Debian Linux operating system

Debian GNU/ Linux operating system, started by Ian Murdock in 1993, is a completely non-commercial project; perhaps the purest form of the ideals that started the free software movement. Hundreds of volunteer developers from all over the world contribute to the project, which is well managed and strict, assuring a quality distribution known as Debian Linux operating system.

At any time during the development process, there are three branches in the main directory tree - "stable", "testing" and "unstable" (also known as "sid"). When a new version of a package appears, it is placed in the unstable branch for early testing. If it passes, the package moves to the testing branch, which undergoes rigorous testing lasting many months. This branch is only declared stable after a very thorough testing. As a result of this, the Linux operating system distribution is possibly the most stable and reliable, albeit not the most up-to-date. While the stable branch is perfect for use on mission critical servers, many users prefer to run the more up-to-date testing or unstable branches on their personal computers.

One of the most pleasant aspect of Debian Linux operating system is its "apt-get" utility, a convenient front-end for the "dpkg" software installation and management tool. Although packages managers of other distributions have caught up with Debian in terms of convenience, dpkg and apt-get, together with the traditionally high standards of Debian packaging and quality control, remain the most advance package management utilities available today.

Pros: 100% free, excellent documentation and community resources, well-tested, painless software installation with apt-get.
Cons: Slow release cycle, the stable version tends to be out-dated.
Software package management: APT (DEB)
Free download: Yes