Linux 内核是自由／开源软件，在 GNU 一般公共许可（GNU General Public License, GPL）下发布。但是，不同的 Linux 发行版本包含着不同的组件，其中一些可能不是自由／开源软件。例如，德国的 SuSE Linux 版本就包含有非自由／开源的 YaST （Yet another Setup Tool）安装程序。

Debian GNU/Linux [87] 是少数几个承诺在核心系统中只包括自由／开源软件组件（根据 OSI 的定义）的发行版本之一。

The Linux kernel is FOSS, licensed under the GNU General Public License. However, different distributions of Linux contain different components, some of which are not FOSS. For example, the German SuSE Linux distribution includes the non-FOSS YaST (Yet another Setup Tool) installation program.

The Debian GNU/Linuxi distribution is one of the few distributions that are committed to including only FOSS components (as defined by the Open Source Initiative) in its core distribution.