为什么有如此之多的Linux发行？

　　来源：Linux人

　　观点：一个发行仅仅只是Linux所给选择之海中的冰山一角

　　There are two great questions in life that people struggle to answer. The first is why we're here, and the second is why there are so many different Linux distributions.

　　生活中人们视图回答两大问题。第一个是，我们为什么会在这儿；另外一个是，为什么有如此之多不同的Linux发行。

　　A Linux distribution, for the uninitiated, is the stack of software, configuration tools and desktop environments, all bound to the Linux kernel, that go together to make the entire operating system, which most of us call Linux.

　　一个Linux发行，对于外行人来说，是软件、配置工具和桌面环境的集成；它们都与Linux内核紧密相关，协同构成整个操作系统；该操作系统，我们就称之为Linux。

　　Everything from the colour scheme, the character set, the update frequency and a contributor's nationality can be used to differentiate one distribution from another. As a result, there are hundreds. As I write this, there are 317 being followed by www.distrowatch.com, for example, but there's no real reason why so many exist, and why so many thrive.

　　配色策略，字符集，更新频率，以及贡献者的国籍等等一切因素，都可以用来作为一个发型不同于其他发行的原因。结果是，Linux发行有千百之众。比如到我写下这篇文章时为止，www.distrowatch.com上有记载的就有317个发行之多。然而要问为什么有如此之多的存在并兴盛，真的很难找到原因。

　　What's worse, there's no consistent past or future for those that do enjoy success. The difficulty is that a distribution is just the tip of a complex and convoluted iceberg, floating in a sea of alternatives. It's the storm caused by the butterfly.

　　更为糟糕的是，从那些行成功的发行身上，我们找不到一致的过去或未来。困难就在于一个发行仅仅只是纷繁与复杂的冰山上的一角；冰山漂浮在Linux所给的选择之海里。它是由蝴蝶引起的一场飓风。

　　（下文将以成因和创新与戏剧性事件两节加以分析，未予翻译。有兴趣的读者可以尝试阅读英文原文）

　　英文原文：http://www.techradar.com/news/so ... nux-distros--925000
　　转载请注明：Linux人社区 英文资讯翻译专版 编译

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