Which distributions have the most software and stuff available?

[Starlight]

Hi! I'm curious about the availability of all kinds of software for different distributions. Has anyone ever made such a comparison? Or maybe someone has enough personal experience with different distros to compare them that way? What I mean is not just a comparison of official repositories, but also unofficial ones, including websites like getdeb for Ubuntu.

[Archmage]

Since you can use all Linux-software on every distribution, they all have the same amount.

[Starlight]

Since you can use all Linux-software on every distribution, they all have the same amount.

Yes, but sometimes the right packages aren't available...

[Frak]

Arch, only because of AUR. If you disregard community, Ubuntu or Debian.

[Starlight]

Arch, only because of AUR. If you disregard community, Ubuntu or Debian.

I'm curious, what's AUR?

[mips]

I'm curious, what's AUR?

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ArchLinux_User-community_Repository_(AUR)
http://aur.archlinux.org/

[Frak]

I'm curious, what's AUR?
AUR - Archlinux User Repository
http://aur.archlinux.org/

[Starlight]

Cool, thanks! That looks good :) I've looked around AUR for a while and it seems it has a lot of packages available. :)

I'm also curious, how does the package availablity of Arch Linux compare to, for example, distributions like Fedora, Mandriva, or OpenSUSE?

[mips]

I'm also curious, how does the package availablity of Arch Linux compare to, for example, distributions like Fedora, Mandriva, or OpenSUSE?

No idea. Let me put it this way, there has never been a package that I could not find in the repos or AUR but then again I use mostly run of the mill stuff.

[Frak]

Cool, thanks! That looks good :) I've looked around AUR for a while and it seems it has a lot of packages available. :)

I'm also curious, how does the package availablity of Arch Linux compare to, for example, distributions like Fedora, Mandriva, or OpenSUSE?
I'd be hard to find one that isn't there. If that makes sense :|

[Starlight]

Yes, that makes sense, thanks! :) I'm trying to find another distribution for me to try. According to the Wikipedia article, Arch Linux isn't really good for me, though... so I wonder if there are other distributions than Arch (which isn't good for me) and Ubuntu (which I already know and I want to try something different) that would also have a lot of packages available for them.

[Frak]

Yes, that makes sense, thanks! :) I'm trying to find another distribution for me to try. According to the Wikipedia article, Arch Linux isn't really good for me, though... so I wonder if there are other distributions than Arch (which isn't good for me) and Ubuntu (which I already know and I want to try something different) that would also have a lot of packages available for them.
Ubuntu or Debian.

Try Debian.

[arashiko28]

Debian has over 18 thousand packaged available, that you can also use on Ubuntu, Mint, and similar. For the .rpm packages, I use alien to make them .deb and install then on Ubuntu. So I would say it's even.

[C!oud]

Definitely Debian repos have more software than any other distro however old they tend to be...

[cardinals_fan]

This is difficult to measure. Ubuntu's repos are far larger than Arch's, but Arch has more of the minimal software I prefer available.

[oldos2er]

Slackware has quite a few packages available, but I couldn't give you a number offhand.

[fistfullofroses]

Any distribution that includes a c compiler by default has the most. Since most Linux software is open source you could use anything as long as you have a compiler. From there, I would say that systems like Slackware and GoboLinux which are focused primarily on that concept have the most software available. If you are going strictly for binaries, I would recommend Arch/Debian/Gentoo. These have the largest and most active communities besides Ubuntu.

[cardinals_fan]

If you are going strictly for binaries, I would recommend Arch/Debian/Gentoo. These have the largest and most active communities besides Ubuntu.
I assume you really mean "if you are going for systems with automated package management", because Gentoo, as a source-based system, has relatively few binary packages available.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Debian by far has the largest repository, without needing repackaging like Arch.

[-Rick-]

Don't forget that Debian and the like split a lot of packages, to get seperate packages for docs, dev stuff etc. I believe FreeBSD's ports (which hardly have any splitted packages) has over 16000 ports now and is pretty much on the top.

[notwen]

+1 Debian.

[ibutho]

I'd Say Debian (which benefits many of their derivatives in terms of packaging). Another distro with a large number of packages in the official and build service repos is openSUSE.

[Ripfox]

Hi! I'm curious about the availability of all kinds of software for different distributions. Has anyone ever made such a comparison? Or maybe someone has enough personal experience with different distros to compare them that way? What I mean is not just a comparison of official repositories, but also unofficial ones, including websites like getdeb for Ubuntu.

What about pre-installed? Which distro has the "best" selection there? :)

[MisfitI38]

What about pre-installed? Which distro has the "best" selection there? :)

Arch, CRUX, Gentoo, LFS.

[Frak]

Don't forget that Debian and the like split a lot of packages, to get seperate packages for docs, dev stuff etc. I believe FreeBSD's ports (which hardly have any splitted packages) has over 16000 ports now and is pretty much on the top.
19560 ports

[oswaldkelso]

Debian if were talking offical.

It depends on what repos you have. If I removed Debian multimedia I'd be down a few thousand may be.

On my Debian Sid Powerpc, with experimental and Debian multimedia repos. No contrib or non free. I'm showing 24,787 packages.

less If I was running lenny instead of Sid. Obviously I'd show more with contrib and non free and on i386, (pushing 30,000) but I don't think you can count contrib or non free because their dependent on non free to work.

Any Distro can install from source, so everyone has those to choose from, wheather you can get them to compile is another matter. :)

[handy]

What about pre-installed? Which distro has the "best" selection there? :)

I'm confused by the term pre-installed?

If it means the number of packages that come on the LiveCD/DVD then the Sabayon LiveDVD certainly has a huge range & number of applications included, as does Knoppix.

[oswaldkelso]

I'm confused by the term pre-installed?

If it means the number of packages that come on the LiveCD/DVD then the Sabayon LiveDVD certainly has a huge range & number of applications included, as does Knoppix.

Well I guess it depends on on who does the installing. We all start with or make space on our Hard drives. It just depends on how the distro offers the user its packages. In Debian if you only count whats on the cd it would start at 32mb for a business card install. But then you could add the other 21 cds worth of packages if you really wanted to.

http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r6/i386/iso-cd/

The whole question is a goal post on wheels, because each distro and user makes up their own rules.
My rules are free and offical software. Others peoples rules will vary because they have the choice to do things their way. Of course their way is wrong :D and mine is right :D but thats another matter :P

[albinootje]

Cool, thanks! That looks good :) I've looked around AUR for a while and it seems it has a lot of packages available. :)

I'm also curious, how does the package availablity of Arch Linux compare to, for example, distributions like Fedora, Mandriva, or OpenSUSE?

I've used Arch Linux for several months, I was surprised how much it offered when you enable the use of AUR, but a few applications were not available, IIRC Galeon web browser amongst others.