二进制和源代码形式的自由／开源软件都可以从因特网免费下载。Linux 核心可以从 http://www.kernel.org/ 下载，其它应用程序也有各自的站点。但是，大部分用户倾向于获取整套 Linux 发行版本。下表列出了一些最知名的 Linux 发行者：

从供应商处获取 Linux 成套发行版本的好处有很多。成套的 Linux 相对于“组装”的 Linux 最大的好处是节省了用户的时间：

• 下载时间：Linux 操作系统和相应软件中有较大的文件并需要较长的时间下载。一般的 56 kbps 调制解调器需要至少45天才能下载一个标准的 3CD 发布版本。供应商提供捆绑的软件（浏览器，服务器程序，办公套件，等等），从而节省了用户搜寻和下载单个软件包所需的大量精力和时间。
• 安装和编译时间：许多自由／开源软件只能以源代码形式下载。用户需要具备足够的技能自己编译和安装软件。在较慢的计算机上，编译源代码可能需要数天甚至数星期时间。供应商的 Linux 版本一般都带有预先编译好的软件包和易用的安装程序，在大部分系统上不到1小时就能安装好。
• 质量保证：供应商通常都对产品进行充分的测试以保证所有组件正常工作。因为自由／开源软件是独立开发的，难免会出现一个软件中的改变造成另一个软件不能使用的情况。供应商为用户解决这些依赖问题，提供一个“取出即用”的整合产品。
• 学习时间：供应商为他们的产品用户提供手册并出版（用于销售的）参考资料，使一般用户更容易使用 Linux。

FOSS, in binary and source code format, is free and downloadable from the Internet. The Linux kernel itself can be downloaded from http://www.kernel.org and other applications from their respective websites. However, most users tend to obtain distributions of Linux. The following is a table of some of the most popular distributors of Linux:

Popular Linux Distributors
Debian
www.debian.org
Redhat
www.redhat.com
SuSe
www.suse.com
Mandrake
www.mandrakelinux.com
SlackWare
www.slackware.com
TurboLinux
www.turbolinux.com

The advantages of going with distributions of Linux are many. The single most important advantage of vendor Linux over “stock” Linux is that it saves users time:

Download time: The Linux operating system and complementary software involve large files and long download times. A standard 56kbps modem would take at least 45 days to download a standard 3 CD distribution. Vendors also provide bundled software—browsers, server applications, office suite, etc.—that saves the users from the tedious work of hunting and downloading individual software packages.
Installation and compiling time: Many FOSS packages are downloadable only as source code. Users are required to compile and install the software themselves, assuming they are competent enough to do so. On a slow computer, compilation of source code may take days or even weeks. Vendor distributions of Linux often come precompiled and packaged with an easy installation system that takes less than an hour to install on most modern systems.
Quality assurance: Vendors typically perform extensive testing to ensure that all of the components work well together. Since FOSS projects are developed independently, there is always the chance that changes in one package have outdated another package. Vendors resolve these dependencies for the user, supplying an integrated package that works “out of the box”.
Learning time: Vendors provide manuals and publish reference material (for sale) for their products, making Linux much easier for the average user to learn.