Lunar Linux:About

What is Lunar Linux?

Lunar is a source based Linux distribution developed by a very talented team of programmers from all over the world, working together to extend the Linux technology into better-tailored and more optimized software for the end user.

Lunar uses and builds upon the Linux kernel, the software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide, and offers a unique package management system which builds each software package, or module, from scratch for the machine in which it is being installed.

This is what sets Lunar apart. It makes customization a breeze-- you choose the compile options before a module is built, and install a lean and uncluttered system that has exactly what you need. Nothing more, or less.

Once installed, Lunar is remarkably fast, breaking new ground in flexibility and in the options it offers the individual user.

How have you Licensed it?

Lunar-Linux and all it's code are licensed under the GPLv2.

How does it work?

In a nutshell: Lunar installs a complete bootstrap development system on your machine. You then tell the Lunar package manager what tools you want, and it builds the entire system by downloading current source code and locally compiling an optimized system tailored toward your specific needs.

Lunar's installer is fast and provides full control over the process of installation, including a wide variety of install and rescue tools. The installer provides the user with an interface to compile a custom kernel during installation.

Installing applications is remarkably simple-- type in "lin [package name]" and the system will install the application from the moonbase, our module repository. Don't want it after all? Type "lrm [package name]" and it is gone. Lunar has a unique shell-based Application Management System which handles the dependencies when installing software. There is no "dependency hell"-- if there are other things the system needs to install a particular application, the AMS will simply find them for you.

Updating lunar is a matter of one single command, lunar update. It fetches an updated moonbase, checks if there were any updated modules and builds those. The AMS is network aware and uses the network to acquire source code. The moonbase and core tools are updated every hour at Lunar-Linux.org. What is the advantage?

The advantage for the end user is clear: a system that is both robust and stable, and easy to install and maintain without sacrificing variety and flexibility. Lunar has built in integrity checking and a robust self-repairing capability. It also enables system users to develop their own source-packages using the toolset.

Lunar is for everyone. Though it may be difficult for the beginner to administer, it provides you with all the possible features you could want from a Linux distribution. It is incredibly accessible to anyone who has played around with a UNIX system.

All of this presents a rich potential for a user who seeks speed, strong performance, and a system that "works smart". How can I get started?

If you'd like to start using Lunar, you can easily obtain downloads and ISO images from our web site.

You will also need to download our installation manual, which will walk you through everything you need to know about installing Lunar on your machine. As you begin to put Lunar to work, you will find additional resources in our support section, including our FAQ, our Man Pages, and the archives for the Lunar mailing list.

What do I get when I install the ISO?

The Lunar-Linux ISO installs only a basic set of packages needed to build the rest. There is no GNOME or KDE, not even XOrg on your machine after you finish installing the ISO. The only service running is secure shell (ssh), and root logins are expressly prohibited! However, once you are done installing and have compiled a kernel once to get the kernel sources in /usr/src/linux, you can just `lin XOrg7` and start installing your desktop from there!

Allthough this may sound spartan to you, there are still a ton of things you can do with a finished installation. You have links, the text-based webbrowser to surf to webpages. Irssi is installed for IRC chat. The ISO also comes preloaded with a whole bunch of networking tools and hardware utilities (lspci, dmidecode, discover) that allow you to figure out what kind of hardware your system has.

So what should I do now?

You should either go to the download section or read some more in the library. Follow the links below:

   * http://lunar-linux.org/
   * http://wiki.lunar-linux.org/

Copyright 2003, Lunar-Linux.org, written by Suzanne Burns

history is irrelevant, only the future matters