I have started using Linux recently and have been enjoying the open-source nature of it. I was browsing a website called [distrowatch.com](http://distrowatch.com) that has hundreds of Linux distros. All of them are free to use (ubuntu, debian, Kali, Quebes, Tails, etc.) How are they maintained if it doesn’t cost anything to download and install them?
Thank you.
In: Technology
Largely, it’s maintained by volunteers. Dedicated individuals or small groups creating and maintaining various distros. That said, there absolutely are corporate interests in Linux as well. Many companies use Linux for servers. If you use an android device, you’re using the Linux kernel. So there are sources of investment into the project. Plus many (not all) of the sites host ads so there is some degree of revenue coming in.
If you need to make your free software better for your own needs, or your company needs a specific improvement, why not give it back to the project?
If you need to improve your coding and want to learn how to work in a team, why not do it on a Linux?
If you use lots of bits of software but the core tools cost too much, why not write your own and give them away?
If you sell hardware, why not write drivers for the stuff you sell and give them away for free?
Free software exists because enough people need free software enough to write it.
Volunteers maintain the packages, donations fund servers for compiling open source software and hosting the website.
In principle, any given Linux distro is a passion project run by volunteers. For smaller ones, there’s typically no formal structure to guarantee regular updates or continuing support. Larger distros like Ubuntu or Debian are supported by small money making operations or charities. Canonical Ltd. makes money selling Ubuntu support services and merch, then funnels that money back into the project. Software in the Public Interest is a nonprofit that supports Debian among other open source projects.
A lot of them are configured by the people who want to use them. They like their sister’s a certain way and none of the other offerings do it that way.
The fact that anyone can download them is why there are so many. If you want a distro of your own, you can download it, modify it, give it a new name, and share it. This behaviour is something the community approves of.
Great question! Linux distros are maintained by a mix of volunteers and companies. Many developers work on these projects because they love coding and want to contribute to the community. Some distros, like Ubuntu, have companies behind them that offer support and services, which helps with funding. Also, donations from users and sponsorships play a big role in keeping things running. It’s pretty amazing how passionate people are about open-source software!
Most of the utility of Linux is from programmers working for companies that sponsor the open software movement and have found a way to benefit from the agreement.
Some work for open software non-profits (Linux foundation, Mozilla foundation) others work for for-profit companies like Google and Apple (see for example WebKit). Some big contributors volunteer a part of their time. Many projects start in academia in research labs and grow into other types of organizations (eg Google)
But basically Linux based computing has lots of benefits across all sectors so it’s possible to benefit from improving the code base at the same time as you are employed.
You’ve got a few types of distros with different models:
1. Community distros like Arch or Debian – maintained almost entirely by volunteers. Propped up financially by donations.
2. The ‘adjacent products/support’ distros like Ubuntu and Fedora – These are maintained by companies and the free version is usually there, at least in a small part, to entice you into their paid offerings – usually a support package but can also be cloud services or, in the case of RedHat/Fedora, another distro.
3. The ‘pay up front’ distros like Red Hat Enterprise Linux. This should be self explanatory. The distro is maintained by a company. You pay either a one-off or recurring fee to use it.
I’m not sure how that’s an issue. There are hundreds of distros *because* anyone can download them and make their own distro based on it. The people who release a distro maintain it.
Have you ever heard of wikipedia?
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