User:Pseudo daoist/Religious Distros

This is a draft for a proposed page

Logos and screen shots on this page that were correctly sourced, and either had a fair use rational or used the GFDL license when I first used them on this page, were speedily deleted under WP:CSD.

Religion is a major force in society. Linux lends itself to niche markets. It was inevitable that the two find a place in which they can merge together.

Microsoft Windows
What makes an operating system distribution "religiously oriented"? Can one legitimately talk about a (substitute religious group here) distribution of Microsoft Windows?

Does installing OTO Tools, gematria software, The complete works of Aleister Crowley, wallpaper with pentagrams, MagiCalc ,and Cal-93 on a Windows computer constitute creating Microsoft Windows (Thelemic Edition)?

Does selling web filtering software, a Bible Study program, wallpaper with angels, and Christian clipart along with Windows constitute Microsoft Windows (Christian Edition)?

Jesux
This distribution was announced in late September 1999. .It used the Christian Software Public License. This is a variant of the four clause BSD license.

It suggested renaming "kill", and "daemon" to something that was less evocative of sin. It also wondered if it was appropriate for Christians to use software developed by homosexuals.

This distribution was later revealed to be a hoax.

Yellow Hat GNU/Linux
The Dalai Lama today announced the official release of Yellow Hat GNU/Linux is how the official announcement on 1 April 2003 began. This was a carefully thought out hoax by Richard Stallman, bringing together elements from both Tibetan Buddhism and Linux.

Christian Linux Live CD
This project was announced on 23 July 2004. A screenshot was posted 17 December 2004.

It was based upon Damn_Small_Linux

The first criticism of it emerged the day after it was announced. .

Despite not being publicly released, five bugs were reported for it.

Ichthux
This was the first religiously orientated distribution to be widely released. The first two versions were based on Koppix. Subsequent versions are based upon Kubuntu.



Origin of the Name
The name is based upon the Greek acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ: I is the first letter of the word Jesus in Greek: Ιησους CH are the first letters of the word Christ (Χριστος) TH are the first letters of the word THeou (Θεου), Greek for God Y is the first letter for Uios (Υιος), Greek for son. S is the first letter for Soter (Σωτηρ), Greek for saviour. The X in the end of the name Ichthux is a common termination in the *nix world.

Features

 * KDE Desktop Enviornment;
 * Kio-Sword as the default Bible Study program;
 * Christian console tools: verse, bible-kjv
 * Christian emoticons theme;
 * Culmus Hebrew fonts;

Version History
In 2007, this distro became a full fledged metapackage within ubuntu https://launchpad.net/ichthux

Reviews
It has been reviewed in:

Wikipedia Article
The main website does not appear to have been updated since late 2006.

The Wikipedia article was deleted 12 August 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Ichthux.

It was also proposed for merger with:
 * Ubuntu;
 * Ubuntu (Linux distribution);

Spanish article was AfD July 2005 http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Consultas_de_borrado/Ichthux

Transwiki

 * Russian;http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthux
 * French;http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthux
 * Ukranian;http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthux

Origin of the Name
This project was created with the following aims:


 * Use the Internet, Open Source Software, and Open resources as a tool for evangelism;
 * Expose mankind to the Holy Spirit, using new technological tools;
 * Help people in their growth as Christians;
 * Create tools for for people to further their spiritual growth;
 * Share with other communities like Ichthux, for example, as the early Christian communities did, in harnessing the power and spirit of ecumenical Christianity.

Features

 * GnomeSword : GNU GPL 2.0 Bible Study program for the Gnome Desktop. This utilizes The Sword Project API.
 * Spanish Language Catholic Bible : This project is creating these resources, as most Spanish Language e-text Bibles are more than 75 years old, and omit Deuterocanonical material.

Version History
This project was started in early 2005.

The last message to the mailing list was sent in September 2006.

Reviews
It has been reviewed in:

Ubuntu Christian Edition
[]

Features

 * GnomeSword : GNU GPL 2.0 Bible Study program for the Gnome Desktop. It utilized The Sword Project API.
 * e-Sword : Gratis Bible Study program for Windows.
 * The Word: Gratis Bible Study program for Windows.
 * Virtual Rosary: This application provides the words, and images for mediation as a traditional Roman Catholic form of devotion.
 * Today's Bible Verse : This program displays a verse from the Bible on the desktop.

