828 Appendix B . Entering the Linux Community (Web hosting services)
828 Appendix B . Entering the Linux Community on Mac hardware. The YDL.net site offers some extra services for Yellow Dog Linux users, such as personal e-mail accounts and Web space. . Gentoo (www.gentoo.org) The center for the very active Gentoo community. The site contains a wealth of information about Gentoo and plenty of forums and IRC channels in which to participate. You ll find a solid and growing documentation set to back up the distribution and tons of software packages to try (in the thousands). . Slackware (www.slackware.org) Check the changelogs at this site to get a feel for the latest Slackware developments. Try LinuxPackages (www .linuxpackages.net) for a broader range of information about Slackware. . Linspire (www.linspire.com) Purchase a computer running Linspire from this site, or just buy the boxed set. Linspire offers a Live CD version you can try out for free. . Mandriva (www.mandrivalinux.com) Formed from the merger of Mandrake Linux and Connectiva Linux, the Mandriva Linux Web site gives visitors a variety of Linux products, services, and support. Companies and Groups Supporting Linux Some companies and organizations make important contributions to Linux and open source software without producing their own Linux distribution. Here are some of the most prominent ones: . VA Software (www.vasoftware.com) With its Open Source Technology Group (OSTG), VA Software manages many of the premier open source sites on the Web. It maintains open source development sites Freshmeat (www. freshmeat.net) and SourceForge (www.sourceforge.net). It also maintains information technology sites, such as Slashdot (www.slashdot.org), NewsForge (www.newsforge.com), Linux.com (www.linux.com), and IT Manager s Journal (www.itmanagersjournal.com). . IBM (www.ibm.com/linux) Because IBM has taken on the lion s share of lawsuits against Linux and done a lot to further Linux, especially in the enterprise area, it deserves a mention here. There are many good resources for Linux at IBM s Web site, including some excellent white papers covering Linux in business. . Ibiblio (www.ibiblio.org) Contains a massive archive of Linux software and documentation (www.ibiblio.org/pub/linux).
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