498 APPENDIX A (Web site traffic) GLOSSARY OF LINUX TERMS
498 APPENDIX A GLOSSARY OF LINUX TERMS CVS Concurrent Versioning System; application that allows the latest version of software packages to be distributed over the Internet to developers and other interested parties. D daemon See service. Debian Voluntary organization that produces distributions of Free Software operating systems, including Linux. Because it is a nonprofit organization run by passionate Free Software advocates, it is considered the most ethically sound of all Linux outfits. Many distributions, including Ubuntu, use Debian as the basis for their software because of its claimed reliability and relative simplicity. dependency A way of referring to system files that a program requires in order to run. If the dependencies are not present during program installation, a program might refuse to install. device Linux shorthand describing something on your system that provides a function for the user or that the system requires in order to run. This usually refers to hardware, but it can also describe a virtual device that is created to provide access to a particular Linux function. directory What Windows refers to as a folder; areas on a hard disk in which files can be stored and organized. distribution A collection of software making up the Linux operating system; also known as a distro. The software is usually compiled by either a company or organization. A distribution is designed to be easy to install, administer, and use by virtue of it being an integrated whole. Examples include Ubuntu, SUSE Linux, Red Hat, and Debian. distro Shorthand for distribution. documentation Another way of describing written guides or instructions; can refer to online sources of help as well as actual printed documentation.