Reviews
It has been reviewed in:
 * U S Catholic
 * Extreme Tech
 * Linux Format

Non Notable Reviews

 * http://www.madpenguin.org/cms/?m=show&id=7681
 * http://www.reviewlinux.com/?m=show&id=3282
 * http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/76696/
 * http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2076013,00.asp
 * http://www.tuxmachines.org/node/9390
 * http://www.linux.org/news/2006/12/14/0002.html
 * http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/76696/index.html
 * http://quickworx.info/index.php/2006/11/15/using-unbuntu-christian-edition-a-review
 * http://www.tuxmachines.org/index.php?q=node/9390
 * http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS3093128048.html
 * http://www.moka5.com/node/66
 * http://cafelinux.org/distropedia/?q=node/153
 * http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ubuntuce
 * http://www.linuxformat.co.uk: Linux Format Issue 87 (Christmas 2006) Page 39

Wikipedia Article
The Wikipedia article Ubuntu Christian Edition was submitted for Deletion on three occasions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Automatix_%28software%29 27 June 2007: Result: No Consensus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Ubuntu_Christian_Edition 4 August 2007: Result: Keep.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Ubuntu_Christian_Edition_%282nd_nomination%29 5 October 2007: Result: Merge/Redirect.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikip%C3%A9dia:Pages_%C3%A0_supprimer/Ubuntu_Christian_Edition 2 October 2007" Result: Merge.

It was also proposed for merger with:
 * Ubuntu;
 * Ubuntu (Linux distribution);

Transwiki

 * Russian:http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_CE
 * Finnish:http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Christian_Edition
 * Spanish:http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Christian_Edition
 * Czeck:http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Christian_Edition

Criticism
Since its announcement in July of 2006, Ubuntu CE has been and still is under criticism from members of the Ubuntu community. Many have voiced their opinions about the Christian Edition in the official Ubuntu forums. Some of the main problems certain users see with Ubuntu Christian Edition are listed below:
 * Christianity aside, how should CE be considered a "fork" or "distro" when it basically adds a package of applications and theme that could easily be done in Ubuntu?
 * The word "Ubuntu" stands for community, and making a version aimed at specific people goes against this philosophy.
 * What does religion have to do with an operating system?

These are not the only issues that Ubuntu members are finding with CE. For a full read, the Ubuntu forums have some threads dedicated to this issue

Jereme, the creator of the CE project, has responded to the above by saying that: It is simply a pre-configured and customized version of Ubuntu for a specific group of people (Christians). The idea is to bring Linux to a community of people who in my opinion are until now are an untapped market for Linux.

This project is not about bringing Christianity to Linux users. It is just the opposite. It is an excellent example of how we can use the power of Open Source software to really provide groups with a product that will truly meet their needs.

I really wish those who are opposed to the Christian faith could take their guards down for a moment and look at the bigger picture of what I am trying to accomplish.

Other Ubuntu community members consider the Christian Edition to be a joke of sorts, and have begun creating pundit sites and blogs that poke fun at the project. For example, coming up with facts that toy with the idea a Christian themed operating system, such as "With Ubuntu Christian Edition, you don't need to surf the web. You can walk on it." Others have also decided to make an offshoot of the Christian Edition and create Ubuntu Satanic Edition.

All in all, the discussion over these issues have been conducted in a general civility and politeness, with people from both camps sharing their opinions on the Official Ubuntu forums.

Copied in whole from the Ubuntu Christian Edition article, then extensively edited.

Ubuntu Satanic Edition/Kubuntu Satanic Edition
This is a set of themes, rather than a distribution, per se.

Origin of the Name
This was created in reaction to Ubuntu Christian Edition. As such, a name that is diametrically opposed to Christian was selected.

Kubuntu Satanic Edition follows the Ubuntu convention of using "Kubuntu" to indicate a KDE desktop, instead of the Gnome desktop.

Features
The focus is upon the "Darker Side". of Ubuntu.

Non Notable Reviews

 * Just in Time For Christmas: http://www.linux.com/articles/114207

Wikipedia Article
The Wikipedia article was deleted

Features

 * Islamiccal: an Islamic calendar program
 * minbar : a prayer reminder, it launches an athan at the prayer times.
 * zekr: a Qur’anic study-tool that helps Muslims learn verses of the Qur’an
 * Ubuntume-artwork: GUI skins, buttons and backgrounds with Islamic themes
 * Ubuntumewcc: a program that functions as a firewall and filter for you web content.

Wikipedia Article
The wikipedia article UbuntuME was redirected to List_of_Ubuntu-based_distributions in October 2007, without any discussion.

