Scientific Linux

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Scientific Linux
Image:Scientific.png

Scientific Linux 4.1 - GNOME Desktop
Website scientificlinux.org
OS family Linux
Source model Free software
Latest stable release 5.1 / January 16, 2008
Kernel type Monolithic kernel
License Various
Working state Current

Scientific Linux is an open source free Linux distribution, co-developed by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and which aims to be 100% compatible with and based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

This product is derived from the free & open source software made available by Red Hat, Inc., but is not produced, maintained or supported by Red Hat. Specifically, this product is built from the source code for Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions, under the terms and conditions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux's EULA and the GNU General Public License.

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[edit] History

Fermilab already had a Linux distribution known as Fermi Linux LTS 3.0.1, based on RHEL. CERN was creating their next version of Cern Linux, also based on RHEL. CERN contacted Fermilab about doing a joint collaboration. Connie Sieh, the main developer of Fermi Linux, saw the potential for this collaboration.[citation needed] She saw it as a way, not only to help the two large labs, but also to help the various smaller labs around the world doing high energy physics. Sieh was the main developer and driver behind the first prototypes and initial release.

The first prototype was called HEPL, standing for High Energy Physics Linux. Public reception from the scientific community was supportive, but many were dissatisfied with the name, as not all users were dealing with high energy physics, or even physics at all.[citation needed] The name was changed to Scientific Linux. The first official release was on May 10, 2004.

At the release of Scientific Linux 3.0.1, CERN joined in the collaboration and became co-developers of Scientific Linux.

Scientific Linux includes software suited for scientists and people working with scientific data. This includes FITS libraries, Graphviz, and R.

[edit] Version history

Scientific Linux (SL)'s historical releases are as following.

Scientific Linux
Year-month-date Number (Official) Name
2004 May 10 Scientific Linux 3.0.1 Feynman
2004 June 21 Scientific Linux 3.0.2 Feynman
2004 October 1 Scientific Linux 3.0.3 Feynman
2005 February 11 Scientific Linux 3.0.4 Feynman
2005 April 20 Scientific Linux 4.0 Beryllium
2005 July 25 Scientific Linux 3.0.5 Feynman
2005 August 6 Scientific Linux 4.1 Beryllium
2005 November 22 Scientific Linux 4.2 Beryllium
2006 May 8 Scientific Linux 4.3 Beryllium
2006 May 26 Scientific Linux 3.0.7 Feynman
2006 October 9 Scientific Linux 4.4 Beryllium
2006 October 31 Scientific Linux 3.0.8 Feynman
2007-05-04 Scientific Linux 5.0 Boron
2007-06-25 Scientific Linux 4.5 Beryllium
2008-01-16 Scientific Linux 5.1 Boron

[edit] See also

[edit] External links