator programs that all run in the Linux environment. More information here.
Linspire: Designed for the home user more than the business environment, Linspire claims to be the easiest-to-use Linux operating system. Their site has links to Linspire-equipped computers, which are generally much less expensive than computers that have a proprietary operating system preloaded. More information here.
Mandriva: Offers corporate firewall, server, and desktop solutions as well as home media and productivity suites. Mandriva operates on the Linux operating platform, but strives to be as intuitive and graphical as possible. More information here.
Redhat: Is one of the most popular operating and easiest to use operating systems based on Linux. Many organizations step into the open source world with Red Hat. Not free, but claims to be very cost effective compared to other operating systems. More information here.
SourceForge: Is a virtual catalog of more than 100,000 open source projects. SourceForge is “the world's largest open source development website.?Besides hosting many open source programs, SourceForge has an Enterprise Edition for sale, where businesses can use all of the collaborative tools of SourceForge behind company firewalls. More information here.
SugarCRM: A leading open source Customer Relationship Management provider that offers hosted and on-site CRM deployments, for a fee. More information here.
Sun Microsystems: Sun has a number of free and fee-based open source products, including OpenOffice, StarOffice, and Solaris 10, which Sun officials say is a whole new operating system based on Unix. More information here.
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