French AfD Discussion is at http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikip%C3%A9dia:Pages_%C3%A0_supprimer/Ubuntu_Muslim_Edition

Criticism
The quote: ''It is useless since it doesn't bring anything new to normal distribution. You can be more useful by investing your skills in other projects that can make new technologies reach the Muslim community. For example, even if you do not speak Arabic, you can help support Arabic-script languages that are the main languages of the Muslim world and culture... Moreover, this is a silly imitation of the already criticized Christian Edition of Ubuntu.'' sums up the opposition to this distribution in the Muslim world.

Ubuntu Jewish Edition
The following programs were not included in this distro:
 * Firefox : Include the following extensions
 * Sifrei Kodesh Search;
 * Morfix;


 * Luach

Features
Muslim edition of Slackware.

Origin of the Name
Ubuntu Christian Edition recompiled for Linux Mint.

JewBuntu
This is a hoax edition of Ubuntu. Special features include an insecurity tool, to increase one's feelings of guilt.


 * JAP Edition : This version of JewBuntu charges every thing to daddy's credit card;
 * Mixed Marriage Edition : This combines Ubuntu Christian Edition with JewBuntu. Orthodox denominations are uninstallable.

Criticism
The major criticisms of Religiously Orientated Distributions are:
 * Where will this end up?
 * Why can't users just use apt-get to install the packages?
 * Why not create a meta-package, rather than new distribution

The Ending Point
"Where will this path end?" The implication being that there will be a distribution for each denomination of each religion.

This criticism assumes that Elmo Phillip's joke is par for all denominations in all religions.

Using Apt-Get
This criticism says that the software is available, and all that a user needs, is to use apt-get, or similar program to download an install it.

This criticism assumes:
 * The software that the distribution includes exists;
 * The software is available for the distribution that the users has installed.
 * That the individual knows how to use apt-get, or similar tool;

ChrisTux focused their attention on Spanish Language Catholic Bibles, because there are none that are suitable in electronic format. (Most e-text Bibles either omit Deuterocanonical material, or are more than a century old.)

Ubuntu Christian Edition includes scripts to download and install programs for Windows. Without those scripts, installing those programs involves a steep learning curve. With those scripts, some users report problems in installing the programs that require WINE.

Meta Packages
This is the approach that Ubuntu Satanic Edition and Ichthux take.

Depending on the software additions that are taken, this might be a more appropriate approach.

Fantasy Distributions
These distributions do not exist. They were mentioned in articles that were critical of either Ubuntu Christian Edition, Ubuntu Muslim Edition or another religiously orientated distribution.


 * Ubuntu Agnostic Edition;
 * Ubuntu Aleister Crowley Edition;
 * Ubuntu Apathetic Edition;
 * Ubuntu Asatru Edition;
 * Ubuntu Atheist Edition;
 * Ubuntu Baha'i Edition;
 * Ubuntu Bhuddist Edition;
 * Ubuntu Caodaism Edition;
 * Ubuntu Catholic Edition;
 * Ubuntu Confucius Edition;
 * Ubuntu Cthulhu Edition;
 * Ubuntu Daoist Edition;
 * Ubuntu Deist Edition;
 * Ubuntu Discordian Edition;
 * Ubuntu Eckankar Edition;
 * Ubuntu Erensitansicalismistic-mirror Edition;
 * Ubuntu Eve Online Edition;
 * Ubuntu Eventualism Edition;
 * Ubuntu Existentialist Edition;
 * Ubuntu Gnostic Edition;
 * Ubuntu Greek Orthodox Edition;
 * Ubuntu Hindu Edition;
 * Ubuntu Humanism Edition;
 * Ubuntu Jainism Edition;
 * Ubuntu Jehovah's Witness Edition;
 * Ubuntu Kabbalistic Edition;
 * Ubuntu meow-mix Edition;
 * Ubuntu Mneptok Edition;
 * Ubuntu palindrome edition;
 * Ubuntu Pastafarian Edition;
 * Ubuntu pppoe_dude addition;
 * Ubuntu Scientology Edition;
 * Ubuntu Thelmic Edition;
 * Ubuntu Wicca Edition;
 * Ubuntu WoW edition;
 * Ubuntu Zen Buddhism Edition;
 * Ubuntu Zoroastrian Edition;
 * Ubuntu zyth edition;

Not Religiously Orientated
Several distributions have names which imply a religious theme, or orientated. That association is usually nothing more than an accident in the history of the distro.

Devil Linux
This is designed for secure IT related applications.

Origin of the Name
Name came from the logos on the T-Shirt one of the developers was wearing.

Features
Designed to boot from a CD-ROM which is read-only by nature. Configuration files are saved to either floppy disk or USB device.